Flowers Blooming & Yarn Buying

Warning! Picture heavy post.

Pretty things first today. The rose Dad planted is blooming. I wish I had Smell-O-Vision on the computer because they smell so sweet and rosy. Reminds me of my Grandma Angermeier's garden when I was a kid. She had roses of every color and they all performed their best under her loving care. And the Mexican Orchids I planted when we first moved back are still growing and surprise me every year with how amazing the blossoms are.


I succumbed to temptation and went to Jo-Ann's to replenish and upgrade my Landscapes stash (I had a coupon), but I refused to buy the Rose Garden--just too overtly pink; I couldn't do it even if it is Landscapes. These are Autumn Trails and Pastel Meadow. It's as pastel as I can stand.








I also picked up one skein each of the last 4 colors of Cotton Ease to complete planning a Sudoku afghan. I randomly assigned each of the 9 colors a number, then I'll knit 5" bias squares (9 of each color), arrange them according to the Sudoku solution I chose, and then band and edge the 9-patch blocks with the charcoal--eventually. First I have to finish my sweater and then I want to cast on the Seascape shawl/scarf, finish what I swear (but my fingers are crossed I must confess) will be the last pair of slippers for a while, then I can knit a block for the afghan and figure out how much yarn I'll need of each color. I don't think I'm going to worry about dye lot so the squares might change slightly when laundered and make it more interesting looking. That's my plan, anyway. (I stole the idea from a quilter I met at The Clearing last month. She made a quilt like it that week and I thought it'd be a fun summer throw for the couch.)