perspective

I have to have about 25 hats done for this event next Friday. Elissa Halloran Designs has had my silk scarves for sale in her shop for ages, and this Friday she will be featuring 4 knitters for the First Friday event. Of course it's an opportunity I appreciate very much.

As you know, I am also trying to make my father's sweater.

What I haven't told you is that I also have to have a submission ready for a book contribution for Donna Druchunas.

My hands are killing me. Ever since I have had to make the "Twisty Turns Shrug" from Wrap Style, in time for the Sheep and Wool Fest (and failed miserably), my hands have not been the same. I think I have carpal tunnel, in fact I wake up every night with my entire arm numb and some fingers in great pain. I have been taking turmeric capsules to fight inflammation and recently even began taking ibuprofen to get through the day.

Before you feel all sorry for me, I have to put things in perspective:
Today is World Aids Day. See this article, for example. Or this site. Or here.

I think I'll just knit a little more slowly, and mindfully, today.

what day are we on?

Still no news as of today.

I locked myself in the house today and got the following done:

(one) entire cardigan back. We won't talk about the fact that it's on size 15 needles and there's a deadline looming and I have to have a whole cardigan done now. It took me three hours.

I also made dinner (soup, and breadpudding); answered many emails, set up extra violin lessons with violin teacher for Tall Son, drove everyone to and from school, went to PT, drove a car full of kids to orchestra practice, and keep editing the pattern for said cardigan all day long.

I am hot. Are you hot? Is it me or is it unseasonally hot? And am I having to knit a superbulky cardigan during all this? Yup. (Am I also looking forward to the check I can put in the bank after it's done? You bet!)

This one is for Decadent Fibers and they want it for Stitches East and then Rhinebeck. Yes I will get pictures up here once it's done. If you're going to either one of those fiber shows, make sure you stop by and say hello to my cardi!

'Til tomorrow! ( I have to go now because "House" is on...)

shawl=done

I blocked the shawl overnight, and here it is.

The specs:

Decadent Fibers "Marshmallow", undyed, 2 hanks @ 315 yards.
This is a blend of 80% alpaca and 20% merino.

Pattern: Evelyn Clark's Shetland Triangle from the book Wrap Style.

Needle size: 6, 32 in circular, but a 24 in would have been enough.

I added 2 repeats of the main pattern (10 instead of 8). No problems at all, anywhere in the pattern; it's well written.

The shawl came out slightly heavier (I imagine) than the one in the book because they used fingering weight and I had sportweight. But I still think it came out OK, don't you?

And now I have to say goodbye -- to the shawl --

-- because tomorrow morning, I have to deliver it so it can begin its journey to trade shows and Stitches East and the NYS Sheep and Woolfest!

shawl fun

After a knitting marathon of 3 hrs 45 min, I finished the Shetland Triangle Shawl today. I still have to block it, but first decided to have some fun.
Here's the piece just off the needles.



Right side:

Wrong side:

An intrepid space explorer traversing the moguls on the shawlscape:

There. That's better, using skis:

Heck, it was 90+ degrees out today and very humid. Whatever gets you through, right?

(Lego toy courtesy of tall son.)

Done!

This week, I made a Lucy Bag for Decadent Fibers. Behold three straight days of knitting. The long strap is 40 inches long, the bag itself 24 inches. It will be felted, but not by moi, so I won't able to show you what it looks like when it's done (yet).