Knitting Obsession

Contemplation

Isn't knitting supposed to be relaxing?

Jojoland Harmony, HC06

I started my new lace shawl, the Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery Shawl. This is my first time doing one of these mystery things, in which you get clues every week (the clues being the actual pattern, divided into easy to digest parts). This is another pi construction circular shawl (inspired by a mandala, apparently. My previous experience with mandalas? A fiction book in which the mandala makes you a crazed, homicidal monster. I hope the outcome isn't the same here.) . I like these shawls because who doesn't like circular knitting? They also are very portable, and like all lace have an amazing payoff in the blocking. HOWEVER. They are next to impossible to start-for me, at least. With Desert Sun, I tried about 10 times to get the cast on (9 stitches on size 4 needles) right, and I finally thought I had it...until I blocked the final product. What I thought was a nice round hole in the center was really a sort of trefoil:

Ick. I actually don't mind it too much, but I wanted to make sure I did it RIGHT the next time. The Desert Sun was done on laceweight merino/silk, which is about 30 wpi and I used size 4 needles. The Harmony is a different beast altogether; a wispy, cobwebby beauty that claims to be 30 wpi but really clocks in at about 36 or so for me...and I am using size 3 needles. I cast on....oh, maybe 17 times? Maybe it wasn't that bad, but it felt like it. After the 16th or so time, I gathered my shattered wits about me and tried "just one more time" with 2 DPNs, knitting with the 3rd. I had been using 5 DPNs (I am stubborn. I have no desire to try magic loop or 2 circulars, and I never have problems with the actual cast on and joining...it's the first row that gets me. Needles slipping out, twisting rows, cat attacks, distraction by Season 2 of "The Wire"...etc., etc., etc.). I was finally successful and completed Clue 1.

Man, I had to work my tail off for it. Clue 2 should come Saturday, when I will be at the Baltimore Rowing Club's Charm City Sprints, cheering on friends. I have renewed my passing acquaintance with the gym and my personal trainer (who promises to "go easy on me"...that isn't going to help this booty though! Beach trip planned for early August...scary!) and it will be great to see my old rowing comrades. Maybe the rowing bug will bite me again? I had pulled away after two injuries and a change in the social feel of the place for me. It might be time to get over some old hurts.

Also in the knitting pipeline: a scarf. Not just any scarf though...this is a scarf with a purpose, a purpose which is admittedly a joke between a good friend and me, but still...it's double knitting, and the pattern being knitted into it? If someone (some manly someone, still undefined) can recognize it for what it is, it will ring my bell. Right now, one can't really tell what it is....

...but it is very pretty. If someone (NOT JESS!) can tell me what it is, maybe they will win a prize!

Summer solstice this weekend....not looking forward to the mugginess of the inner city at its peak.

Creativity NOW

Gah! I hate when I can't think of a title for my posts. Then I remember that I'm not really writing this blog for any big spectacular reason, and it really doesn't matter what the title is, as long as it all makes sense to me (and hopefully, a little bit, to readers).
How was your Valentine's Day? Mine was eventful. B. had returned from Belgium after a looooong 2 week business trip and since it was our first Valentine's Day, I decided to make a big fancy dinner. Nothing like setting yourself up for hijinks and possible fire damage! It all turned out pretty delicious, but I don't think I will be doing that again for a while. It was a leetle nerve wracking. After dinner, as we relaxed with the rest of the wine and "American Idol," he showed me what he brought back from Belgium for me. And now you get to see it!

I collect fans...I have for a very long time and I'm not sure of the origin. I suspect it was Aunt Barbara (hi!) but I'm not 100% positive. I do know that people bring them for me from places they visit such as Spain and Korea and lots of the USA, and now I have a lovely example of Belgian lace. This fan is really beautiful....

and I am looking forward to finding a place to display it. Also, this little lace gem...can you figure out what it is from the first picture? I sure couldn't. It's NOT a doily.

You tie the little laces in a certain way (one which I may not have figured out yet, but who cares?) and....

Still not sure?

So clever! B. says that Belgian people use these for bread and such, but I chose to display a little white chocolate cat. You can't tell, but he's sticking his tongue out. Reminds me of Bill the Cat (when he's playing rawk n' roll with his tongue out).  He went along with this mouthwatering display:

The white chocolate cats are filled with hazelnut....so good. The little bunny is SOLID and from a place called Planet Chocolate. The link is to the French location (I think maybe the flagship) and not Brussels but it sounds like Brussels was just as delish as the French one looks. B. tells me this place has chocolate fountains. I'm THERE! Also, there is a box of truffles. Heavenly!
One more lace goodie...this one is really cute.

It's a little wine bottle apron!

He picked up a little tux one for himself...no pictures of that yet. Mine came with little wine glass coasters in the pocket

and I think it's adorable. I think the lace in all of these linen pieces is bobbin lace. I have a bobbin lace kit that was given to me some Christmases ago which I am now tempted to take out and play with.
All of this and the good company was more than enough to mitigate the stress caused by some earlier kitchen disasters. Mom, look away now...

This 13x9 PYREX dish EXPLODED in my face. Thankfully I was not cut to pieces, but my nerves were certainly shot to pieces. Thankfully, it was all uphill from there and I was laughing about it (albeit a little hysterically as I picked glass shards up from ACROSS THE ROOM) in a little while. Must keep a close eye on the kitty paws for a little bit. You would not believe the breadth of this explosion.
Lest this entry not have anything about yarn or knitting in it, perish the thought, here is a little bit of heaven in an itty bitty swatch:

It's killing me. I roll it up around my index finger and carry it around with me. It's about two inches of 80% merino/20% cashmere sock yarn that Yahaira is thinking about carrying at PureKnits. She sent me a wee little skein with my last order and I knitted it up instantaneously on size 0 needles. Look at those color changes! The stitch definition! And the softness! Well, the softness you can't SEE so much but believe me! It's there! I'm not sure how well these would hold up, so I would definitely add some reinforcement to the heel and toe. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for this.
On tap for this weekend...I'm told the Belgian Beer Festival. It's all Belgium all the time round these parts!