August 31st and All Finished Up

Here we are, back from vacation. Overall it was a great time, a little short on golf and a little long on clam chowder. I played only one game of golf but I ate chowder here, here and here. As someone pointed out to me today, Maine vacations seem to be all about where the next soup is coming from and that is exactly right.

Knitting Friend Jeanne declared August to be a good month for finishing up those unfinished objects and that seemed like a good idea to me. Why should April stand alone as the cruelest month? Self-declaration is good, it gives a person purpose. So I finished up quite a few things:

First, and foremost, I finished up the Poetry Mittens and boy do they look swell. As I was weaving in the many, many ends I realized that I had made some big leaps forward in knitting technique since casting them on which resulted in a much easier, faster knit for the second mitt, including:

• Magic Loop replacing 5 dpns
• Two handed strand knitting
• Turkish cast on
• A great big Gin and Tonic to facilitate weaving in loose ends, replacing the traditional red wine in a jelly glass
  

No picture yet, but as soon as I do I'll post them. Really, you'll swoon.

I do have a picture of this cute Grace Lace Beret that I finished up for Em just before she left for Maine at the beginning of August. I did not love this pattern while I was making it - it was a nice knit, fun and easy, but the colors pooled together in unappetizing clumps and the hat looked small. Once I blocked it, though, I loved it:


I also finished up that Mr. Greenjeans sweater for my sister. In any other month, I would have neglected this once I got to the sleeves, but in the spirit of UFO August, cruel months, etc. I forged on on through. Could not find a suitable button, though, so does this mean it's not an actual finished object?


I self declare it to be finished.