Destined to fail?

More Math?

It Ain't gonna happin! All possible titles for this post.

We headed up to Edmonton on Wednesday. I was sure that I was going to have 2 and half hours uninterrupted knitting time on the way there and then again on Thursday. We were heading up to visit a relative in the hospital and since they only allowed two visitors at a time, I would have more knitting time in the waiting room. There would be nothing to prevent me from finishing Dracula's Bride.

As we drove past Balzac, I pulled out my knitting to discover that I had left the pattern at home. I knew exactly where it was. Mr. B asked if I wanted to go home to get the pattern but I realised that I didn't want to add an hour onto the total driving time.
I was disappointed but I since there were only seven rows, I was pretty sure I could finish them when I got home.

Last night three more rows were done and I woke up early this morning to finish the last four rows. It was still doable. Finish knitting before 9, wash and block it and it would be ready to wear to Make 1's Halloween party at 5.

There was this little doubt that kept bothering me. The pattern had no instructions for the final edge. I had printed the original pattern fours year earlier and there were comments on the Yahoo group that the last clue was just blocking instructions. I still didn't feel comfortable. I downloaded the pattern and my worst fears were realised. There was another whole chart that I had been missing. 28 more rows. 17948 more stitches.

I may come up with some crazy ideas, but I do know when to admit defeat.

And what did I do while on my way up to Edmonton? Started a new sock of course. I thought I was packing too many projects for a quick trip, but it pays to have multiple projects around at all times.

edited to correct the math...again.

9 rows.
5373 stitches. I will then cast off Dracula's Bride.

16. The number of new projects that I have planned while knitting this shawl.

I am not a fast knitter

I am an obsessed knitter but not a fast one. So when I decided that I should knit a shawl for Halloween, I realised that I was making an unwise ...no, an insane decision..

I started anyway...last Saturday. Yes, on the 17 of October, I thought I would have enough time to knit a shawl. Finished measurements 84 X 41. Total stitches (not including the ones that I knit twice) are 62,156.

At midnight, I had knit 46224 stitches at least once.

74% of the shawl is complete.

How much time did I spend figuring out the math? Too much! I must get back to knitting now. It's a busy week ahead and I didn't account for blocking time.

Warning -Rant ahead
Does anyone else believe that if the powers that be want us all to get flu shots, that they shouldn't make it so difficult?
Four flu clinics for a city with a population of over a million?
The addresses of the clinics were listed in the paper but if you wanted to know the times that they were open, you had to go on-line. How many people don't have access to computers?
If I go and stand in line at 6:00, will the doors close before I get to the front of the line at 8:00?

*edited to correct the math!

Dare to Dream....

Madrona fiber arts

Nefertiti is done...almost

Early Saturday morning, I finished knitting Nefertiti. Normally, I would have blocked it and then taken a artistic shot with it draped around a manikin or at least over the railing on the deck.

Instead, it is being sent to the bad knitting basket.

When I started this wrap, I thought that I had the perfect yarn. I loved the color and while it was hand dyed, I thought that the variegation in it would not detract from the overall design.

I started knitting and all was well until I got to the widest part of the wrap. Then the colors started to pool. Lucy urged me to rip it out but I though that it would be work out.

I hoped that somehow, magically, bad knitting would turn into good knitting. It didn't. I continued knitting. The pooling continued.

I don't mind pooling. I usually like to see how the spots of color line up with each other and make big spots of color. Unfortunately, the color that was most prevalent was...you guessed it...purple.

The plan is to now dye the wrap. Spinknit said that I should kettle dye it teal, and since she is the dying goddess that dyed the yarn in the first place, I would be smart to listen to her advice.

I'm going to postpone the decision for awhile.

I have started a new shawl. Dracula's Bride is a shawl that I originally stared a few years ago when it was published as a Mystery Shawl. I ripped it out when I realised that I didn't like the beads that I had chosen or the fact that I hadn't mirrored it. I also was disappointed that it didn't have any bats on it since it was called a Halloween mystery shawl.

If you don't see me for the next two weeks. it's because I'm home, knitting. If you do see me, it's because I've realised that once again, this was a really silly idea.

It has been a busy summer!

I didn't think that I had much time to knit but then I realised that I had completed not one but two sweaters...large sweaters.

This is my Camelot Coat....also known as Spamalot. It was knit longer than it needed to be and then fulled in the dryer. Fulling is always a scary proposition. Many, many hours of knitting can be shrunk beyond hope in minutes. Fortunately, that was not the case with this sweater. Fulling it made the stitches tighter and the fabric warmer.

I also finished my top down Swing Coat. I'm so happy that I listened to the advice of my Knitting Friends (although I complained bitterly about it when I was getting close to the end) and knit an extra three inches onto the length.

There is one more button to be sewn onto it. I forgot that I had knit 7 buttonholes instead of 6, went back to Make 1, bought another button and then put it someplace safe. I will find it eventually.

I have two sweaters to wear now that the weather has turned cooler . It's almost as if I had planned for things to turn out this way.
I didn't. I started both sweaters with the idea that I would finish them eventually....next year even. I'm glad my plan was altered.

We had a wedding. Some elements were traditional,

and some were not !

Last Thursday, I decided that I needed to knit a sweater for my Muffin, and bought the yarn.
Friday, I borrowed the pattern and people told me I was crazy (big surprise there). Friday night we had the rehearsal dinner at my house.

Saturday was the wedding. I thought about taking my knitting but realised that it would not be a good idea.

Sunday morning we had a brunch at the house and said goodbye to the out-of-town rellies.

Sunday night. I finally got to start the sweater.

Monday. Stupid cell phones gave up the ghost and we spent valuable knitting time sitting in the Telus store.

Tuesday morning.

We left for the airport at 9:30