First of all, I want to thank my Bunny-Buddy, Haley, for my Haremail package today. A cute, little, knitted bunny (currently clinging to one of the candles on the dining room table), and a bag of Dove chocolate. Thanks! (And, my apologies for not taking a picture before I broke up the package–the chocolate is open in the kitchen, the bunny’s hangin’ in the dining room, and my camera’s upstairs . . . this is what happens when you quickly open a package on your lunch-break . . . you just don’t think about the “Oh, I should take a picture for my blog!” thing. ‘Cause, getting back to the office IS kinda important.)

I’ve been working on my Peacock shawl. I’m on row 97 and still have quite a way to go, but I’m only getting about 4 rows knitted a night (which I know will shrink by the time I’m getting near the end). I’m loving the blue-green color for this shawl. I was concerned that the variegated colors would take away from the pattern knitted into the shawl, but I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. Obviously, there’s not a lot of the “feather” pattern to see in mine yet, but judging by how the tiny, central portion is looking, this is going to look fabulous when it’s done and blocked–and the turquoise colors are looking very “peacocky.”

Here’s my one complaint about the pattern. (Ready? Here goes.) Every once in a while, on a given row, you have to move ALL the markers one stitch to the right or left. Most of the time (so far), this comes on a decrease stitch–knit two together, or whatever–and the marker is always right in the middle. So, slip the first stitch, pull the marker off, hold it somehow, slide the stitch back to the left needle, do the decrease, and then put the marker back. And this is happening 12 or more times a row. It’s definitely slowing me down and it’s really something of a pain. I don’t mind that I’m occasionally losing count on a row, or making tiny mistakes to tink, but this moving the marker thing is getting on my nerves. What’s the point of marking a stitch if you’re just going to move the thing on the next row? And the one after that? And the next one?

I’ve got my new issue of Vogue Knitting open in my lap, paging through as I wait for an internet page to load, or between thoughts or clicks online. There’s a whole section with aqua-colored knits (with which my Peacock shawl would look just wonderful!), and I like the retro-inspired section. Lots of cute little “romantic” sweaters which I think look lovely but would probably never actually wear. I don’t know that there’s anything I’ll actually make–not because there aren’t some nice patterns, but because I generally feel like I knit too slowly, and there are always some projects on my mental “to-do” list, and realistically, there are only so many projects I can keep floating around up there!

I have, sadly, noticed though that I have a tendency to wear thinner, finer sweaters and yet almost all the yarn in my stash is about Aran weight, like Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. I’ve got some DK-weight, but for the most part, most of the yarn I already own is going to make sweaters heavier than I’m likely to wear–too hot for around the house or at the office. I think I really need to think this through a little more! (I knew I should have bought Baby Cashmerino instead!)

Ooh! Last page, an ad for “Knitting OVER the Edge” by Nicky Epstein, to go along with her “Knitting ON the Edge.” Very cool!

Finally, a Lendrum update. I’ve decided to cancel the order from the Woolery because I really just don’t want to wait until May or June for my new wheel. (A couple weeks is one thing, a couple months is another.) Instead, I’m going to order one from Woodland Woolworks, which has a pretty good offer, too, even if not quite as low a price. I’m going to call that order in tomorrow.

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning // 2 Comments »