martinimade

I may have started another shawl, which is weird, because I don't really wear the silly things.

It's Sothia, which I first fell in love with when I saw it here. Then I went to Webs, saw they had the yarn* and, well, you can guess the rest. I'm to the eyelet row. I'm thinking about the ruffle with both excitement and dread, as one does.

Other than that, here. Have a gratuitous corgi in one of her fave sleeping spots/positions.

I can't move my office chair until the nap is done, out of fear I'll squish her. Send snacks.

* I'm developing a fierce love for the Madelinetosh. Such colors! Such soft!

There has been knitting going on:

This is another LaLa's Simple Shawl out of handspun. Once I get my teeth into a pattern, I can't seem to stop chewing. Also, I needed something that required little thought.

Speaking of teeth, 

The monkey has seen better days.

Ah, puppies. Ah, the chewing. No monkey (or shoe or table leg or tile floor) is safe.

Goodbye, monkey. You were enjoyed while you lasted.

I seem to have finished the shawl.

The pattern was La La's Simple Shawl (Rav link)  done with three skeins of Noro Yuzen in the evocatively named Color #4, Lot B. I had to do that thing that knitters do toward the end of the last skein, where you guess how many more rows and a bind-off you can get out of what's left. I cut it close:

Victory is mine.

It's been busy around here, as it usually is at the end of the term. The Featureless Saint has been doing back-to-back shows, I'm dealing with a variety of group projects, the Boy gnawed through his lip and the Diva has a cold. My response? Spinning.*

I may have some other fiber on deck, too:

It's 4 oz of 100 percent Corriedale from Woolen Mill St Yarns, purchased from the Loopy Ewe. The colorway is "Tardis." Because if I can't have one, I can at least spin one.

Speaking of spacey-wacey-timey-wimey things, there was a rare alignment of bodies the other day:

(you might have to click on the picture in order to see all three planetary spheres. McGregor may have his own gravity by now.)

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* also running. But I have no pictures of that, unless it would be a picture of my incredibly muscular thighs. The whippet-thin runner physique is just not going to be expressed by my solid peasant genes. Still, I'm who you want to hang out with during a famine because I won't have to eat much. So there's that.**

** Oh - and I'm running a 5K on Saturday. More on that later. 

Not sure I have much to report from the 'beck, really.

I ate inadvisable foods.

It's the cherry tomato that makes it OK.

I saw all things llama.

Including a, um, llama.

And another llama, this one with a wee little saddle.

I pondered buying a bumper sticker.

I did, however, buy some yarn.

Bought specifically to make "Turbo Toes" from Clara Parkes' The Knitters Book of Socks.

Cultured silk and Wool that I purchased because it is gorgeous (and Ann Shayne is a little bit of an enabler). You should feel how soft. Like a chincilla soft. Plus there is a depth of color that the photo fails to capture. I loves it. I could have gone craaaazy in the Tess Designer Yarns area. I'd never before experienced their work - and now want a vat of Kitten.

Now I need to catch up on all of the stuff I ignored while I was gone. *sigh*

Quickly, because I'm trying to fit a week's worth of stuff into an afternoon, a box 'o yarn showed up for me from elann yesterday. * Wonder what it'll be. **

* Not a huge surprise since I'd ordered it.

** I know what I'm aiming for. Just want to see what you lot think it will be. Any guesses?

I promised myself a 40th birthday trip, back when I turned 40. What with one thing and then a semester then a remarkably bleh* couple of months, I never did managed to get out of Dodge.**

Then I noticed that Chris Thile and Michael Daves, both of whom I adore, were playing in Portland, Maine just after classes ended. And so a plan was hatched. 

Some of the things I'd planned for the trip didn't quite work out; some did. The show remained on. Yesterday, I left the kids and the husband and the bleh behind and hit the road.

The guilt was nearly crushing, frankly. Still, the time spent staring at the traffic in front of me, having nothing much to do but get to Portland by 8 p.m. was a nice change from the constant busyness of my life. It was nice to not talk or write or think, really, for a whole five hours. Alone, but not lonely.

Which was why, when I was walking out of a rest stop with a coffee and walked nearly into Thile and Daves as they were coming out of the men's room, I was at a complete loss for what to say. I didn't even manage to take a picture. I did, however, manage to burble out that I was coming to the show. It was a moment of great awkwardness and wonderfulness.***

And the show? Incredible. Words fail. It's a privilege to watch two people do something that they live to do. Recordings really can't capture the nuance and energy. One of the things I miss about living in a larger town is live music (that isn't a college bar band).

Today I'll head further up the coast to visit the Doula Quinn and her family. Then off to hook up with my family in Western Mass. for the weekend. It's been a nice break.

Oh - and the tourist map of Portland the hotel gave me had three yarn shops on it, all within a four block radius. Way to have your priorities in order, Portland. I tip my needles to you.

Speaking of -

A quick round-up of actual knitting, which I accidentally left at home:

The Slinky Ribs sweater now has one sleeve:

This one sleeve sucked up as much time as the body of the sweater did. Stupid, stupid sleeves. Also, the sleeve is too short; I'll have to pick out the bind off row and keep working. This is entirely my fault, however, and sprung from what was going to be a yarn shortage. Another ball in the same dye lot was acquired and all will be well. Except for having to do more knitting on this one dang sleeve. That's just annoying.

I also seem to have started a scarf:

Do I need a scarf? No. Do I know anyone who needs a scarf? Again, no. Yet here we are.

Ah, Noro. I can't quit you.

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* Not bad, mind. Just bleh.

** Or its upstate equivalent.

*** They were driving a red minivan, btw. Which tickles me.

No podcast this week. It looks like I'll be releasing a new chapter every other week for the foreseeable future. Apologies. 

I'd still love to have questions for a Q&A, if you have any.*

And so, some knitting:

I finished the pink socks.

In the photo, it looks like one sock is slightly darker than the other. This is because one sock is slightly darker than the other. Same skein, same pattern. No idea. I also don't care. They are bright and pink and remind me of spring, which should be here any day now.

I also did the last bit of airing the stash closet, which was arranging my DPNs. Shut up. It is a big deal.

I didn't take a picture of that but did take yet another picture of my helper. See if you can spot him.

Finally, I managed to get a couple of things framed. I keep trying them out on different walls so can't say where they'll actually live yet. They aren't on the floor anymore, tho.

I love how this one turned out. Please ignore the ugly switchplate. 

So how are your projects going?

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* And, yes, is it on iTunes yet is a reasonable question. Working on it.

It was cold enough this morning that the thermometer - the remote unit is outside - gave up even trying to display it. Once we get below -9 (F), it can't cope. Neither can I, come to think of it.

In front of the thermometer is 120 Czech korunas, which is worth about $6. I hope the Czechs never do switch to the Euro, if only because their current currency is so pretty. 

So last week I had to drive to Seneca Falls for a story. More on that later. But on my way up 96, I drove past a big sign that said "Yarn Sale." I dropped in on my way back home. Not only was it a sale, it was the warehouse/workshop for Schaefer Yarns. Who knew?* I couldn't resist this skein of Helene in "Elizabeth Zimmermann." Now I need to figure out what to do with it. Thoughts?

Also, I managed to attache the button to the Fear of Committment Cowl. 

The back. The toggle slips into two stitches and holds the whole thing shut. 

The front. Thanks for all of the button input. You were right.

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* I suspect some of you knew. I didn't know, which is my own fault, yes, but made driving past the place all that much more exciting. Yes, I am easily excited.

For those of you wondering, work on the Greenway afghan continues. 

I've reached the point where I feel that I will never, ever be finished with it, that I will drag this uncompleted afghan with me to the grave. 

I'm tempted to let the cats just destroy it, because that seems to be what they want to do.

And, still, I crochet on, without cease and without end. 

Despite the hazards of daily life, the unfinished afghan remains. 

I've finished the knitting on a Fear of Commitment Cowl. While my version is less long and less wide, the idea is the same. The yarn is Berroco Flicker, which is soft and sparkly. The chain/tubular construction seems to make up for the lack of elasticity that usually plagues alpaca-based yarns.

I now have a button conundrum.

Would you go with this one:

Or this one :

The button in the top photo was one I picked up on a whim from M&J in NYC. The button in the bottom is from Gita Maria, whose buttons are marvelous. Thoughts?