The Fisherman's Wife

I'm so happy to have finally finished the Fisherman's Wife. It's a beautiful pattern. (I used KP Shadow Vineyard and size 4 needles.) And I think the yarn is happy as well (and I hope the yarn doesn't mind being anthropomorphized ;) ). I first used the yarn on another shawl pattern. It just didn't look right. So, I frogged it. Then I thought it might look good with this pattern. It did and does. But, I had to buy a couple more skeins -- because this Faroese shawl is large. Well, I ended up having to frog a couple rows at the end because I didn't have enough yarn to bind off. It was interesting putting over 800 sts back on the needles but surprisingly doable. What I finally did was to put the pearls in early by lopping off the bottoms of the waves.

I've also found that I like the k2tog (without yarn in back) bind off when ending a shawl with garter stitch. I like what I call the yo bind off when ending a shawl with lace. That's what this shawl has as its bind off since the last 3 rows were k across (WS), k3, *yo, ssk* across, k2 (RS), k across (WS). I had to get the pearls in somehow, and this seemed the best way to get them in without major frogging.

I accidentally felted a wool sweater (in Paton's worsted weight wool). It looks nice and still fits (since it was short sleeve to begin with). But, the lower edge of the sweater is a little higher than I'd like.

I haven't cast on for Casablanca yet since I'm waiting to watch the movie again before casting on. In the meantime, I going to make a short sleeve sweater in CotLin Moroccan Red. I actually knit and finished the sweater last year and have worn it a couple of times. But, it's a little wider than I like. So, I frogged the entire thing and am going to start over. For some reason, I get a strange gauge with CotLin (4 sts and 7 rows per inch with size 5 needles) -- a ratio of sts to rows a lot different from most yarns I knit with.

I've also decided to make my k2tog's differently -- at least for the time being. With yarns that ssk's look better with just the first st repositioned, I'm going to reposition the first st on the left-hand needle before making a k2tog. That way k2tog and ssk match -- with the top st straight and the bottom twisted. (When knitting with cotton, I make ssk's the "proper" way. When knitting with a wool blend or acrylic, I reposition just the first st.)

Mystic Light

Mystic Light is now finished. This is the first shawl I've made with fingering weight yarn. I really like it. It's much more substantial than the ones with lace weight yarn. I used KP Palette apricot with size 7 needles. It grew a lot when blocked. But, the stitch definition is still there. And, I find that I like triangular shawls.

Now, I'm going to take a break from shawls until the first clue for Casablanca comes just before the weekend. Casablanca is one of my favorite movies. So, I'm going to watch it while starting the shawl.

My DD got on my case for having too many UFOs. And she was right. So, I've finished Bad Nauheim and Mystic Light. I'm getting to the finish line with the pair of knit socks I've been working on for a while -- from the Sockamaniac Yahoo group. The second sock goes much faster than the first. And knitting the second sock gives me a chance to write up and check directions for the sock. (The stitch pattern comes from the Yahoo group. We were to use the pattern to create a sock. There are also complete sock patterns in the group pages.) And I'm keeping up with the Monthly dishcloths.

I've also finally finished weaving in ends for a sweater that I'm making for my DH for his birthday. (I hate weaving in ends. I finished the sweater except for weaving in over a month ago.) It's one of Chrissy Gardiner's designs. I didn't know whether I'd like a sweater knit in cotton (Araucania Nature Cotton), but it came out nicely. And the unevenness of the yarn added to the sweater. Mine is in green, but I won't be posting a pic until after his birthday.

Palm Tree

This is the latest installment from the Monthly Dishcloth KAL (done in Peaches & Creme #55 with size 7 needles). (I'm glad that I ordered the bags of Peaches & Creme made up especially for the Monthly Dishcloth KAL.) I think the pattern is lovely -- although not blocked too well on my part. It's one of my favorites.

My DD thinks I have too many WIPs, and so I've been gradually trying to get them finished. I've finished Bad Nauheim. However, the Fisherman's Wife still needs me to find the box that the final skein of yarn was packed in. I've almost finished the crochet projects I was working on -- a pair of socks and a shawl. And I've finished one of a pair of socks I've been working on for a while. (I'm going to cast on for the second of the pair tomorrow.)

I'm making great progress on Mystic Light. I'm starting on the last clue. The picture is through the end of the next to last clue. I'm knitting it in KP Palette Apricot with size 7 needles. I should have it done by the time Casablanca starts.

When I'm done with blocking the shawl, I'm going to decide whether Palette would make good curtain material. The windows in the house we bought have blinds on them (and I hate blinds -- mostly because they're so hard to keep clean).

I forgot to say last time that we have a new wash machine. I really like it. The one that came with the house broke. (It just wouldn't spin or agitate anymore.) We went to Lowes and picked out a new washer. It was delivered the next day. I'd never had a wash machine like it before. It has no agitator in the middle like most top loaders. But that means I can easily put pillows in it. (I like to wash pillows once a year.)

And, today's my birthday. That's why I like Friday, the thirteenth, and also Flag Day. (I am superstitious about Friday, the twelfth, though. ;) )

Mystic Light started

Since I've finished one shawl and finished one of a pair of socks, I've allowed myself to start another shawl, Mystic Light. It's the first shawl I've tried in fingering weight rather than lace weight yarn. I'm using KP Palette apricot and size 7 needles. This is a pic through the end of Clue 1.

There are so many wonderful shawls to consider this year! I've also joined another Yahoo shawl group, MMario, which has a very interesting collection of shawls in various stages of development.

There is also more to crochet. I'm test crocheting a circular shawl in DK weight yarn -- which looks really pretty and which gives me an opportunity to get rid of some yarn that just didn't work for anything else I'd tried it with. There's also a CAL for a lace-weight crocheted shawl at Trinkets By Tracey. The first clue was published on May 30th. There is also a Ravelry group for the same CAL.

Finally, I got to watch the International Space Station go overhead a few night ago. It was neat. I hadn't done anything like that in many, many years. The last time I remember watching an artificial satellite go overhead was way back when I was living in Colorado. Sky and Telescope has an article about tracking satellites with a clickable Java-script type thing to calculate when and where to see the International Space Station or Hubble or the space shuttle go past.