Chitchat and the occasional in-depth analysis about fiber, knitting, spinning, crochet, cooking, feminism, self-image, and a modicum of personal blathering.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Yellow moon on the rise

Last night's supermoon, not a very good photo, but the best I could do with the sorry-ass tripod I have and not being so great on the manual settings on my camera.

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I haven't blogged in almost a month. Where does the time go? Things have not changed much, other than the snow has mostly melted and the shy little flowers are starting to poke heads out of the ground.

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There are buds everywhere on bushes and trees.

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Spring seems poised just beneath the surface, ready to leap out.

I've finished a couple of knitting projects. First, the Blooming Garden shawl.
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I really enjoyed the process of getting the clues week by week and watching the pattern unfold. It was quite challenging but quite rewarding as well.

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The pattern, as I mentioned before, was brilliantly written and Tiziana was right there for support and encouragement the whole time, so to her I say Brava, and Grazie!

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I also finished the Blue Skies pullover.

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And I really, really like it.

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I like it so much I'm willing to post a rare photo of myself wearing it because I think it's just that awesome.

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I did make some modifications. I'm not sure the designer had actual test knitters in the largest sizes because if I'd done what the pattern said, it would have been open way, way, way lower than I wanted it to be. So I closed the front sooner than the pattern said. I also did the neckline edging as a seed stitch band that matched the edging on the sleeves and bottom. Much better. than the crocheted edging that, judging from what I read on several Ravelry projects, did not lay flat anyway.

So I started another sweater, this time a cardigan.

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Doesn't look like much yet but it'll be awesome if it's big enough. It's laceweight yarn on larger needles so I'm hoping it'll be nice and light and floaty.

In spinning, I finished spinning the Corgi Hill Farm batts.

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I ended up with a personal record, almost 800 yards of lace weight yarn. No idea what I'm going to do with it yet, for now I'm happy to have finished it. I did the singles on a spindle then plied on the wheel. Considering I started this project on christmas day, it's been rather long term.

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The new spinning project is a BFL/tussah silk blend, also from Corgi Hill, on the same spindle, roughly the same weight. I have some of Cosymakes' falkland that I want to spin to a poofy bulky yarn soon too, though.

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Won't that make something neat for a little boy?

Personally, things are pretty unchanged. I have new glasses coming. My leg is STILL not right from when I fell in December, and I'm doing battle with an ulcer on the back of it to boot. Not fun. If it doesn't heal soon I'm going to have to go to the doctor. I've been walking more as the weather improves, though, so hopefully the forced circulation from walking will help the healing process. I hate having this half-dead leg, making everything more complicated. Suppose it beats the alternative.

Still no word from my daughter. Every time I think the pain can't get any worse, it does. I thought I saw her driving down our road yesterday, when we were on our way home from dinner. I got almost happy because I thought maybe she came by and left a note, or called, or emailed, or something. But nothing. I continue to have dreams about her. The whole situation is very sad.

Lily is still adjusting well to being an only dog. It's fun watching her personality change as she gets used to her changed role.

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Bob's been able to get her out more often so she's starting to lose her winter pudge.

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Not her silly, though.