Monday 20 July 2009

Knitting among other things

It was a very busy weekend, and I got a lot of knitting done and yet, it feels like I hardly did anything.

I knit on the red socks I showed you the other day. I finally have the heel figured out and was happily knitting along, till I realized that one side had 19 gusset increases and the other side had 25. Had I been only 1 or two stitches apart, I would have kept right on going but 6 stitches is too much, so I have to go back and redo the gusset knitting. If I may say so, Diamond's Footloose is a good and sturdy yarn and isn't showing a lick of wear where the heel stitches have been done so many times. (4 times IIRC. I am trying to forget)


Then I knit on the mystery shawl and came to a decision. The designer has noted that the shawl needs fairly firm blocking and to be sure that your yarn is strong enough. This yarn is never going to be strong enough for it. It broke a second time just pulling it from the yarn cake. And it wasn't even binding, it just broke. I'd really love to work with the lace weight, but it isn't going to be right for this project. A Wisp might be just the ticket for this pretty pink.


I went to the stash and dug till I found something that I had enough of. I found some really nice Garnet Heather Palette in my stash, 4 balls, plenty for the shawlette. A good yarn for the hard blocking.I picked up and gave it a go. In an hour and a half, I knit to one repeat short of the second clue. Much more like it.


Then while visiting with family, I knit on my charity project. I've been neglecting it, and since I really enjoyed thoughtless knitting after the shawl and sock events, I just kept right on knitting it. Amazing what you can do when you sit down and just knit simple for a while. First pair done. Second pair on the go. The project is heelless bed socks and I hope that people in wheel chairs and who are confined to bed can help to stay warm with them on their toes.
The yarn is Donna from Scheepjes, the nicest little bend of micro fibre and wool.

Maybe I am being a bit too hard on myself. I'm going to have to re-think that feeling of not having accomplished enough. I did after all make significant progress on two projects, did a relief inch on the little Eye of Partridge shawl and finished some socks. I also listened to one complete book, (A Beautiful Mind), watched a movie, visited with family twice, visited once with imaginary friends, and talked to my sister on the phone for a couple of hours. Plus laundry and a few other household chores (which there is no way I did enough of and I am not sure I care - much)Surely I can give myself enough of a break to accept that I got a lot done this weekend.

I'm working on that next.

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