Ooops - I did it again!

A few years ago, my parentsw participated in our Church's Anniversary Mass. It is a mass vow renewal for couples celebrating 10th, 25th, 40th and 50th anniversaries. Todd thought it was cool and suggested we should do it for our 10th and at the time I agreed.

Well, year #9 has been a really rough one. At one point I found myself holding the business card of a divorce lawyer. I wont get into specifics, but things needed to change. Luckily (for him) they did and now we are able to work through the rest of the issues. Things aren't perfect, but we're human and therefore imperfect. Marriage is a constant effort, but now I find myself wanting to work at it again.

As our actual anniversary approaches (May 22), we are re-learning who we both are and how our relationship works. What better way to make a fresh start than to renew our vows?

See my shawl? Yeah.. I finished it in time! I started it last June and it got tossed in a corner as the shit hit the fan. Once it became clear that things were changing for the better, I pulled it out and got back to work on it. I finished it at 2am - the ceremony was at 11! I really like how it came out.

I took this photo in the garden mom planted in her yard for my wedding pictures.

Here are some detail shots. The lace blocks are Lillies of the Valley and Heather - both of which were in my wedding boquet. I also crocheted some beads on the hem to give it some weight at the ends.

Incentive

What better incentive to finish a project than this


Noro Silk Garden

waiting in the wings - taunting me! I know.. most of you are thinking that you would have just cast on the Noro as soon as it came.. or just tossed it in the stash.

I can't do that. I can't handle too many WIPs. They call to me. taunt me. "KNIT ME! KNIT ME! You know you want to! Make me your scarf. It's getting cold out there, isn't it? c'mon, just cast me on, then you can finish those pants..." (That isn't limited to knitting either, more on my sewing issues later). I can't cope with a stash either. It calls my name too. Actually, my yarn stash is limited to leftovers/scraps, 4 skeins of alpaca that mom gifted to me and 3 more skeins of sock yarn from our trip to WEBS. That is it. (No - REALLY!)

I tend to have 2 projects in progress at any given time. One for home and one to travel. However, I have my Anniversary shawl OTN and that requires concentration and focus that I don't always have at the end of the day, so I've got another "no brainer" going as well.



Oddly enough, both of my "home" projects are entrelac. The Noro is cast on and quickly becoming a Kaleidoscope Scarf. I love watching how the colors evlove as I knit them. What is fascinating is that the color change is from the spinning process - not a dye of a blank yarn. it really produces a much more subtle movement in the yarn. fascinating this stuff! The fact that it is silk and mohair is just icing!

I'll distract you with my knitting...

Still don't have the camp pics up.. so how 'bout some knitting?

First, I Finished Ryan's socks to match Todd's. Both pairs were test-driven at camp and got the seal of approval. they are both knit in my standard sock recipe. Toe up, 2x2 rib, short row heel. yawn.. but it shows the self-patterning yarn nicely and it makes for an easy commuter knit. the yarn is ON Linie supersock 100. needles US 1.5 (addi turbos).



I cast on a new sock project for ME.



The yan is more ON Linie Supersock 100, pruchased at WEBS. needles are sitll US 1.5 ATs. The pattern is Seaweed Socks from Wendy Knits. I'm thinking I'll make the Large. Right now I am almost up to the Medium increaes, so I'll try it on and see.

Next up...



Longies for Colin. I bought the green (Cascade 220 Heathers from WEBS) thinking shorties, but spring turned into summer and we are approaching fall, SO, I picked up some Patons Merino in Brown to coordinate with it. I'm working 2" horizontal stripes. The pattern is the Booty-Extreme Knit Pant which I am really enjoying!

Finally, You will notice the addition of Bobicus Maximus to my sidebar. Yes, I got all 36 squares joined and the whole thing bound. final pics are with the camp pics. I'll post the details with the final photos, which are worth the wiat! for now... a close up of the "Dudessembly".

On the Right Path...again...

I knit the bottom seed stitch border and base triangles of my Anniversary Shawl with NO problems. Then I got to the "right" triangle. but my right was on my left and my "live" stitches ended up facing the right (or was it left) border. Clearly something had gone very very WRONG. I checked the errata - nope my pattern was right. I checked blog land. I checked Ravelry. It seems that I was the only one who had taken a wrong turn on the path...

Finally I realized what I had done. I was using the wrong side as the right side and my right triangle was going the wrong way! so... a Sam Adam's Summer Ale (hey, I needed some fortification!) and some tinking later, I was back on the right path! I even have a lace unit done! I just need to keep reminding myself that lace looks like a hot mess until it is blocked and bent to my will.

I started with a "heather" block (note: the pattern refers to this as "fern", but I've decided it is heather) The next block will be the Lily of the valley. I found the beads! They are 6/0 Czech glass seed beads. Now where did I leave that steel hook......