# Sky Scarf



## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

As if I needed another knitting project to work on this year...but it is a bit different. I thought I would post in case someone else might be interested in this year-long project too. 

Sky Scarf

Basically knitting a row on a scarf each day with the corresponding color to the sky that day, over the course of a year. To produce a unique scarf for your climate/area.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

What a cool project idea.


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

Very interesting. I like the idea, though I'd have to invest in more yarn of specific colors to be able to accommodate! I like the afghan on that page done the same way too.


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Wow... I would love to do something like that. I also kindof want to do one of the sunset colors each day... that could be fun. You'd have oranges and reds and pinks and purples all mixed with blues and greys!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

When I first looked at this I was trying to figure out why it would take someone a years to make, didn't look like anything special. Then I read it, ahhhhh, LOVE this idea. It would maybe a cool project for a school project to get kids interested in knitting (or crochet) and weather patterns. you could even run a yellow in there every so often for lightening or sunshine.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I was thinking that I could probably add that sickly green color in occasionally for tornado warnings too. :teehee:


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Cool!


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## rileyjo (Feb 14, 2005)

I am a weather geek. I love the math and the charts and talking predictions with other weather geeks.
I will be the coolest weather geek of all with a scarf like that! 
Thank you.


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

neat , mine would be mostly grey ..... with a stripe of blue here or there .....


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

I didn't see a Colorado Sunrise hat? Did I miss something? I went to my LYS, and the only yarn that had good shades was a heavier weight. I think my scarf might end up being a sky shawl instead. I also got fewer colors than they had, since I didn't want to leave my first-born behind there. I love the creativity of knitters though, did you see that someone had knit a sky blanket?


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Wow...that is really beautiful. Way past my skill level though.  I love the way she incorporated the colors.  I have been taking pictures of our back treeline at sunset for years now. It would be something to put it to use.

The Link


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

I was thinking about this last night and knowing I am a perfectionist I would need the right shade for the sky everyday!


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

I'm a perfectionist too, but I've had to force myself to work through it so that I can actually finish things.  

I love it too WIHH, I'll have to pass the thanks on to a friend of mine who posted the link on her Facebook and got me interested in it. I've taken my first sky picture this morning and I'm ready to get started.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Lythrum said:


> I'm a perfectionist too, but I've had to force myself to work through it so that I can actually finish things.
> 
> I love it too WIHH, I'll have to pass the thanks on to a friend of mine who posted the link on her Facebook and got me interested in it. I've taken my first sky picture this morning and I'm ready to get started.


I totally know what you mean, I have to do it too. Otherwise nothing would get done!:ashamed:

ETA: As soon as I finish my backlog of projects, I am going to start this!


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

That Colorado Sunrise hat is BEAUTIFUL !!!


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

I watched the video and I am trying to figure out how she got so many balls of yarn on that needle?


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

This is such a cool idea! DH & I are so in tune with the weather (as I'm sure many with critters are...), but I have always loved looking at the sky, and marveling at the colors. 

There's so many projects in queue right now that I'm afraid I'll have to pass on this. Especially because I'd love to use my own wool, and I'd have to dye all those colors... 

Just put it into my "queue" on Ravelry so I don't forget this one. Thanks for the link Lythrum!


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

The "pattern" itself wasn't that informative, and in the video she had already started it. From looking at the bottom though, there is a "tail" that looks like it holds quite a few strands. I'm playing around with it before I settle down on how I am going to do it. Right now I am trying casting on in the first days color, and then tying a knot with all the strands at the bottom, then running them along the side. The tail could be hid in some fringe when it is all finished. I've been taking a picture every day so that in case I have to frog it I'll be able to recreate. Tomorrow is supposed to be the first sunny day we've had, so I'll be able to try a color change.


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

The yarn being used in the pattern is lace-weight, 2 threads held together for each row on size 4 needles. The yarns are all carried along the side edge of the scarf from one row to the next. All you do is select the yarns that you'll be using for that day's row and wrap them around the other threads before beginning the row. In this way they are "hidden" along the side edge. As for starting out, I plan on adding the new colors only as they occur. I'm fairly sure it won't take long to get them all incorporated.

No I haven't made this yet, but I have used that particular technique before with row color changes. I'll be using slightly heavier weight yarn for my version of this scarf. Others have too, if you click the link that takes you the the Conceptual Knitters Pool, it shows you what others have done, and not all of them followed the prescribed method.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

The main thing is to remember to wrap or tuck all the other strands under/behind the working yarn. Say you had a string of 5 days of all sunshine and blue sky. Every one or two rows you would want to make sure you wrapped or tucked the non working colors behind the working yarn. Otherwise you will end up with a long floating thing along the edge. I imagine you do each color two rows so you end up with them all climbing up one edge. I would also slip the first stitch on each row, that will give you a cleaner edge. The scarf I'm knitting right now has me changing colors every two rows and is knit in a 1x1 rib to prevent curling edges.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Thanks for making it clearer!


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

I was thinking it would be awesome to do one of the night sky, or twilight (the sky color after sunset).


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

I was thinking about a good 'milestone' event for this scarf, and thought about my friend that is having a baby. Wouldn't it be a great record for the first year of life?

However, I'd love to put some of the baby milestones in it too - I think I'll start another thread - don't want to highjack! :hijacked:


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> ooooooohhhhhhh!!!! I saw a new pattern in ravelry for "My Year in Temperatures" where you take your temp and assign a color to that temp and knit a scarf to show your year in temps!!!!
> 
> http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/my-year-in-temperatures--scarf-


So they make that many colors for cold? :hysterical: I liked the idea of using the colors from the weather map temperature scale for the colors. That would be a lot though.  I think that is a neat idea.  And the twilight one too. Did you see that the Colorado Sunrise Hat is finished? It is amazing!


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Month 1 is finished!



I started taking a picture every day for documentation. I ended up taking them and then knitting up the scarf about once a week or so. I found it easier to do that than to try to knit a stripe on it every day. Shuffling around the yarn is kind of annoying.



Finished size for this month was about 6", so the finished one should be a little under 6 feet.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Love how the colors play out. You did a great job. I can't wait to see your progress and the finished scarf. It was brilliant of you to take pictures.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I hope you give us new pictures each month as it progresses. 
So darned cool!


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Very pretty!

I've also been knitting a sky scarf! I only have a picture from halfway through the month, though...

I'm using Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, in a lace pattern. The lace pattern slows things down.


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

I'm also working on a scarf (and blanket), but haven't completely decided on the scarf's stitch pattern just yet. I keep a detailed chart of the colors, but the photo idea is brilliant! I'm hoping to get the scarf worked up this week-end (only 1 kid will be home!), Mine will be worked in a Llama/wool yarn I got not too long ago. Soon as I establish all the yarn colors for the blanket, I'll get working on those. It's taken me awhile to iron out the details for that.


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Thanks y'all.  That is really pretty Svenska, I thought about doing something more elaborate than the garter stitch, but I'm doing good just to do that. I like that lace pattern, it reminds me of a sock pattern I saw called Zephyr...which would be appropriate for a sky scarf.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Lythrum's there is nothing wrong with garter stitch. In fact I think it is one of the very prettiest stitches there is.


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Indeed, there is nothing wrong with a garter stitch! I almost just did mine garter stitch, and I might be further along rather than playing catch-up from my chart of sky colors if I just did garter stitch. :teehee:

I am just complicated like lace, though. :shrug:


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

Nothing wrong with garter stitch, the blanket I'm working for this will be done in garter stitch. However, the Llama/wool yarn needs a different stitch to really show it off. I started in garter, but wasn't really crazy about how it was coming out, so I frogged it and will try something else.

Any recommendations for a pattern that will let a yarn show itself off a little better?


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

I saw in some of the other pictures in the group that someone had done one in shale lace that looked really neat with the sky colors. It reminded me of a puffy cloud.  She also added some beads to indicate snow or rain and charms for other events, which is something I had thought of doing.


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

That is just awesome! Please share it every month if you could! 

It was cool to see the different shades of gray, and the different shades of blue :goodjob:


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

I'm up to Jan 16 on the blanket I'm making and up to Jan 8 on the scarf. LOL To be fair, I really struggled with finding the best pattern for the yarn of the scarf and also with how best to connect the squares of the blanket. 

I kept changing my mind on the blanket, how big should the squares be, needle size, how many squares, how big to make the blanket. Because there is no way to make a blanket of any even number of squares and be able to make exactly 365 squares! So I struggled and played with an Excel spreadsheet. I finally settled, the blanket will have 368 squares, each one 3x3, 16 across and 23 down; approximately 4' by 6' in size. Then I fought with the connections of the squares, didn't like any of the stitching I tried (and undid). I finally settled on a white crocheted border. Since white will represent snowfall (and we don't get all that much), it's perfect! I have the first row completed and connected and it looks great! I won't take a photo just yet, because I can't see the point of taking a pic of what amount to a long line of squares. LOL However, once the next few rows are done, I'll show it to ya'll. 

As for the scarf, I hunted and hunted for the perfect pattern that would let the yarn show itself off a little better than simple garter stitch. I finally found a pattern I liked in part and altered it to suit a little better. It's a cabled pattern. A bit of a pain to work each row, but I like how it's coming along. I'm not crazy about the very bottom section, where all the yarns were added to the rows, but after that it settled out and started looking nice. That one is going a lot slower than the blanket, just because I keep having to refer back to the pattern and each day makes 2 rows. I don't think this scarf will make it to a full year (it's about 2 inches for each week), but maybe I'll split the year and make 2 scarves!


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## Billie in MO (Jun 9, 2002)

I have a question for those of you doing the sky scarf, ........how do you decide to record the day? 

If it is sunny all day, or rain or snow no problem. But I am getting a lot of days that are either sunny in the morning and totally cloudy in the afternoon or vice versa. There doesn't seem to be any thing in between. The clouds just suddenly appear or disappear. So how would you record that day??

I saw this a couple of years ago and decided to at least record all the days this year so I can do it later. I don't knit so it will be crochet. Someone mentioned making an afghan instead and I may do that as a scarf may too long with crocheting. And then someone mentioned green for tornado!! Never would of thought that but since I am in tornado country guess I better keep it in mind.


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

My loose goal is to take every picture outside at noon, whether I am home, out and about or at work. *However* - I am not so much into having it an exact time as I am interested in catching the unique beauty of the sky that day. If there is a very stunning or interesting cloud display at any time during the day I take a picture of it and then use that for my color. Also, rarer events, like rain or snow automatically get in. There are lots of blue sky days here. 

Edited to add - my only restriction on myself is that the picture not run into either sunrise or sunset, since that would be a totally different theme for a scarf.


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

For my blanket, I'm using 2 colors held together. So if it's blue with clouds, I'll put bright blue with light grey. I'm only using white to indicate snow. For the scarf, I'm using a single strand, so what I'm doing is choosing the most indicative color for that day. I record/photograph the same spot between 1 and 3pm every day. That way I have a fairly good record.

Honestly, I don't think it will matter to anyone else how exact you are, just choose what you like and go with it.


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## Billie in MO (Jun 9, 2002)

Falls-Acre said:


> Honestly, I don't think it will matter to anyone else how exact you are, just choose what you like and go with it.


Thanks, guess I will relax and just go with it!!


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

So we're done with February already! This month was harder to keep up with than January was. I ended up doing one big catch up day a few days ago. We had lots of rain and cloudy days, but some bright days and dramatic skies too.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I was just thinking about this pattern. I'm thinking it will become more and more interesting as the seasons change.

I wonder how it would look with a stripe or two of yellow for the sunshine?


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

Sunshine? There's supposed to be sunshine?! LOL This time of year, we don't see much of that. In truth, after a month of taking daily photos I am rapidly drawing the conclusion that my blanket (I give up on the scarf for now, may try a woven one later towards the end of the year) will consist primarily of 3 colors: medium grey, light grey, and medium blue (and not much of that!). I'll add my photos of this past month sometime this week.

beautiful scarf Lythrum!!


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Marchwind said:


> I was just thinking about this pattern. I'm thinking it will become more and more interesting as the seasons change.
> 
> I wonder how it would look with a stripe or two of yellow for the sunshine?


I don't know, I have been toying around with different ideas of incorporating different aspects of a day. Some days the sky is so dramatic that I wish I had more colors and room to work with. I think that would be when it would be good to do something like the sunrise hat where you had a section for your selected day.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I bet a landscape scarf or hat might be interesting too. Those greens of spring, and colors of flowers etc.

I love the simplicity of the sky scarf. You have done a great job of capturing the colors.


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

So here we are in March, first quarter is done.  This month didn't have many dramatic skies, a lot of gray and overcast. I did however get one surprise. Ever since I heard about the tsunami clouds that were seen over the airport in Birmingham, I have kept a close eye out. I was leaving work to go to a doctor's appointment, and guess what I saw up in the sky. They weren't nearly as dramatic or big as they others had been, but if you look close at the bottom left corner those are the tsunami coulds (Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds). Unfortunately all I had was my cell phone to get a picture with, and it was as I was driving down the road so it isn't that great of a picture.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I love watching your progress with this project. It is fascinating to me. I'm such a nerd


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Thanks! I'll admit that at times it has been tedious to remember to do it, my attention span is not long enough for a year long project. But it has me watching the sky out my window and every time I go outside.


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

April is finished and I did the best I have so far at keeping up with knitting the row every day. I got behind once and had to catch up, but mostly kept on top of it. You will notice that there is lots and lots of blue and white this month, I think I could post a picture of blue sky with white puffy clouds and it would pretty much cover this month.  I've also decided that this project will probably end in August, or else the scarf will be so big I couldn't practically wear it. And since that is my birthday month it seems somewhat appropriate.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Lythrum how long is the scarf now? I would guess you might want a scarf that is at least 5 and a half feet long with or without fringe. Most of my scarfs are at least that long. I can wrap them twice around my neck or double it and pull the ends through the loop.


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

It's a little over 2 feet right now, I had calculated that it would be slightly over six feet at the end. But I don't like wearing really long scarves, I usually just cross the scarf in the front and tuck in the ends. So I'll probably just work on it until it is as long as I like.


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

May is finished and summer is here, yay! I have to say, if not for the self-imposed accountability of posting here at the end of each month I probably would have given up on this a while ago. :teehee: We had lots of blue skies this month, with white puffy clouds. I am going to have to go pick up another ball of light blue.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

You are doing a great job! Do you knit on it every day?


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

I started out the month (as I usually do) knitting on it every day. But I got behind when we were out for a trip and didn't catch back up until the last two days. It doesn't quite match the therapeutic description of watching the sky and knitting a row of that color in the evening as a project in conceptual awareness. :heh: I try to do it every day, but then miss a few days, then it is a few weeks and then it is a knitting frenzy for a few evenings getting caught up. I do enjoy looking through the pictures and seeing the different skies. I should have a good collection of them by the end of the year. I think I'll make a collage of the best ones and frame it for my crafting room.


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

I'm a bit late getting this posted, because we left for our trip a few days before the end of June. As you can see from this month, we had clouds every day, so there's lots of white this month.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

That blue and white verigated yarn works really well


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Finally got caught up again. This month had a pretty eventful sky, lots of interesting cloud formations, and I even caught a rainbow! (And documented it with its own row). Of course, by the time I got my camera it was mostly gone, but if you use your imagination you can see it in the first sky picture.  Now I'm going into the homestretch, since I am ending in August. I've decided to end it on my birthday. :goodjob:


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

I have officially ended the Sky Scarf 2013 project today, to keep it from getting so long I wouldn't wear it. Now I just have to figure out how to finish the edges. I am thinking of crocheting a scalloped border on each end, kind of like clouds? Or I could just do fringes...or something. I have been looking through my Around the Corner Crochet Borders book for ideas. And maybe tomorrow I can finally have all of the yarn balls off of my desk! I am still trying to decide if I want to do something to mark the transition between months, so I still have the stitch markers in it. Embroider a line or something? I'm not sure, but at least I don't have to worry about doing rows anymore, and having a pile of yarn balls on my desk.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Oh, it came out so lovely!
You did so good at keeping up with it, too.
There is such a thing as *not* having a pile of yarn balls on ones desk? 


Does this mean that today is your birthday?
I think you said it is coming up...


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Whoop! Yay, for you finishing. How long is it? I like the way it turned out can't wait to se what edge you put on it.


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Yes it was.  It is about 4 feet long without edging right now. I was pretty surprised how many people start that project and don't finish it. I know that my friend who brought it to my attention when she posted about doing it quit early on this year. After spending that much money on yarn there was no way I was going to not do it, though there were quite a few points when I was tired of it. And it isn't so much having yarn balls on my desk, I usually have quite a few of them or WIPs. It was the fact that they were all connected to one project that made it difficult.


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

that is a very cool project

but I really worry about "long term projects" with my short attention span and lack of tolerance for "messes".  

that might just push me right on over the edge!


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Awesome job, it turned out great. Thanks for keeping us updated on this project too!


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## Leister Square (Feb 7, 2010)

I'm in Arizona. It would pretty much be all bright blue. That would make it easy for me. Whenever we get a cloudy day it feels special, seriously!


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

No worries about that for us this year, I think it has probably been the coolest, wettest summer we have had since we moved here. I know there was one month that there wasn't a day that didn't have some clouds in the sky.  And if I haven't seen you post somewhere on here, welcome Leister Square!


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

Welcome, Leicester Square. Skies are funny things- in Texas we had incredible sunsets almost daily- up here, they are rare but much more appreciated!

Nice to have you aboard!


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