Leaf Lace Shawl Finale

This outdoor shot gives a better sense of the color (and of how mossy my deck is).

Pattern: Leaf Lace Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark from Fiber Trends
Yarn: Fairy Hare lace-weight from Kimmet Farms
Needle: US6 Addi Turbo
Changes: I only knit mine slightly smaller than the original large size. I managed to use up pretty much all of my yarn without running out.

There is a Special Hell for These People

Puppies Used As Drug Couriers

I promise I will stop posting disgusting/disturbing/sad news stories for the rest of the week.

All the Elements for a New David Lynch Film

Nude Man Struck, Killed On I-90.
Cue Angelo Badalamenti.

Welcoming a New Arrival

Sorry about being such a downer yesterday. I just couldn't be frivolous and silly on such a sad day.

My day was brightened by a new arrival.

The cursing has already begun. Wes looked at me yesterday and asked, "Why is sewing so hard for you?" He assumed that since I knit and am generally crafty that sewing should just go along with that. But I don't know the answer. I usually chalk it up to the fact that sewing is a precise craft and I am not a precise person. Also I emit some vibe that breaks sewing machines. They all behave badly around me. Fortunately I was able to wind the bobbin, thread the machine and take it for a test drive without injuring it or myself.

I also started a project for a baby due to arrive soon. I wanted to use up the last of the Fairy Hare yarn from my Leaf Lace Shawl. I picked the "Moss and Faggot Hat" from the Summer 2004 IK.



I didn't think I would have enough yarn to knit the whole hat. I hoped to knit the lace and use a second yarn to knit the crown. Now I don't think I'll make it to the end of the lace which means I'm knitting this for nothing. I remember that I tried to knit this when the magazine first came out. Not a very serious push to do it, more of a "huh, wonder if I could do that." I spent maybe an hour standing at my kitchen island but couldn't get past the first few rows. I hadn't knit any lace before and I was stymied by the chart and really thrown by the YO as the first stitch on all the even rows. Now it's no biggie. Progress is good.

Terrible News Day

Coretta Scott King has died. Wendy Wasserstein has died. A female postal worker has killed six co-workers and herself. Alito has been confirmed. It is a terrible day. Sorry, everyone.

New Knit Sew-Along

Perfect timing. My new sewing machine should be arriving this week.

Weekend Spinning Results

This Romney was a little greasy. It was handcarded during my spinning class. I had a difficult time drafting it evenly because of the stickiness and my cruddy carding technique. I navajo-plied it and ended up with 139 yards. I haven't washed it yet but suspect it will puff up nicely.



This is the Romney skein next to 37 yards of Coopworth (2 ply). We used this combed top to practice long vs. short draw drafting styles so the yarn in very uneven but very soft and squishy. I love Coopworth. So creamy and pretty.

Broadway Revival?

Anyone remember the Broadway show Your Arms Too Short to Box with God? Anyone? No? Well there was a musical with that name and I distinctly remember the TV ads for it in the early 80s. I never saw the show but the title popped into my head when I finished the Leaf Lace Shawl tonight.


Off the needles.


Into the washer to soak.


Pinning out on the board.


My board's too small to block this shawl.

Sigh.

Is Squid the New Black?

A while ago I posted this squid hat. And now there's this version meant for infants.

I'm a Push Over, Just Push Me

In the last week I saw my friend Cass start and finish a Stahman shawl. In a week. Now granted she used a big yarn (some lovely fat merino something from Blue Moon Fiber Arts) and her shawl isn't terribly large. But she knit the whole thing in a week. It got me thinking that maybe I'd finally make myself a small Stahman shawl from the Peruvian Nights I got at knitting camp. And then I found a knitalong. You know I can't say no to a knitalong. So I may shift my Olympic Knitting plan from the Ribby Cardi to a shawl. The nice thing with the Stahman designs that I noticed from Cass's shawl is that with the shoulder shaping even a small shawl fits well and is very wearable. And it reminded me of how many of the ladies at the last Spin-In were wearing very small shawls that closed with a pin and stayed out of their way while they spun.

I also joined the Unloved Sock Yarn Swap and made a button for it.

Sucking

Wes is tied up for the whole weekend directing his film festival.* He was on the 4 o'clock news this evening. The boys and I sat down to watch it. There was 22 minutes of chanting, "Dah-Dee!Dah-Dee!" And then once Wes appeared on the tv there was, "DaddyDaddyDaddyDaddyDaddy!"

I was going to knit the edging on my shawl but I made a fatal mistake. I started spinning. You spinners out there know how the wheel sucks you in once you get going. First I finished spinning and plied some of the Romney from my spinning class from last month. Then I started spinning the rest of a different Romney from class. When I finally pulled myself away it was after 10. I put Thumbsucker in the DVD player and knit on the edging. The movie is just over an hour and a half. I then watched the director and book author have a long, lively and actually fairly interesting conversation on the special features. So after 2 hours of knitting I had 5 rows done. This sucks.

*He was recently lamenting that I get many more hits a day on my blog than the festival gets on its website. He wondered if a knitting film festival would be more successful. Anyway, boost his numbers and morale by clicking through to the festival site.

Dude, Here's the Forecast

I sighed deeply when I saw this weather forecast.
Look Melinda! A winning hand!

And then I looked closer.



Uhh, is that the technical term for it? What's next week's forecast going to be, a shitload of rain?