Long time since I've caught up on the blog. It has been a sad time in our family but in addition to mourning, we celebrated the life of our mother. Mom passed away on Sunday, April 19th after a good life of 89 years. April 9th, we had traveled to Virginia for a visit with her and family and spent five days taking mom out of the assisted living center. The stand out was Easter dinner at brother's home where we shared a meal with family and got to sit out in the very warm southern sun. We took her to several of her favorite places for seafood lunches, a drive through some of the national civil war parks and, best for me, a ride across the ferry at Scotland Wharf to Jamestown, VA. Mom seemed to get stronger every day, more talkative and physically stronger. We left for the Mid-Atlantic Truck Camper Rally at Tall Pines Harbor in Sanford, VA telling her we would see her again in about ten days. After three years of declining health, she just passed in her sleep on the 19th after a last great day out with my sister. She was an amazingly strong woman who loved life, the sunshine, her native VA and her family. She is missed.



The extended family came in from Maine to Florida for the funeral. The gathering gave us the opportunity to talk about mom's life from childhood to her working life to her older years. Her two sisters who are 70 and 90 years old, cousins and friends all shared many stories of our VERY large family going back to great-grandmother times. The funeral service, burial and church reception were attended by many family members and friends. The old southern traditions are very comforting.

Rather then continue with our camping trip, we chose to return to Maine. We've been clearing up winter yard debris, getting the camper and truck cleaned up and ready for the next trip.

I knitted quite a bit while on this trip. The mindless top down raglan with a basketweave design is close to the division for sleeves. It wasn't totally mindless as it got ripped often since I kept forgetting the increases.

My uncle from SC came for the funeral so got to try on the kilt hose himself. The measurements were right on and he was quite pleased with them. He'd love to have them for a bagpipe concert Memorial Day but the first one is not even done yet. Great pattern, fun knit and I've learned a lot. Doubt I'll get the DH to wear a kilt but he'd look "cute" in shorts and kilt hose.

You know how sometime you just need a really easy project? I've always kept a list of projects to do one day and ran through the list looking. In Knitter's Magazine #57, Winter 1999, there is a cabled sweater called "Dressed Alike Cables" by Traci Bunkers. Sweater is sized for both kids and moms.



This is an easy set in sleeve pullover with big flat cables to the armhole and then an easy V gansey type pattern at the top. I went through every one of [mzannieknits](person) books, all the other design books and the web looking for something a little more interesting for the cable. As designed it was an eight stitch cable
crossed every ten rows. I've substituted "Double Twisted Cable" from "The Harmony Guide - 440 More Knitting Stitches" as it had a bit more interest. the double twisted is over 8 stitches, 22 rows and has triple crosses with 13 flat rows in between. I'll be able to knit this one without looking at cable charts - just what is needed for knitting around the fire at nights.

I'm using some of the [Cottage Craft](yarn) in Copper. Swatch looked good for fabric feel and I got the gauge I wanted. I'll convert it to knitting in the round up to the armholes - unless I decide to further change the pattern and knit it as a raglan top down. Can't leave anything alone can I? At least I can attribute the idea to the author.

Also working on a more complicated project called "He'mo Leanan Kilt Hose" by Anne Carroll Gilmour. My sock knowledge is low but since my cable skills are high, this is a great learning project. The cuff is made first and the sock is knit down from the cuff. Here is Joe modeling what is knit to date. These hose will go with us camping this summer but will need some attention paid to the charts. These are being made for Uncle Wayne to wear while he is pipeing in the bag pipe marching band. Hope they don't turn out too hot to wear