Stick a fork in me. .. .

I'm done!!
Talk about a productive weekend. . . I finally got around to finishing a bunch of projects. I am the queen of having the tiniest amount of work to do to officially 'finish' but I let it sit for ages. I'm trying to be better about that, though. BUT before I get to that, gratuitous puppy photos!

Since summer refuses to relent here in Virginia and it was 92 on Sunday, I took the puppies to the beach. We had planned a trip to the Outer Banks, but at 6am I wasn't up for it, so Jake went fishing down there with David, and I stayed home. There were way too many people there to really let the dogs have a good time. Typically this time of year the beach is pretty quiet and people are mellow, so off leash dogs don't bother anyone. Going to the beach is one of Zosia's favorite things. . . she's not a swimmer or anything, but she LOVES to dig in the sand! Even though they had their leashes attached the whole time, I think they had fun. I did let them run a bit, with leashes trailing :) Jimmy Ray really didn't want anything to do with the surf, but Zosia likes to go out up to her belly, then try to run out before the waves break.
I was happy to sneak a few pictures of Jimmy Ray (isn't he too cute!) He tried to run, but being leashed, he had to suffer the photography! Zosia, as always, is a ham :)

OK. . . on to knitting. So my finishing was spurred by Knit Out Day. I wanted to finish the Valery hat to enter it. It's chunky yarn and Sz 11s, so it's pretty quick, and I did finish. (please excuse the stuffed dog model, I didn't have a human head!) I had to bind off like 4 times to get one that wasn't too tight or too stretchy. I like the end product. ..hopefully David does too!

I didn't end up entering my hat, because, sorry to any guild members who may read this, but it was pretty lame and you had to be there to win and to pick up your hat an hour after judging. . . that would have meant staying at the event for 4 hours, and there was no way I was going to make it!! There were only two hats entered, so if nothing else, I would have gotten a ribbon since they were placing 3, LOL!

I am going to make the same pattern for Jake, but this time I'll go bottom up. I didn't like having to figure out a good way to close the hole in the top this pattern created. I also will only do two ridges for Jake. I got some very pretty Malabrigo on eBay (yes, I'm still stalking there!) that is a great green color, so I'll still have the grey top, but the ridges will be doubled up in the Forest colorway.

I got the ends woven in on My So Called Scarf. I will go to the post office tomorrow to send it away. Thank goodness! I really, really, really didn't like knitting this! I'm glad I'm not the only one, based on comments to my earlier complaints!

Also done for a while, just needing a tie, is my wine cozy.

When finishing actually meant some knitting. . .. the Imagiknit scarf! I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it! (this photo is with flash so the color isn't quite that bright, but it's close.)I'm constantly amazed at the simple act of blocking. This scarf is so not as impressive unblocked. . . the dropped yarn overs are bunch-y. Plus you get a TON of length. Before blocking this was about 50 inches, here it is stretched out blocking on a queen size bed.
The final size was about 76 inches. If I was starting over, the only thing I'd change is that I would have made it skinnier and longer. I would have done the pattern over 16 stitches rather than 26. It's a quick knit, so I think this would be a good gift project!

The last finishing came on my 'Better Sweater'. This was all knit, just needed blocking and buttonhole/button attached. This took all of 10 minutes, I don't know why I delayed for so long. I'm excited for summer to finally leave and have a reason to wear a sweater!! It's not sunny enough yet to get a good picture of that, but I'll post to ravelry when I get one. Again, the blocking stuns me how all the stitches really even out and look so much nicer. Right now, the only way I know how to block is with a spray bottle. I'm interested in learning the 'all wet' method that gives the yarn a nice wash, too, but frankly it scares me that it'll be too big a soggy mess and I'll ruin it!