Musical Sleeves

Yes, that is right---- sleeves. Both are done (with an asterisk*** unlike that of sports which add the asterisk for cheating and lying)---- and I'm at a thinking point. I'd knit both sleeves and gotten the body of the cardi to the 'acceptable' length state as I had mad fear that I was going to run out of yarn. With the sleeves done and calculating 30 rounds on the yoke before the pretty begins after everything is joined together, I will indeed have enough to add a bit more length to the body of the cardi after all. The bad news is that it will require a bit more knitting on what I thought was finished, the good news is that I think in the end, with such a classic piece in the works, I'll be happier about it. I might even add an inch or so to the sleeves so I have the choice to cuff if I choose, that will be decided later.

So, I'm still knitting navy blue and trying to remain patient. So far so good.

Last night at knit group I was in the throes of higher math, of which I do not like to do at all! :) It was time to sketch out the joining of the cardi a la Zimmerman (mother of my sweater). Somehow it took much longer than it should have even this feeble math brain! But now all numbers are in alignment and I really can't wait to put it all together.

I cast on for a project last night------ despite my single-minded focus to get Lloie done. A simple one, Citroen. I was motivated by Yo-El's delicious one knit for gift exchange. After managing a few rows and staring at it across the knitterly table, there on the shoulders of it's new owner, it looked NOTHING like it. I mean nothing. After Yo-El arrived I discovered that instead of knitting it on the pattern required 6's, she knit it on 4's because she didn't HAVE 6's. Ack. I love the look of her shawlette, very nice fabric, not too lacy but still very drapey and it shows off the ruched bands beautifully. I'm not sure if I like my Citroen in progress! I don't know if it is because I have only seen the one knit on 4's or if I don't like the resulting fabric of mine with laceweight on 6's. I've been advised to knit a bit past the first ruched band and determine. So there.


Tuesday knitting continues to be a haven for me here in the middle of domestic cranky-ness. I don't mean in the love life department but in the adult children living at home category. 'Nuff said. Last night didn't disappoint, much laughter and knitting transpired over coffee and good food. The staff at the trendy little cafe we knit at near one of the Universities always play 60's music for me (well almost always), and I appreciate it! 60's is my favorite genre (although I do like most all music) and it always takes me back. I think Grace Slick was right! Did we as a generation know better or were we just naive and optomistic? Maybe one from column a and one from column b. Free love, nobody went hungry, help and care were the order of the day. A sort of communal spirit that insured that it was all about the love. We've become selfish and cynical, free love has given way to fear of disease, and drugs were never much of a good idea, I lost too many friends along the way to heavy drugs and youth. I love the music because I remember how it felt to have life ahead like a shining promise, all things were possible and mankind was to be enjoyed and embraced. It seems as if we have come a long way from that. On a day when I'm thinking of canceling my health insurance because there is nothing going to happen in the broken machine we have in this country and I'm tired of paying $400 a month for it with a $5000 deductable----- T*ed K*ennedy is surely spinning in his grave over his state senate seat going Republican, and the finances of hard working families in utter shambles, maybe I'm just generically tired.

No doubt I'll fire up some Jefferson A*irplane and knit with the phone off the hook. Calm shall ensue, it always does after all.