Finished!

I finally finished the shawl that I've been wanting to make for 10 years. See....




The story behind this is that way back in the olden days, or at least the pretend olden days, when I was working at Sturbridge Village, I made a shawl. It took a very long time, it was a pretty shade of blue/grey, and a loved, loved, loved wearing it around the village. And occasionally around the house. But it was part of my uniform, made with village yarn on village time, so I had to return it with the rest of my costume. And I mourned it, almost as much as I mourned the straw bonnet with silk forsythias that I wore in the summer.

Time has passed. We moved to Vermont and New York, but I never had any spare money to spend on something this frivolous. Then in Georgia, with the 90 degree heat, there wasn't much call for wool shawls. After that, I had to get going on baby blankets. But finally, I've done the shawl. Even though a sweater for Claire and four Christmas stockings were supposed to be next in the queue.

I cheated a little though. The original edging was a complicated lace pattern, so complicated that you only could see it if you were wearing it, anyone a foot away couldn't tell what it was. This was much easier, and faster.

I'm so happy that I've been wearing it the last few nights with all the loose ends poking out, because I didn't want to take the time to weave them in. I'm cold, and I wanted my wooly shawl. Yay!

Chilly

Getting cold. I've spent the last few weeks putting the storm windows up and down as we've swung from 40 degree nights to 70 degree days. But I think after tonight's frost, we'll be keeping the storms down permanently. Finally took the AC out of the window too, after using it about 3 nights all summer. I got some plastic wrap to put on some of the windows. I really hate that stuff, but the main part of the house is fairly old and not well insulated. It was probably a 3 room summer camp when it was built, and then was retro-fitted to a year-round home.

I think I finished the triangular wool shawl I'm making, haven't quite decided yet. It's really a bit too long in the back, but doesn't cover my front very well. I'm thinking of putting in a chunky button to keep it clasped in the front, and maybe adding some more trim to the front. Pictures eventually.

Blankie

 
Haven't posted a pic of Claire in awhile. Just have to say that I'm thrilled that she's been dragging around the blanket I made her. Makes me feel like a proud Mama to have made something just for her that she loves so much. 

Diametrically Opposed hobbies

Is it odd that my two current obsessions are knitting and baseball? Other than the fact that I can do one while watching the other, they have almost nothing in common. They both involve some math, but that's it.


Is one of my other hobbies taking goofy staged pictures of my kid? Yes it is! This is a blanket I made, you can just barely see the C worked into the knitting. (upside down) I did one for Nathan too. It was very simple, just took a long time doing row after row of plain stitch.

I finished Claire's poncho today, but it's a little big. Should be fine for the fall. Since she's still crawling, it just gets tangled up in her legs now. I'm working on my shawl now, although I've ripped it back once already because I was doing a stitch wrong. And I was inspired by the Yarn_Harlot to make socks, so I bought some yarn for those yesterday. (The Christmas stocking is hiding under the bed now, oh well, I'll get back to it someday.)

In baseball news, my Fantasy team is still in second, and the Sox are in first. Yay!

Today's thought

I like the smell of wool.

Knit Knit Knit Knit

I got a fun book the other day, Knitting_rules. And I mean fun, with jokes about sweaters that go out of control and the weird math involved in knitting round shawls. Even Dan was reading a bit and asking me if I knew what gauge was.

She has a blog too, Yarn_Harlot . I totally identify with her nickname, I move from project to project, seduced by new patterns and yarns, seldom finishing my commitments to finish the hat/mittens/scarves I began with. And reading her book is just making it worse, since I now want to see what it is about knitting socks that she finds so calming. Plus, I want to try a sweater.

But, I have half a Christmas stocking on a set of needles, and three more to do to complete the family set. I've set it aside for now to do a poncho
for Claire, but that is amazingly taking only a few days. This is just half of it, I'm making it up as I go along, and haven't figured out how I'm going to join the back and front yet. I really like the pattern and want to do a shawl for myself in a solid color. Plus I still want to do a felted bag to keep my knitting in. See, there I go again. The number of projects I want to do at any given time far outweighs the number I've successfully completed in the last year. (baby blanket, hat and mittens for Nathan, Felted Bag, Felted Hat,Ear Warmer/Headband)

Belated X-mas Present

I finally finished this hat for Dan's Mom. It came out pretty cute, and even if she dosn't like it, it was fun to make. I had to run it through the wash a few times and was convinced that it wasn't shrinking, and then suddenly it was too small. But I managed to stretch it a bit and I think it's a good size now. I'm going to start on Christmas stockings next. I don't know if my hands will cooperate after I have to change medications, so it may take me awhile to finish all four. 

Dumb Donald Impression

This is the hat prior to felting. I look a little too much like a character from Fat Albert.