Making Rounds

On my list of things that needed doing during the summer was a trip to visit my Aunt June. She's always had interesting family stories to share and we've always got along well. I think our status as the eldest children in our familes made us simpatico, and her stint as the librarian in her home town was influential in my career choice. Plus, she's an important link to the family needlework and seweing heritage on my mom's side.

Jeff, my sister and our niece headed down yesterday to spend the day. She made us a yummy lunch (with the help of her grandkids), and I got to give her the Squared Away Throw I finished a few months back. As I worked on it, I thought the colors were so Aunt June, and this picture confirms it! It's almost as if she picked this outfit for the occasion. She was really happy to receive it, which, of course, made this knitter's day.

She showed us some quilts while we were there, including a baby quilt with little sheep and a t-shirt quilt she was making for her grandson, Thomas. She also is repairing a fan-patterned quilt that my grandmother made just before June was born. She would have been twenty-two years old. I love all the fabric prints, which probably came from old sugar and flour sacks. Some are really quite cool, although a few panels have disintegrated over the years. It's just so moving to touch these things and make these connections with my past. I'm glad Aunt June is taking care of it so well. She is planning on coming to the biannual quilt show here in Austin in a month or so. It's become a bit of a tradition, and I'm looking forward to it.

Speaking of rounds, I've completed about 60 rounds of the Machrihanish Vest, which is about one-and-a-half chart repeats. I think I like the darker band better than the lighter one, but they're both nice. Whenever I put this in strong light to take a photograph, it makes the colors come off a bit more primary-ish than I think they are in normal light. Also, I like the way this looks from a distance more so than I do close up. I've completed two balls of the Mussel Blue, and haven't finished the first of any of the others. It's looking like I'll have plenty. I still have a ways to go before thinking about steeking and decreases, so for now I'll continue making the rounds.