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I finished a shawl last week and had enough yarn leftover that I almost cast on to make another just like it.
But then I blocked it.
Twice. And that was just about enough of that for me. Why is it that there are never enough pins? And remember, these photos show only half of the blocking. And pinning.
Ten On Tuesday. Ten Celebrities I Am Tired Of. Only Ten?
Sixty-eight. That was a harder to list to narrow down than I thought I would be. Really, I'm just sick of all of it.
I became a mom. To the best daughter any mom could have.
So for the weekend she is my favorite. While that may not mean much, it might be her only present. Heh. Just kidding, kiddo! Have a Happy, Wonderful Birthday! Thanks for being you, and calling me almost every day. For worrying about your sisters and grandmother. For wanting to come home on your long weekends. For making the best guacamole. For your easy laughter. For never calling me at 1 a.m. from the police station. For making it to 24 without giving me grandchildren. For never meaning it when you said you hated me. For being an endless source of joy and entertainment. And most importantly, for turning out pretty well, despite my sketchy parenting. Love you!
Sixty-eight. When I turned 24 Gillian was already a year and a half old. Weird, right?
Sixty-seven. And did you notice? They weren't just blue.
Spring is blooming.
Maybe if I hide under this leaf.....
I'm being very still, no way anybody can see me.
Is it working?
People and their cameras.....
I waited for the better photo, but whoever lives in there must have been asleep.
The woodpecker cuisine is the best right here.
Even on an overcast hiking day, the views are great.
My pool boy the lawn guy snow removal crew floor washer emotional rock bed warmer motorcycle driver all around chauffeur grocery shopper great hugger morale booster always encouraging confidant best husband personal sherpa Pete on the steep part.
In totally different news: My mom's surgery was today. As of this writing she is out of surgery and headed into ICU for recovery. Her surgeon is thrilled, everything went as well as could be expected and she is expected to do well from here on. Send those prayers and good thoughts her way!
Sixty-six. Yes, I know how good I have it. I've probably just put a target on my back, but you can't have him!
The pictures (thanks to my personal photographer, Cheryl) tell the story better than I ever could.
As usual, a brilliant Susan Pierce Lawrence shawl, very well written and beautiful to knit. I knit this shawl as per the modifications Susan made when knitting her own shawl out of this yarn. I thought I would knit it after seeing that one online, but then got to see Margene's shawl knit in the same yarn in real live person and was sold. Trust me, just gorgeous.
That is the second SPL shawl for me in the last two shawls I've knitted. Did you know there is a ravelry group for knitters of Susan's pattern? Well, there is and you should join. Even if you haven't yet knit one of her patterns, this group will provide the motivation. Or maybe the little raffling off of Susan's new pattern will spur you on. When the group hits 200 member mark, Susan will be sharing her newest pattern with a lucky winner. In case you haven't guessed, it is totally in my queue.
The yarn is so soft and wonderful to work with and even after a soaking and blocking retains the silk aroma that I love.
So, the Forest Canopy Shawl is next in my list of to-dos. I'm on a roll with lace and Susan, although my current WIP is not a SPL pattern. Five more rows, a bind off and a blocking......
I should have gotten a photo with my Spring Things Shawl, the beads on that complement this shawl nicely. I love wearing them together.
Sixty-five. I don't know how she does it! I feel so awkward in these photo shoots and Cheryl it looks like I am as calm and relaxed and used to being a model as Twiggy!
Sixty-four. NO. I wasn't just looking at it.
Pattern: Spring Things Shawl designed by Susan Pierce Lawrence
Yarn: Zephyr Wool/Silk in indigo
Needles: Addi Lace size 5
Cast on: April 18, 2009
Bound off: May 3, 2009
This shawl was knit on some really warm days while basking in the sun. I know I knit some golden hot rays right into it.
My lace knitting fingers must have needed some warming up. My fingers just could not get the hang of the first chart, so of course I knit two more repeats of it. Two extra repeats feeling clumsy and not much like a lace knitter at all. Two extra repeats of a lace chart that is essentially the same knitting on every row. And I just could not burn it into my brain.
My hands settled in for the second and third charts and the rhythm of yarn overs and slip, slip, knits again worked their meditative and soothing spell over me.
The only other modifications I made were a suspended bind off and to replace the nupps with beads. I was just in a beady mood and I'm glad I went for it. Surprising, because I love nupps. I think I may be making up for it now though.
Once upon a time there was an insulated cold drink cup that I loved. And then lost. The links in that post have long expired, but let me tell you, as much as I loved that cold cup there was no way I was spending in the $70-100 range for a cold cup. No.Way. (I seriously thought about it though, I kept justifying it by dividing the number of uses I would get into the price I might pay, but sanity overruled.) A friend or two (possibly more) searched all of the Starbucks they came across, but there was not a cold cup to be found at regular retail prices.
Until now.
I have been frequently checking into Starbucks this spring, waiting for them to introduce this season's cold cup and as recently as Monday I couldn't find one. I was actually thinking that it was kind of late and that maybe they weren't doing one this year, but then Gillian called me and said that she got an email alerting her to the news that the cup had been reintroduced this spring. She did the internet version of a run to the website (immediately clicked on the link) only to find out that they were already sold out. Already! I couldn't get to a Starbucks at that minute, so I called Pete and sent him to check our local store.
Now that I have procured one for myself, one for each of my kids and one for the one I will break, I can share the news. AND! This year it comes in a grande and a VENTI size! Gillian found a venti in NYC and got it for me for Mother's Day. In my usual obsessive nature I am tempted to buy every one I can get my hands on and hoard them. If you want one, you should get yours before I get to it!
Sixty-one. Now brewing: Iced Tea!
I might have made you all jealous. Beautiful blue knitting on a beautiful blue day in beautiful 90 degree heat.
This week however, there is still beautiful blue knitting, some of it on beautiful blue days, none of it in beautiful blue 90 degree heat.
At least the tea was hot.
Fifty-nine. I have started the transition to iced tea, though.
