Hemlock Do-Over

I decided that since I like the yarn so much, that once I ripped out 80% of the throw, I might as well pop it back on the needles, albeit larger ones this time and try the thing again. This is in progress and looking better, less bunched up around the pattern and slightly more stretchy. Does this mean we have an actual 'throw' in the making? Stay tuned, I just don't know at this point.



Today I received a surprise (thanks Jane!) of a pretty deep orange organic cotton yarn and Brittany birch needles on which to knit it. I believe this is destined to be an orange cat with perhaps a little white on the paws. If it turns out I have to knit it twice (see previous posts) the yarn will take it and not complain. Nor will I because the entire cat project (including whiskers!) will be significantly fewer than the 550 plus stitches of the recently frogged throw.

I'm still enjoying knitting the Hemlock pattern and for sure I'm better at it than I was in the first go-round. Oh, but what I'll do for practice. Maybe some day I'll be good at reading patterns and then following instructions; I'm certainly acquiring a reasonable facility with knitting.

The sky is falling...

Yes, it is. More than usual this humid summer. It has been falling (in the kitchen) for some years, but this summer it is a positive snow storm of falling sky. And this year the 'texture' that some folks I know like, is more on the floor than on the ceiling. Living in interesting times....

Hemlock, schmemlock

It never fails, I have to knit everything twice. Not because I'm so enthusiastic that I can't wait to start a pattern again as soon as I finish it. No, that at least would be understandable. I knit everything twice because I don't read the directions properly or through, the first time.

So that poor Hemlock Ring throw turned into a doily. A rather pretty and bumpy doily, I will give it that, but it ain't no where near being a throw. I tried blocking it. Hah! No way was this going to block to anything except doily size.

I resigned myself to taking it apart and using the yarn for something else because I now don't have enough yarn to do the thing properly on bigger needles. What to do, oh, what to do? No more yarn in the required colour is available.

I immediately went stash diving to find something else I could knit the pattern in. Success--I have a mohair that is knitting up nicely, on much bigger needles and so we're doing the thing again. Since the pattern is great fun, I'm not too upset about this. The mohair had an unfortunate time in the dye bath so isn't dyed consistently. I fancy this will not be a problem for me with a throw, but you never really know until the thing is done. So there's a possibility that I'll have to do it another time or two to get it right. Do I get bang for my yarn dollars or what?

Make-over follies, part the second

They're going to take away my girl-card, any second, I just know it.

How do I explain that while I was being primped, soothed with warm towels and slathered in potions and lotions, greased and parafined (hands & feet); my hair being done for two hours in something called multi-dimensional low lights, that I found it simply and utterly comical? Monty Python does make-over? 

I was asked several times: aren't you excited?  Well, no, not really. I'll own up to being somewhat concerned however, say about my sanity.  I rather felt like I was indulging a group of young children. You know, you're visiting their house and they want to play barbie, so being a tolerant and reasonably kind person you agree, but then spend most of the time wondering how you fell down the rabbit hole into barbieland.

Another way to describe the experience (which wasn't a bad experience by any stretch, just odd in my world) is that I spent the afternoon (four hours!) on a Star Ship which landed on a planet where all the 'aliens' are passionate about creating beauty or some geriatric version of it in my case, with the most amazing potions you can imagine.  And then, like the fiction it is, you look exactly the same to yourself but everyone else, perhaps knowing what this has cost, or because they are part of the mass delusion on this particular planet, says your 'new look' is beautiful.

As I said in the earlier post, I'm grateful for the gift I won, but overall I found it the most odd and comical experience.  And didn't I want any make-up, to renew my blush and lip gloss (renew what? I never wear make-up so do not have this blush or lip gloss thing).

So yes, I spent the afternoon down the rabbit hole on an alien planet.  The women there were very very nice and good at what they do.  I'm a lost cause, my girl-card will be revoked and that will the end of it.  It's okay, I'm resigned, think I can live with that much more readily than the alternative. For I'm not sure how often I can dance down the rabbit hole, no matter how nice the denizens of that planet.

I do, it should be said, have a blue streak in my hair and my grey now has 'definition'.  Oh well, I couldn't come away completely unscathed, or maybe it was the time travel I attempted that got me the blue streak.  We'll never know...so much for this particular folly!  The REVEAL! (in progress--wait for it)

Okay, now I need a martini!

Face-plant in the yarn/fibre stash

Oh, but I have a bad case of startitis--I have so many projects started that they are weighing down one side of my sofa and the better part of the ottoman.  Earlier UFO's (unfinished objects) have been removed to bags and baskets in another room.

I'd like to say this is a result of a great many brilliant project ideas but in fact I'm merely fickle. A new yarn or pattern comes to my attention and I'm off to try it this very minute  My current love is a Hemlock Ring Throw which I'm knitting in a merino/bamboo blend that is utterly dreamy in the hands and looks wonderful besides.  Of course I've been clipping along with this and have knit myself into a problem with the pattern--but that's not unusual for me.  

On the sock needles I have a yummy merino/alpaca blend in a colour called Wicked Witch--a great thrill to knit when I'm out and about (aka waiting in the doctor's office) for not only do I have five sharp pointy sticks in my hands but I'm thinking wicked witch thoughts to go with the yarn colours.  Be very afraid of this old lady!

Do you suppose it is time to take a bit of an inventory of fibre projects and perhaps even prioritize them?  I have qiviut I'm spinning and also a beautiful kid mohair, both being spun as a lace-weight (approx 880 yards per 100 grams).  It takes forever to spin up a bobbin at this weight, but that also means I'm getting a lot of bang for the buck.  Same goes for knitting everything twice (because I foul it up one or more times); how's that for economical? I've also plied some of the mohair with a strand of fine silk and knit a small test swatch to see what it looks like.  I'll now throw both a bit of yarn and the swatches (there are several) into a dye bath to see what I get.  Dye bath colour will be as deep a turquoise as I can make since I'm currently fascinated by a jewel tone turquoise and want it somewhere in my life!

Book project and web site development are moving along at a reasonable pace.  No wandering or coffee shop trips have been indulged in this week though I'm about ready for both as I'm feeling rather house-bound this morning.  Perhaps a beach walk is in order, as I've not had one for quite some time.  I'd better check the tide clock and see where the tide is then.  Good, the tide is on its way out.  Think I'm off to the beach for an hour's walkies and I'll take my walking poles and get a decent workout too.

The first of the broad beans were available at the market garden where I buy my summer veggies and I'm looking forward to having them for supper. These are an expensive treat, but oh so good.  Oh and the first raspberries were also available, now that's heaven.  I've given up trying to grow anything in my yard except a few herbs in pots because I would have to do so much to amend and build soil that it seems a rather pointless effort.  I may change my mind next year, but this year I'm buying from local producers again.

Make-over follies, part the first

Today I met with the Team who will conduct the make-over I won.  I am a very uninformed participant in this as in the past twenty years (okay, forty if you must know) I have only had haircuts and once or twice in my life I had perms and only once have I ever indulged in coloured hair.  So I am pretty much a 'salon virgin'.  

How will these earnest young women deal with someone who doesn't know what a facial is; who's never had a manicure or make-up done professionally? Being made up for tv appearances doesn't count, that's only enough war paint to prove you are an animate being rather than cadaver material.  I'm not sure they think that they've got a live one as it stands now.  But they gently fondled my hair so they could make recommendations on what they'd like to do to it.  I was next the subject of a skin analysis (big magnifier, bright light) by someone with a very soft touch.  The general tone of the experience was very reassuring, but so far I'm probably not responding as someone excited by the opportunities I'm being given (sorry about that).  I'm pretty unsure about this and whether I'll like it; worried I'll break out in a rash or come away either with something in the hair department too geeky to endure or so nice I'll have to mortgage my future to be able to afford it regularly.

Then there is the cranky feminist part of me that wonders why on earth I'd participate in something so obviously decadent and pointless.  I don't have a good response to this except to cite my curiosity to see what it is all about.  And for the record I'm not unappreciative of the fact that this is a generous gift.