miscellany

So what comes even close to taking off an afternoon on the spur of the moment on a Tuesday for heaven's sake in order to go to the movies and have a leisurely stroll through a shishi mall? Not much. We saw "M*ilk" and if you haven't seen it run don't walk---- it was nothing short of outstanding!! Afterward while doing the aforementioned stroll, the windows of P*ottery Barn called my name. They were bathed in the yummiest and sunniest yellow, it looked so fresh and warm and happy---------- wonderful really. I have the urge to paint something in the house that very same yellow. I won't................ but that does not mean that the yearning is not there!

Onward I knit............... more I work................... and brides, have I mentioned that they are driving me nearly to distraction? Surely a more needy bunch has yet to be created! While I am (if I don't mind saying so) quite good at the care of this special breed, it is a good thing that pointy objects are nowhere in sight lately.

Hot Chai and a Straight Backed Chair

I think I've consumed enough Chai tea to be spicy from the inside out, and have given up both the sofa and my beloved chaise for a straight backed dining room chair with no arms. Not as comfortable as either of the aforementioned to be sure but ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...... the relief. I can get up and down without incredible pain and can actually sit for longer than 10 minutes without needing to shift position. Much better! I'm off any sort of drugs from simple to wahoo and can even get out of the bathtub without assistance. (It is the little things in life I'm telling you!!!)

It's been helpful knit-wise for sure--- IF the sweater in progress HAD armholes, that is where I am now. I have a photo of the wip ages ago............. it seems sort of silly to post the old thing. Has been y'know. I've decided with the help of many great sages that visit the blog that some sort of repair must be done to the errant cables and I think that I'll choose (thanks Francis) Yarn Harlot's cheater fix which involves a bit of yarn wrangling and 'painting' sort of dupe stitch wise. Should be just fine but not something I'll try just yet. Still LOVING this sweater, such a satisfying blend of cables and seed and diamonds, just yummy. And the Cascade Eco? I'm still madly in love with it too!

But, while I have not been doing the sit and knit thing, I have been able to stand and maneuver in the sewing room. (Sigh with delight inserted here!)

I shamefully admit that the quilt in progress (above) has been two and a half years in the making. And it isn't like it is hard or anything geez. I bought a fab kit when I went to Paducah that many years ago and it sort of putters along a block at a time here and there. I'm on the home stretch fueled by my mad desire to have this quilt ON my bed by spring. That includes time to have that bad boy sent off for machine quilting of course, if left to my own devices it will still be only a quilt top when I'm in the home. The fabrics are great, the colorway goes from red to green to blue, starry of sorts (see the pattern in the background?) While I do love hand applique, this is done by machine using the invisible method--- freezer paper, fabric glue, invisible thread and a snip along the way.

And on the quilt front I'm clearly as bad as I am on the knit front because I have already added project number three in back of the quilt on the table right now. (Number two is Jelly Stars from Fig Tree). I was going through the second chest of drawers making room for company and came across this fabric bundle. Serendipity, I'd completely forgotten about it too! Gorgeous, wonderful colors and the spirit is so happy without being too cutesy.

Work putters along, two new brides on the books in the past two weeks--- definitely a good thing. Neither of them knit, OR quilt................ what are these young women coming to anyway?? I need the normally slow season to hit a higher gear, having just replaced the ignitors on my V*iking to the tune of $400.00 (gulp), my yarn and fabric budget just hit empty.

Maybe I should go make some very expensive cupcakes in my 'new' oven.

The Conundrum and The Knitting Bride

So it was a decision made of agony. The biggest lesson learned is not to knit under the influence of supah-drugs. Not worth it! :) While I chipped away during my back pain on my sweater, a row here a row there, apparently I didn't look at it in progress. Or saw it through glazed eyes of madness. Or something. Because Sunday, lo and behold there it was............rows back, the simple cables had reversed direction. The cables look great below, as well as above. But there in the past was the cable that was the culprit. Damn and double damn. The second cable above the ribbing. Now mind you, I knit the ribbing (never my favorite) three times until it pleased me, and then I knit to the second cable once and frogged back to knit a size smaller as it was huge, really huger than huge. I was 29 rows in. Decision time. Agony time. I took the sweater to knit group and dear RMS said in part that you'd really never notice it. I mean a KNITTER would, but really, most people wouldn't. It was on the back. If it would make me crazy rip it out. Would it? Hmmmmm. Leonora of perfectionist fame said you'd be crazy not to frog the sweater to the ribbing and begin again. Just as I decided to rip back, a calm came over me and I decided to soldier on.

There are perfectionists out there and I have decided that I am not one of them. Will the twisty spot bother me to the point that I will hate the sweater? Nope. Does this mean that I am a lazy or sloppy knitter? Nope again.

What I have learned is twofold during this calamity. First is that it is not a calamity at all. It is knitting and I knit for peace and sanity and the joy of it. Soldiering on, in THIS instance anyway is okey dokey. For me---------- maybe not for you. And that is the bigger okay of it all.

Remember it has not been that long since I have determined to be a calmer knitter this year, a calmer creative soul in all endeavors. That includes not getting crazy if I don't crank out a sweater in 3 weeks, or a quilt in 4. I'm trying to be kinder to myself in not only this part of my life but in others as well. So far so good I think.

I've also decided that I still love Alexi----- it is a lovely sweater knit of wonderful yarn and I am enjoying the process (even drugged apparently). And I am more than likely not going to get it finished in any sort of record time nor will I probably get to enjoy it much this season, if at all. And that is OKAY. It is the process, the relaxing sit with whatever time I have to spend growing a cardigan I will hopefully own for many many years.

Even with a small faux pas, to mark the time and remember the Christmas when my back decided to go on a brief and painful hiatus............ I will revel in the knit of it.

Above is last Saturday's bride, strapless in downright cold weather, sandals too! She's rockin' the sweater.

I've also picked up a book again, and won't feel guilty about just reading it with a cup of tea, not kick myself that I am reading when I should be knitting, that the sweater will not get done not get done noooooot get done. It's okay. And should you suggest that I read while I knit I will smile and gently tell you that it just simply ain't my thang.

It's all good, and with the conundrum solved I can be peaceful about it.

Until next time that is!

Adorable bride of knitting tells me that she knits. Personally I think no self respecting knitter would not wield the circs like that but that is just my opinion! I adored this bride and her husband, I'm hoping that they set the trend for '09 brides! She was mighty cold in that little dress and it could just be that she was wishing she could wrap up in that bit of woolly goodness!

My back is pretty good and feel as if I am actually back on top of things both work and domestic. It's been hard fought I'm telling you! All things Christmas are put neatly away in their appropriate place, and the house is even clean. Most happily of all I find that I am able to get work done and remember what I was doing and when......... well for the most part anyway. I'm still pacing myself just because. I might even get some knitting done later, or not!

Up and (almost) running!

Whew............. I made it through a long day of work yesterday, we started with our bride at 10:30 a.m. and rolled in at 11:15 p.m. With much care and more than a few Aleve it was all good. Don't get me wrong, I definitely did not have the flexibility that I should have, and didn't push anything. Getting down on the ground to fluff a dress or smooth a veil was kind of dicey. No one seemed to have known that I've been down for the count so I count that as a victory.

It's a bit overwhelming to know that today is the 4th of January and the Christmas decorations are still up, depressing really. Never in my life have I had anything up past the first. That task looms large but I have guests coming tomorrow evening so in all reality getting things completely down is not going to happen. (Remember, I'm on the pace yourself plan!) No doubt I can get everything down outside and with luck can pull down the rest of it-- minus the tree-- by tomorrow afternoon.

Have you ever noticed that when all of the Christmas comes down there seems to be more cleaning to do behind it all? Me too, kind of depressing if you ask me!

The backstory is that as I get things set to right there won't be much accomplished on the quilt in progress or the sweater for that matter. I'm learning that it is not a race! Although it feels like one, I'm not going to let the uber productiveness of knitters and quilters around me to make me feel like a slug nor am I going to let it stress me out. I refuse to call it a resolution of any sort, I mean why set yourself up for failure and frustration! Instead I'll try a very laid back approach when it comes to creative pursuits.

In the meantime as I finally give some thought to fresh starts and watch the new year begin to unfold I thought a new look for the blog might give me a little perk.

I'll be venturing out to knit with the ladies today for the first time in what seems like forever. Hopefully I can sit and enjoy for more than half an hour before having to change positions. If not, it'll be okay, no stress, right?

So far.............................................. so good.

Top Shelf

New Year's Eve.................. can you believe it? The year has flown by with a speed both alarming and amazing.

My back seems to be at 80% or so, and even with two days of house guests from Florida I managed to stay off my feet, baby myself a bit and continue with the heat pads and ibuprofen. Knitting time has been far less than I had hoped during my week off (I hate it when that happens) and I've only managed about 6 inches on my sweater in progress. Actually I consider it far more wonderful that it will not become necessary to shoot me in the backyard. With a huge wedding to work this weekend (and a new knitting bride) I'm hoping for a full recovery or it is going to be a verrrrrrrry long day.

Last night we took friends to the hockey game here in St. Louis and had a great time, although the B*lues lost 4-2 to New J*ersey. It was pretty funny, I wedged myself in my seat with my feet braced on the legs of the seat in front of me to support my back and all was good. Sadly, there were no gloves thrown off for a really good hockey fight------ I do enjoy those, c'mon it is hockey after all!! The Puck Bunnies were out in full force, the one sitting next to me swilling endless beer there in her mini skirted and high heeled glory, texting endlessly and waving like an idiot the entire game toward the camera and stepping on my feet with her stilettos was not harmed. I did give it serious consideration. All in all a Top Shelf evening! If only I had a nice sharp knitting needle!!!!!! (The image that conjures up is rather delightful, isn't it?)

I hope that your New Year's Eve is wonderful! Whatever your plans I hope that you are safe, warm, and surrounded by friends and family to say goodbye to 2008 and ring in the New Year in style. I will be having tea downtown with friends in the afternoon and playing cards with friends this evening. With any luck, I'll manage to knit off a few rows in between!

Broken

Man............... rudely snatched from a victorious bit of blogging and knitting came the back. I was so hopeful that my back was just a little thing, a tiny thing really. In the way of all good jokes it has not been. The Cliff N*otes version is that I have been down for the count since Christmas Eve. Up and around for small things but I can't find a comfortable place to sit and my favorite spot to knit (my beloved chaise) has proven to be killer for a lower back on the fritz. I am, for the moment, broken!

I have done a bit of reading when forced to be flat on my back.......... and the knitting has made some progress, though certainly not what I was hoping to show with a long weekend off. Still, I consider every row a victory.

The pattern of seed stitch and cables with that lovely diamond thrown in has been pure pleasure and such fun to watch it grow. I've advanced (big whoop) all the way through the first repeat of the diamond.

I've decided it is homage to my mother who passed away 10 years ago now. I recall what she called her "fisherman sweater" and it looked so like the one I'm creating. Hers was knit in "Sayelle", I don't know if they still make the stuff. But it was natural in color and slam-jammed with cables and seeds and bobbles and what-not. The buttons were medium sized and of a dark wood. She wore that sweater for ages and as a matter of fact when I think of her knitted things I inevitably think of this creation first and foremost. As I knit my version I can't help but remember her and smile.

Here's to you Betty my dear, I miss you dearly!

Now if I could just get around better...........................................

Christmas Day Cast on Party

I searched and struggled to find JUST the right knit for the Christmas Day Cast on Party. (If the truth is told, I cast on Christmas Eve but ended up frogging back the ribbing to put it on a smaller needle and am much happier at this point). You know how it is when you have an idea in your head about what you want to knit (or crochet, or quilt for that matter) and you can't find quite the right pattern? I wasn't in the mood to futz with one, although that certainly would have been an option. A cardigan was calling my name but I wanted to knit a cabled one, in that yummy natural wool that gives a timeless feeling. The closest pattern I found was one by Patons, in a size that wasn't nearly big enough. Refer back to no desire to futz. After loads of searching I think I found a pattern that has most of the qualities I've been looking for.

The Alexi Cardigan from Berroco. Not the straight Norah that I had planned but this one makes me smile plenty big. After the pattern had been decided the yarn came next. At the suggestion of my entire knit group I chose Cascade Eco in natural. YUMMY. As Rachel said at the shop when I bought it, it's so nice and "sheepy"!!!!

Photo of the ribbing taken late afternoon on Christmas Day. I can't wait to get the body of the sweater really going!!!

Please note those (chuckle) really clever row counters. As I do tend to be kind of crazy about them, I needed 3. All of mine have run away from home, seemingly together, so I had to pick up 3 new ones and of course 2/3 were the same color. Not phased and feeling quite clever I used nail polish to delineate which marker keeps tabs on what section of the sweater. Rest assured, the lime nail polish on one of the markers has never seen duty.

I am not shopping, not actually leaving the comfort of my home. There is a very strong possibility that I will not get out of my jammies tomorrow but will just relax. Yesterday afternoon when pulling out the little teensy food processor from the back of the lower cabinet I pulled my back. It is not what I'd call a good time and the only thing to do is take ibuprofen and self medicate a bit. Eggnog is, I have discovered, a fine remedy in part!

Get knittin!