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Archive for September 3rd, 2006

Singing and Knitting

Sunday, September 3rd, 2006

Sunday. It was good. We socialized and we sang. And I knit.

Any time I was not singing, even some of the times I was chatting, I was knitting.

Yes, I’m a bit obsessed but it’s the right kind, the constructive kind of obsession. I just need to do the handknitting-as-fast-as-I-can thing this weekend. I don’t mind listening to my inner voice when there is not a true deadline for a while. My inner voice is begging to knit and knit and finish and knit and finish something yet again.

First, I did rip back five triangles on yesterday’s hat and reknit until I had all 15 triangles done properly. I finished at midnight. Aaaah, it will be a sweet sleep tonight.

I also picked up a project I haven’t worked on since there was a spring chill in the air. It’s a snug-fitting ribbed shrug knit in Berrocco Foliage, one ball of which I purchased at Yarn Garden in Charlotte at least a year ago… and the additional two balls I’ll use came from our trip to Minneapolis in early August.

Originally I got the yarn thinking I’d do some scribble lace. This shrug is perfect, though. It’s a lofty wool/acrylic blend, slowly self-striping in very odd intervals, turquoise, green, purple-pink and navy. Sounds odd but it’s pretty and soft and fluffy. It’s wonderful in Knit 2/Purl 2 ribbing on needles that are maybe size 10US at first glance. For a socknitter, knitting with this much air in the fabric is an unusual experience. This yarn makes me very sure I’m on the right track. It’s almost like whipped cream!

I started the shrug thinking I’d make it with 2 balls of yarn (never mind I only owned one at the time). I started at the center back and worked out, figuring I’d stop knitting the first sleeve when the yarn ran out. However, the yarn is fat and with the rib it did not go as long as I had expected. Therefore, when I got the extra yarn I got two balls and will split the third between the arms.

This snug-fitting sort of shrug is perfect for the dance room at Foster Center. It seems every other dancer warms up when they dance but it can take me over an hour to not feel chilly, so I wear legwarmers and shrugs. The shrug I wear most often is a commercially-knit nylon tube I got at a discount clothing store. It fits fine but is thin (about leotard thickness) and not quite warm enough. This new one will be wonderful! I’m eager to see if I’m tempted to wear it other times besides dancing.

It’s great to go back and finish up something I started months ago. I love that feeling!

Long-Time Friend, Reunion

Sunday, September 3rd, 2006

Sunday we were invited to four gatherings, but by the time we got out and about we only made it to one. It was a great time, and we had such fun I forgot to take photos. Well, the one time I thought I wanted photos I was singing and playing bass. End of that idea. It’s good to sometimes live in the moment, I’d say.

Susan D LuksAt the gathering we did attend, I was delighted to look up and see Susan Luks. My friend from the 1960s, really and truly a friend for nearly a lifetime. I almost never see her anymore, though we do write emails intermittently. She’s just far enough out of town (and we are both busy, at mutually exclusive times) that we just seem to always miss out on meeting in person.

Sometimes a hug is more special than ever… hugging Susan was like that tonight. There was so much to catch up on, in a whole house full of people, also worthy of attention. We did talk a few times, and made plans to catch up with one another, perhaps over Thanksgiving weekend if all works well.

Photo: Susan wearing one of her masterpieces. She creates fabric, from which she then creates garments. Magnificent!

Sweet Saturday

Sunday, September 3rd, 2006

Saturday I found myself at Frandor for a few errands and stopped in at Rae’s while I was there. Lots of folks I know came through, including Priscilla who recently test-knitted a Perfect Hug Shawl for me, and Sophia, who has been in several of my classes.

Sophia modeling her Knit CorsetSophia plays harp. She performed at a wedding Saturday and stopped by the shop after the performance. It was the debut of her Annie Modesitt Knitted Corset, which she had finished the night before.

Sophia is a relatively new knitter. She really wanted to knit this corset but at first was afraid to attempt something with as much detail as this includes. Rae and I were able to encourage her… I believe if you love something as much as she did this design, and you have the resources to get through any “hiccups,” that you should dive in and go. Your passion for the project will get you through the rough spots if there are any.

So here she is, friends! She is beautiful in the corset, don’t you agree?

Do you notice the harp at her side? She brought it into the shop and gave us a short concert right there. She’s also holding Arpeggio, her tiny therapy dog who goes with her nearly everywhere. He’s so quiet and sometimes he sits in her purse so unobtrusively that it can take quite a while to realize he’s there.

It was delightful to see your work of art, Sophia. It was equally as lovely to hear you perform. Thanks for popping by at just the right time that I could enjoy your visit!

Drat!

Sunday, September 3rd, 2006

I stayed up till about 2am finishing a dozen triangles of my Lucy Neatby Equilateral Hat. Guess what? Yesterday afternoon sometime, I followed the map wrong and put a triangle on the wrong side (each triangle is built on one side of the previous one). Yes, the mistake happened while I was fully awake. That’s how it goes sometimes.

I kept wrapping the hat around to admire it the whole time I was knitting it. And somehow it looked as though it fit together just fine. But this morning I got up and eagerly began to sew the strip into a hat, or most of one.

But one triangle is wrong. And that means I can’t put it together as planned.

The triangle I mounted incorrectly is number 8. In the photo above, the sewing needle marks the spot where I goofed. I have also highlighted it here in the map I was supposed to be following.

My mistake, I think, was in sewing together the top of the hat too soon. I was worried that I would not be able to do the proper graft/seam and so I jumped in and did that part… also that made it a little easier to manage the strip as I was knitting. But that made it harder to see that I had turned right where I should have turned left. Whoops!

If it were a solid color, I could snip the yarn and do some grafting. However, with this continuous color change (and only 5 triangles to reknit) I think I’ll be ripping this thing out and starting over at triangle 8. So much for staying up till 2am!

Note: The yarn is Noro Kureyon, Color 180, Lot A. I got it at Rae’s Yarn Boutique. I know someone will ask!