Word

So with Lexical finished completely (the last hemming stitch went on last night at knit group) the WORD is TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT. You see I knit it in a size smaller, you know, to provide weight loss inspiration. My weight has crept back up and it is time for it to GO! I knew that knitting a great sweater in a smaller size would provide a bit more kick in the land of pants a plenty!

Tight is an understatement. I hadn't had it on and when I slipped it on you could hear the knitters thoughts. ACK was kind. Coming home and looking in the mirror I see that yes, blocking will help but less of me will help more.

I've lost 8.8 to date and others need to join their friends in rapid succession. I'm on it!

The funniest thing is one of the things I tell my brides at the top of the list, always with most emphasis is NEVER buy a gown thinking you will lose weight to fit it. It often doesn't work and what you're left with is a poorly fitting white frock of splendor that makes you end up with photos of yourself with all sorts of unhappy crap hanging out in ugly rolls that have now been captured for all time. ("Mom, why does your wedding dress make you look like you have four boobs???")

I'm hoping that Lexical has its time to shine without those uber tight sleeves and the gaposis in the front. It would be nice after all to USE those buttons! :)

Okay, I'm lacing up my shoes now. Here I go.

Lexical 99.9% FINISHED!

Lexical:
Finished, finito, yes indeed!

Lexical is off the needles and needs only to have the collar turned under and the hem turned up as well as buttons before the blocking. YAY!


It looks a little funny with the hem not folded under nice and flat and the collar looks crazy standing up double height! You can see that the buttons are just marked and not attached yet. I'm wondering if I want to use black thread or yarn? On some yarns using thread can actually cut the yarn it is sewn into so maybe I will experiment with both methods using a little swatch. (I don't have an original swatch, remember it worked out to swatch and make the pocket linings at the same time).

I would have had it done weeks earlier but puttered a bit with the Eggplant Nimbus (next to be seamed) and the Mesh Scarflet.

All in all I'm really pleased with it! I added about an inch and a half to the length but that is the only mod. I love the yarn, the subtle shine is just enough, definitely not too too at all. My only complaint was using the yarn (Lustra) in the seaming. I do like to use the same yarn in the project to assemble the bits and had plenty of Lustra left over to seam. I found that the long length of yarn necessary to seam tended to pull apart, probably due to the repeated pulling through as the yarn in that fat needle wandered through. I had to 'spit splice' a few times on every length. Normally, I wet block the pieces of my sweaters as they come together, for this one I'll block it finished and flat.

On a note of extremely distant similarity (thinking of Berroco projects)---------- congratulations to THE Norah Gaughan who was married last weekend! Many blessings Norah! (How I would have love to have Wrangled you for a bride!)

Labor Day is over, does this mean that the march to fall starts in earnest? It just might be okay, I have some great new sweaters at the ready! ;)

May You Rest David

My cousin's husband David passed away, it is a kind of sad and kind of okay thing. David was of German decent---- he was so strong, so kind, so brave. He was diagnosed with cancer 2 years ago and has fought the hardest fight I have EVER seen. Remarkable really. He NEVER complained, when the chemo and/or radiation got to him you were unaware. When the soles of his feet blistered so bad he could barely walk he kept up with things around the house and yard. He was never less than funny and always so compassionate. He was love and OH did he love his grandkids. David's last days were nasty, cancer is a horrid beast at the end. It was awful and I'm so glad it is over for him. His wife Paula is a fabulous woman. She sews, crochets, can craft anything that moves and can do more on a shoestring than just about anyone I have ever known. This whole struggle has been so hard on her and yet she was always strong. Always. I tell her now what I have told her always, that she is the toughest old bird in the world. Now that David is gone she says she feels almost better, knowing the ugly end is over and that she has stopped a two year free fall that took her breath away. Now she can get her feet under her and move on.

May you find rest and peace David. We'll all miss you!

Nimbus Blocking

Nimbus is finished and blocking! Only the assembly left to go! I would have finished it a day earlier but I ran out of the eggplant yarn three rows from the finish in the car yesterday on the way to the fair.

To add major irritation I had picked up a ball of merlot colored yarn and some double points to start work on the Eyelet Cap from the current Vogue Knits.


Unhappily I soon discovered my set of dpi's (cute orange colored plastic ones) were not nearly sharp enough to handle k2tog's and easy increases. Grouch and grumble, the rest of the trip was spent watching cows go by the window. The original design uses possum yarn, I will not be for oh so many reasons.

The fair was great fun, I especially liked watching the talent and creativity of the sand artists. They had finished this first tier in the first three days of the fair and have 3 more tiers left of their sand sculpture. Lucky for them the forecast is sunny!

The fair recap goes like this:
corn dog- 1
knitting exhibit- poooooooooooooooor
icy cold beer- 1
quilts at exhibit-pooooooooooooooooooor
bbq sandwich- 1
sweet tea- 1
harness racing- so much fun! (I picked the winner of race one, my horse Chiffon Lady came in to win and my $2 bet became $31!)
black walnut taffy----------- happiness

My daughter arrives from her 14 hour drive this evening and will be staying with us until she gets her feet on the ground. I have great hopes and if you can think a good thought or two it would be greatly appreciated!

Fair Nimbus

Monday dawns, CHILLY here in STL, 62 degrees at 10:20 a.m. Who can figure this. I should be working as I'm off this afternoon but instead I'm thinking of what easy peasy knitting to pack for a few hours in the car with you know who and her mother (sigh) to go to a local fair. Mini doughnuts and knitting may save the day.

I've cast off the last stitch for the eggplant Nimbus (yay!) and so pleased. Now to block and assemble, I have the most fabulous vintage inspired pin for the neckline.

Other than getting Lexical off the needles which should happen by weeks end, I have NOTHING in the wings except the Ravenna Satchel which has been taunting me for a very long time.

inspire me please!!!!!

My goal is a few little quickie projects to fill in, and to FINISH Ravenna. Then I will reward myself with a new project. When I look at my Ravelry fave list, the ideas are so many----- and at this point I am unable to find a front runner!

Today I'll be car knitting the eyeletty hat from the new Vogue Knits. Sounds like a plan.........

Along with a corn dog, looking at some knitting and quilting, another corn dog, some deep fried something or other and probably a beer.

the OTHER Nimbus

Knitting here and there this weekend on the other Nimbus, the purple one. The fronts have been liberated from the needles and both sleeves are currently in progress. the 4 inches of garter banding is almost complete, once that happens the sleeves come together pretty quickly.

And that------ is it.

Mesh Scarflet

Sometimes scarves are just fun and this scarfLET was no exception! About an hour before heading out the door for last weekend's trip I copied the pattern for the Mesh Scarflet from the current issue of Knit Simple and looked for yarn and needles. I had no fabulous scarfletty yarn so I grabbed the single ball of Wool Ease in the gold colorway that has been sitting around for color inspiration. The scarf was loads of fun to knit (although purl heavy) and great for knitting while visiting with family non-stop for 2 days. This really cute scarflet came off the needles about half way through the trip home on Monday, I had about two inches of it on the needles after a Friday evening cast on. This one calls for a button but I think I'll be looking for a cool stick/pin of some sort.

Love the whole issue full of fun little scarves and know I'll be adding to the collection!