Life's a Stitch

I have some Manos del Uruguay in my stash just waiting to be knit up into a scarf. I’ve admired Stacey’s Manos scarf pattern from, I believe, a yarn shop in CA (pattern link on my sidebar), and I like the way the Herringbone stitch enhances the variegations in the yarn, but I find the stitch awkward and the scarf has an unattractive backside, so to speak. No disrespect, but isn’t that the way with most knitted objects? There are some reversible stitch pattens around so I went on a mission to find one that, if not reversible, looked good on both sides. The result?  A modified herringbone cable. Here it is frontside and back:

Halloween is not so happy around here, boywise. Instead of hanging out with his friends, dressed as Kiss, he is going as low man on the totem pole to work, having had his schedule rearranged by those with more seniority. Now there’s a life lesson.

Why am I attracted to things that sparkle? And why are things that sparkle so expensive? I have always loved sparklies – when I was seven, on a trip to the Museum of Natural History, the rest of the Brownies oohed and aahhed over the dino bones. Me? I couldn’t wait to go up to the dusty low ceilinged seventh floor to see the jewels. I am not a girly girl, but I think diamonds go great with jeans. It just isn’t a great fit with the salary that comes with my chosen field of non-profit social services. I  have to settle for cheaper thrills. Of course, I’ve found a way to fit sparkles into my knitting life. Here are the crystal beads I found for the points of my Kiri shawl and some shimmery yarn for a scarf. I’m still surprised at how much Moonlight Mohair is like Trendsetter Dune. When on sale at Michaels, it’s half the price of Dune and it’s machine washable.

Saturday, my 15 year old son started his first job. Why is this so incredible? He had to be there at 7:15 AM meaning he had to set an alarm and not turn it off and roll over as he does on every school morning.  It means he had to put in eight hours of heavy work as stockboy service clerk. I honestly can’t think of anything heavy he’s ever lifted. The dog only weighs 22 lbs. and that may be the extent of his lifting experience. I was proud of him because he refused the pitiful "training wage" ($2 under minimum wage for the first 500 hours of work) our cheap provincial government instituted in their first term in office. He signed on at the proper $8 an hour. I’m dating myself yet again, my first job paid $1.55/hr (I’m glad I caught that typo, I substituted an n instead of the b in job). Back then some people paid .50/hr for babysitting! Here’s our working boy, after his first day, melted into his Dad’s lap.

I’ve started a small Christmas knitting project. I don’t usually knit for people unless they’ve shown some interest in what I’ve knit or out and out asked me to do it. Not everyone is as crazy about hand knitted items as I am and I don’t want to put in the time if it’s not going to be appreciated and cared for properly. So, since the person I’m knitting for reads this blog, everyone will have to remain in the dark. I promise pictures later.

I enviously read about other blogger’s positive mailbox experiences. It’s my own fault as I have chosen to refrain from secret pal activities. Call me a killjoy, but I’d rather use the money to buy exactly what I want and I can get the satisfaction of surprising others through the RAOK group. But this week, I had two blog surprises in my mailbox. A crane from Julie. I feel like I’ve arrived in the RAOK world having seen these clever birds on other’s blogs. I have never been able to accomplish origami, usually ending up with a pile of wadded up creased paper, so I’m especially appreciative. And I received my prize from Jane – mountain colours Barefoot in Flathead Cherry. I wish you could feel how soft it is. Thanks to both of you for brightening my week.

I apologize for not being as good a blogger as I have been. You see, there is a dead mouse somewhere in the wall next to our computer, and I have to post with the window open wide, letting in the cold wet air, lest I become asphyxiated with rotten mouse. Chuck kindly lit the cookie dough candle last night for me and now it smells like dead mouse cookie dough. You must appreciate the fact that on-line smell-a-vision hasn’t been adequately developed.

Here is an update on the left over throw. Nadia pointed out, that after having seen it in person, the photos don’t show its true wonderful textures. I’ve made a point of brushing up its hairy bits in hopes of a more accurate picture.

We had a few of them this past weekend. First, look at these:

Hellen’s had 20% off all yarn this past weekend. Coming from Vancouver, where I’ve never experienced a yarn sale at my LYS, it was enough to put me over the edge. I can understand the angora purchase, yet another once in a lifetime knitting opportunity, but just what possessed me to try Touch Me again? That stuff is an orgy of colour and texture and it just sucked me in. Even though my last experience with it was so bad and I swore I’d never touch it again, I had no control. Nada.

The second moment of weakness involved DH, the bank card and a casino. Nothing catastrophic, just annoying enough to influence the rest of the day weekend.

Finally, my purchase from Restoration Hardware. A clock at full price. Problem is, the person who manufactured this "fine time piece" installed the hands incorrectly so that you never really know what hour it is. I bought a full price guessing game. Back it goes, presenting another complication. My friend did me the favour of picking it up in Seattle as it wasn’t available north of the border; a royal hassle for everybody involved in returning the thing.

It’s one of those "Calgon, take me away" kind of days middle of the nights.

So, we decided to go to WA this weekend, first to B’Ham, then to Tulalip to the new outlet mall. I ask, "On our way down can we stop at Hellen’s Needlework Shop in Mount Vernon and pick up a bottle of wool to finish my throw?" Hmmm.

From the feedback I’ve received, this post doesn’t appear to make much sense. Here is the punchline, for those who are not as muddled as me:

OK, no one in my family has to fear being seen in public with me wearing my leftover wrap. I’ve decided to turn it in to a luxurious throw. The deciding factor? Chuck asked in which form would it get more use. Honestly, I would wrap up in that throw regularly during our damp cold winter. As a shawl, however, it would be worn only occasionally. OK family, you win. Now I get to go to the Wool Station, next time we’re in Bellingham, to purchase the additional alpaca I need to complete it. Who’s the winner here?

Max, a knitting blogger, from When Usually It’s Nothing fame, has died. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer a short while ago and died on Sunday in his mother’s arms. He was 40. Max’s partner requests that you share your love with your family and that you have a drink in his memory. This is mine.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with our houseful of people. We ate as much as we knit, both to excess. So, I was working on my leftover shawl, which is going really well. I’ve thought about continuing and making it into a throw. This, of course, defeats the purpose of knitting a low cost shawl as  I would have to buy two skeins of yarn to achieve the colour balance I’m after. There was a lot of discussion about the options. My favourite argument for making it into a throw?  "Because I wouldn’t have to be afraid of being seen with you in public wearing that thing," says daughter #2. She’d better be careful – it might end up under the Christmas tree with her name on it 🙂

To top off a nice weekend, I won a blog contest. See Quiddity for details. Thanks, Jane!