Wednesday, August 13, 2008


I am cranky and tired and bitchy today. I woke up at 4:00 in the morning with serious cramps and a whopper of a headache. I love being a girl.....


I have slipped from the path of project monogamy. And this is what led me down the path of wip-dom.

This is the Wildflowers Shawl pattern (scroll down the link). It's not very big or even very complicated but I love the simple femininity of it. (photo stolen from Posh Yarns website). This story of failed monogamy started simply enough. I was working on plain socks for my aunt and I got bored. So, I started some lace socks for a Christmas gift for someone. I got bored with socks period so I put them down. Both pairs are 3/4 done. I started the felted bag that is an obligatory knit. It's boring to the nth degree. Just row after row of knit and purl. 168 long rows worth of endless red. I make myself do 8 rows each day and then let myself do something more challenging. I kept thinking about the beautiful bamboo yarn that Roxie sent me and I wondered how it would work for this pattern. So, without much thought, I wound the skein into a ball and cast on. It's a simple pattern and so far after 16 rows I am able to follow it easily. (SHHHH! You didn't hear that in case the knitting goddesses are listening and want to cast me down for my hubris! They are always casting people down for hubris.) The bamboo yarn, dyed in Oregon by Teresa Ruch designs, is interesting to work with. It looks and feels like embroidery floss but knits into a soft fabric. Everything I've read about bamboo yarn says it will completely soften once I wash and block it. I can't seem to find much info on blocking it but I'm going to give it a try. The colors are so clear and gorgeous. The stitch definition is amazing and it's an exciting thing to watch grow. I just can't figure out whether the pattern is from the top down or the bottom up. It's shaped strangely on the needles and the pattern doesn't say. I'm not good enough to be able to pick up a pattern and just tell by reading it. No matter. I am going to keep working away and eventually I figure it'll become clear.

I have two groups to prepare for today and don't have a single idea what to talk about. Sigh. At least it's Wednesday.

(edited to add: Right after I posted, I had thoughts of ideas for groups today. I like to think it's the positve effect of the internets! Thank you internets!)

12 comments:

Bezzie said...

But just think how silly you'd look in that shawl if you WEREN'T a girl ;-)

amy said...

Only Wednesday? I could have sworn yesterday was at least Wednesday, if not Thursday, but it was only TUESDAY. What's up with this week, anyway?!

I hope you're feeling better by now.

Galad said...

The shawl is a beautiful pattern and should be gorgeous in the bamboo. Hope you are feeling better by now.

Bells said...

oh womanhood is so often not fun. I know.

But you, Donna Lee, are an evil temptress. My first thought on seeing that shawl was, oh! Do I have room for another shawl on the needles right now?

I talked sense to myself but still, I wanted to start it.

roxie said...

How many stitches do you cast on? That shawl is going to show off the yarn beautifully. I hope you have the necessary yardage. If not, stop when you have a ball about the size of a large egg and we'll see if we can find another skein to ease in. (One row of skein two, two rows skein one. one row skein two, one row skein one. Two rows skein two, one row skein one. Three rows skein two, one row skein one. And so on untill skein one is gone.)

Sheepish Annie said...

Yup. The whole womanhood thing is not fun. Not fun at all. I've written at least five letters of complaint, but no response thus far...

Love that shawl. I think it will make for a very nice project, indeed!

Em said...

Ah, I now see that my flightiness with projects is hereditary. You just fight it better than I do. I have the colorful scarf, the TDF KAL socks, the boss baby blanket (yup, stilllll not done), the bribe socks, and the socks that shall not be named on the needles still. Damn, that's more than I thought. And yet, I find myself looking wistfully at other pretty patterns, thinking I could just get the needles and start. And now here you are, being a bad influence. Well done!

Denise said...

My husband always swears he'd never be a woman, not for all the money in the world... pretty sucky, isn't it. Hope you're feeling better soon (or are at least getting therapeutic quantities of chocolate).

That is a LOVELY shawl, and of course you should be knitting it! I'm sure the bamboo will be perfect for it, too :)

Rose Red said...

I love that pattern - it's fabulous!

Anonymous said...

Very pretty shawl, and will be beautiful in bamboo!

MadMad said...

Oh, funny - I have such a hard time knitting something when I don't know what is happening... I have issues with trust, I guess ;)!

Anonymous said...

I really like that shawl - thanks for sharing the link!

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