Sometimes it's the journey and not the destination

Ok, so a lot has happened since last I wrote a post -- a lot -- and knitting has been a large part of coping with those events. One piece of lace knitting in particular, one that I have been working on for close to two years, has been the first shawl I designed for myself. I call it Daddy's Girl, or I will if it's ever finished. 

You see, I was so close -- three rows to be exact -- and I was going to have it done by what would have been his 87th birthday. Then disaster struck in the form of a 7 month old schipperke. My dog ate my shawl. The shawl I was making to honor my father's memory. 

I cried.

 I told the dog to stay far away. 

I sought consolation from my knitting friends. 

Then I put it in a bag and didn't look at it for days. 

Finally, I decided to attempt a fix. Weeks worth of ruffle knitting has to be undone, but I don't think any of the double rose leaf or hummingbird patterns are torn up. I'm going to pick up what stitches I can from the chewed and unraveled part, unravel and pick up from the uninjured part, and redo the ruffle without the beads that I didn't care for anyway. It won't be done by August 31st.

If, when I start the repair, I find more chewed places, I will do what I can to fix them. I will enlist the help of my knitting friends. I will sigh and frown at the dog even as she drops a ball at my feet and we begin to play. In the end, I will wear my shawl or I will display it some other way. I will proudly explain its symbolism to any who admire it. I have a feeling I will find more lessons along the way.

Ice Follies

On December 22 I broke my arm in a fall on our last turn around the ice skating rink while on a Christmas break excursion with some of my grandchildren. January 6 I had surgery to put the pieces back together with plates and screws. I have a couple of weeks before the stitches come out, a month or so in a cast, throw in a little therapy, and then I should be back up to snuff.

By the time this is all over, there should be a nice tidy list of things I can do with one hand. So far, I can:
read
make coffee
put on make-up reasonably well
brush my teeth
type - slowly
write - like a pre-schooler
cook - even cornbread and black-eyed peas - so we survived New Years

Cooking is interesting with an arm out of commission. I can put together just about anything, but I can't do the multi-tasking required to put a meal together quickly. I have to think about how to do things that are normally automatic. Every task takes place in slow motion.

I've also learned to knit after a fashion. I asked one of my Ravelry groups for one-handed hobby suggestions and one lady said to try knitting with super long needles like some European knitters do. So I tucked a wooden #19 under my right arm, cast on some bulky variegated stuff from my stash and proceeded to knit. The best I can tell, I'm doing some form of continental.
And I'm slow. Still, slow knitting is better than no knitting, so I'll take it!

Senior Semester

Fashion design class is almost over. I have thoroughly enjoyed these classes, but like any student, I am looking forward to "graduating". Of course, "graduate school" is tempting me. Jamileh is offering draping classes this fall -- on a weeknight, not a Saturday -- so I'm considering it.

Here's what I've made so far:
gray wool suit - Chanel jacket and pencil skirt
lined black skirt
silk dress
two short-sleeved silk tops
white shirt
long-sleeved silk top
wool cape
greenish tweedy wool jacket
natural cotton/silk blend short-sleeved sweater with silk ribbing in oyster
with mother-of pearl buttons


The patterns I want to draft in my last two weeks are a sleeveless sheath and a tank top. Those are already staples in my wardrobe and I can't see that changing.

I love wearing things I've made myself. Going back to school this fall ought to be lots of fun!

Snowbound

Apparently, the best way for kids to get snow days is for the State of Arkansas to declare that all school districts will build 5 inclement weather days into their school calendars. We have used 4 of our 5 and we're only mid-way through February.

I don't venture off Ball Hill Road and I certainly don't attempt to cross the Cadron when there is ice and snow on the ground. I parked the car Sunday and didn't get into it again until Wednesday afternoon when I made a careful trip to the grocery store for, you guessed it, bread and milk.

Snow Days Projects:
Finished Evan's sweater except for the zipper - Austin's needs the zipper, too
Down to 1/2 a sleeve left on the February Lady Sweater
Worked 1 and 1/2 socks in a fun fiesta stripe
Started Terry a pair of socks in worsted weight
Started a lace scarf in a sunny yellow/orange handspun yarn
Spun a bit myself
Cut out a black skirt and lined the kick pleat on it
Bought beads for the First Shawl
Finished the purple dress for Michelle

New Year's Resolutions

I like New Year's Resolutions. They help me stay focused and mindful. Most don't last long, but every year I try, and sometimes that's the best I can hope for. These are specific to my art/hobbies/craft.

1. Check the stash before buying new materials for a project.
2. Finish these projects:
Evan & Elijah's sweaters
Twilight-style mittens
February Lady sweater
at least one pair of socks
at least one lace shawl
the queen-sized quilt
3. Improve and become more purposeful in spinning and bead making
4. Write more - at least once a week on one of the blogs and in the journal
5. No new magazines!
6. Stay off amazon.com! The library is NOT that far out of your way, for crying out loud!

Those are good enough for now. I'm looking forward to recording how long these last and what gets done.

Amelia's Sweater

I think I've mentioned before that I had planned to finish a sweater for each of the 6 grandchildren for Christmas 2009. I finished 4-1/2 of them, thank you very much, and I'm not going to feel guilty about not reaching that self-imposed goal. Elijah and Evan will be okay with an IOU. I think Amelia is pleased with her sweater. Handknit or not, a sweater still counts as clothes for Christmas, not the most exciting thing for anyone, especially a pre-teen, to get. Nevertheless, I'm going to have warm memories of knitting things for those I love. And besides, I've taught Amelia to knit, and she is showing all the signs of having "the bug". I look forward to the day when she's knitting her own gifts to give for Christmas. Nothing would tickle me more than to get a sweater she's knitted for me on some future Christmas morning.

What I Did On My Christmas Vacation

My version of Carol's Clever Little Shawl: It's been finished for awhile, but I just got around to blocking it this week. I spun the yarn as well as knitted the pattern. It's a superwash merino from Sheep Shed Studio. This project is my first from my own handspun yarn.

I was in a jewelry making mood today, too. I'm thinking it would be really neat to have custom-made jewelry with the clothes I'll show in the upcoming fashion shows that Jamileh sponsors.