I Do Finish Things…

I Do Finish Things…

…every once in a white. Are you done laughing? It’s off the needles. It only needs to have the ends woven in, and maybe get some blocking. Right now, I’m not sure it needs it as it feels ready to wear.

I was looking at shawls after classes ended last December, and I had an influx of downtime after finals. There is the post-exam relief, then the surge of “Now, what? I should be studying.” So, I hunkered down, decided this bodice i loved was not going to happen with this yarn, and started searching out shawls in December, 2018. In the midst of the Christmas season, I could not justify the expense of the most recommended shawl I had seen. 

However. I looked at the make-up and design of a few shawls, and said, I can do this. I then started with three stitches, as they all started with three stitches, and continually increased a stitch per row on most of the rows until I used five skeins of yarn. This reason was two-fold. I had ten skeins of yarn to use. My shawl could not be more than that. Secondly, I often didn’t remember how often many shawls increased, but knew I wanted this one to be longer in the back as well as keeping my shoulders warm. I’m a cya girl…and if you don’t like the term (insert arse above;-)). This shawl was designed to cover my arse. 

Once I got to five skeins, over the course of a year, in which those around me estimated a five year completion time, I began the decreases and worked out how I would do them. They are not perfectly consistent, but no one is examining the decreases that closely. Once I get the ends woven in, I likely won’t be able to find what was what. The other beauty of this shawl, being an equilateral triangle for the most part (I have not yet measured it), is that I can just toss it on and not worry about which end is which. 

Now, the temps just need to rise above the rather chilly high of 35 this afternoon, so I can rock this shawl in pretty spring and fall evenings. In the meantime, the cats are happy to help me nap with it. Until next time, Happy Knitting. 

P.S. To see what it looks like on me, see my facebook page, Letters and Journeys.

Stalking Startling Butterflies

I was walking to a new favorite knitting and lunch nook today and actually remembered my camera. As I cut across a simple, grassy hill, I noticed a familiar flutter of orange and black. I recognized this to be a beautiful, but elusive monarch butterfly. Shortly after, two yellow beauties fluttered past me. I’m talking a lovely pale yellow tone, with some white on them. I wondered at this sight and where they fluttered off to. 

The lovely butterflies that allowed me a simple photograph today…

Soon after I set up my knitting items and lunch, I recalled that I had my camera and wondered again where the butterflies had gotten off to. …I finish lunch, then knit away at my leafy washcloth by Megan Goodacre. I also got to my shawl a bit, but later. Today, it ate lunch and found it interrupted by the butterflies. I opened the camera bag and set up my camera to find a butterfly flutter by me. I checked his location, set my camera and started snapping photos, trying not to startle the striking beauties. 

All the pretty washcloths… I just can’t get enough of these, but I’ll try to have another pattern to show before I return to these. 

The yellow ones were a little shy, but stayed still long enough to allow me a photo. The orange and black butterfly decided I did not need her photo and ran off only to be seen fluttering by as I started my car to pick up my client. I still got some lovely knitting done and enjoyed some beautiful sunny weather. And guys…I have to photograph this one in progress…Look at this lovely sunshine yellow. I’m in love (and I don’t normally go for yellow). But check this one out.

Please forgive the lighting on this…I’ll work for a better photo of it as I block it and share this lovely bit of sunshine again…

Also, it’s a banner week for me. I don’t love butterflies. I will not go into a butterfly house. I will patiently wait outside, knitting,  for you to finish. Yes, I have tried it, and I don’t like the way they grab me. This may be why I’m so into them in nature. They don’t land on me in their natural setting and remind me of more turbulent times. Alas, I do enjoy them in nature and wish to share some of my progress with you.

 

Shawl progress for the meantime…someday I’ll show this thing full size. Until next time,  Happy Knitting! 

Entering The Dog Days of August…

I took on two full time weeks in a row, which became adventurous this week. There are some decent stories, but not many I care to share yet. Besides, while I’ve gotten little done knit-wise, I have gotten past the center and begun creating a little tail.

Check out this little tail…isn’t it cute? 

The tail is so neat, I’m looking for opportunities to knit. (I’ve just been too tired after working all day and writing notes. I get a day off Sunday, besides a fair amount of cleaning, there will be sewing and knitting breaks. All are needed…and there may be a dinner out involved.

My dear monkey likes to help show this off…soon, the dog will help as well, as she’d rather sit with her head on my lap and snuggle if I must knit when she needs love.

In the meantime, allow me the indulgence of one pet dog story. I give the chow mix mini-walkies each night at my boyfriend’s before returning home. One night, we decided the pit-lab mix needed to join, or at least get a potty break before I left for the evening. So, I attached the double leash and began mini-walkies…corner to corner of the yard. I was ready to take them inside, my good deed done for the night, when this dog simply stood there, looking at me, then looking down the road. If I gave her an inch, she gently tugged me a foot until she was in the street. As I gave in, (because I’m really a big softie), I thought maybe she wants to find the street light in the intersection. Checking there were no cars, I led her in that direction. She kept going, on the leash, and I wondered where she would pick to finish her business. She talked me into the whole walk, as “mini-walkies” was a foreign concept to her. (Yes, I know. I have just been ‘had’ by a dog). We’re both better for it. 

She’ll likely help me pose the shawl as it grows. Until next time, 

Happy Knitting!

Simple Knitting In Public

I’m not sure what I was doing all last week. I was training for my new job (Yeah!), substitute teaching, and recall going to another appointment, I think. I have no recollection of what it was, where it was, or why it happened. Maybe I just needed to get out of the house. Maybe the knitting happened during a training video.

I did attend my niece’s band concert that Sunday. I did knit in public…I made good progress on this shawl. The when and where of working on it bugs me, because I did leave off mid row at one point (I’m wondering if that’s from the week before), or if I’m just imagining things. It could go either way. I’m just a girl, recovering from a tough beginning of the year trying to make everything work. I got through most of it unscathed. The knitting occasionally went to the backburner.

However, I knew I’d be talking to people, so I took the shawl (that’s taking forever to knit). I’m most of the way through skein four. Yet, part of me knows it’s three to more rows (at least) until I move onto skein five. Now I have a decision to make…Do I continue increasing with the fifth skein or do I finish skein four, start decreasing and make a matching hat, scarf and mitt set? Choices, choices. I may just have to see how the shawl wraps around me soon.

Three Skeins In the Shawl…Onward…

Three Skeins in, seven to go…onward to the fourth.

I have finally knit through the third skein of yarn. I had to count the remaining hanks of yarn to be certain. It’s simple, I can watch my favorite tv shows while I knit this. It’s also growing. I should measure it tonight to track how far I’ll go with hanks four and five. I have ten skeins of yarn to use in this. I’m debating about stopping after four and decreasing with four more skeins and making something matching or some border details in this, but I haven’t decided where exactly I might go with this.

Can you believe it? I’ll try to get a spread photo on my sewing table over the weekend…I’ve got a wing;-).

I’ve also knit through the second repeat of the first sock and have moved onto the third. I should be able to knit the heel over spring break if I’m good. However, I have a fair amount of school work to do, and I may be seeking further gainful employment. It has been a challenge, but I should be more gainfully employed next week. Fingers crossed. But you guys would rather see the sock, right?

 

Progress on the sock, Two repeats of the chart down…one more to get to the heel.

Enjoy your gratuitous knitting photos. I hope yours goes as well or better (one day, I’ll learn not to knit when tired, but that explanation may be for next week). Until next time, Happy Knitting!

Cheating on…Socks…

Briannag thinks I should only cheat on knitting with snuggles for herself.

It’s been shawl knitting all week. I’ve meant to work on the socks, but at home, I’m applying for jobs, thinking about things I should be doing or piecing quilts (or finding that I had not sewn all of the half-square triangles yet–the knitting equivalent of 1” of 1×1 or 2×2 ribbing is done, but you need 2”).

2nd skein of yarn almost used, was hoping to get through it…but not bad progress.

So, the socks are complex, but the butterflies on the horse’s butt are calling (quilting again), and I’m in movie mode. Especially now that the tv is hung and working. Dear James’ TV went out last week as I planned to stay home and watch Hallmark movies. In the meantime, I’ve kept myself busy knitting this shawl, and snuggling the cat…and some fiction writing, but I’m just getting that ready for class. Perhaps next week, I’ll have made some effort on some socks. Wish me luck.

Until next time, Happy knitting!