Shut Up & Knit!

The Sister Friend Shawl/Scarf/Thangy

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Pattern: Peacock Tail & Leaf Scarf by Nancy Bush & The Estonians.  (Wouldn't that be a great name for a band?

Yarn:  Zephyr wool/silk lace weight in Ruby colorway. 

Needles:  US 4 Circular

Size:  14 inches wide and almost 70 inches long.  (More or less.)  (Give or take.) 

Time Served (While Working On Something Else @ The Same Time):  Started 05-09-09.  Finished: 05-022-09.

Mods:  Knit longer and wider than the pattern calls for.  I wanted it to be something that could be worn as a wrap or as a scarf.  The size I got is perfect for that.  An extra repeat or two can make a world of difference.

Knit for: Claudia's MS Ride Along Thingy Raffle.  (Most likely not the real name of this event.)

(Clickitty To Hugeify)

The Story

Claudia mentioned on her blog that she was riding again this year in the MS Society's fundraiser.  Claudia seems to do this every year and, every year, she takes donations for a raffle.  For every ten dollars you donate to Team Claudia, you get a chance to win one of the amazing prizes in Claudia's prize basket while donating to a very worthy cause and helping to keep Claudia #1.

This year, I've been feeling better about my lace knitting.  Feeling like I sort of know what I'm doing and making pretty things that people claim to like.  I decided to grow a spine and offer something lace as a prize.  I emailed Claudia, fully expecting her to pat me on the head and say thanks, but no. 

That didn't happen.  Claudia seemed pleased with the idea.  Although, she did mention NO PINK!  Not that I minded, but it was fun to tease her about the pink for a bit.

I knew the pattern would come from Nancy Bush & The Estonians because I love that book (a gift from a friend) and I suddenly had a chance to knit something that I didn't have to keep.  When I saw the versions of the Peacock Tail & Leaf pattern that some of my friends had knit, I knew it was the one.

I wanted to use the leftover yarn from the wrap I knit Norma.  I had two little cones left from her wrap and loved the idea of sending on the good vibes to whoever got the Peacock thingy through Claudia.  More good vibes when you consider that a charitable donation will get someone that lace wrap/scarf.

I emailed Norma and asked her if it would be okay and she loved the idea.  She may have suggested a name for the project, but I'll never tell.  Then, to make things better, I knit this project while working on a certain orange wrap for Norma.  Then stopped, so I could finish the orange.

So, you see, this is not just a piece of knitting.  It's lace full of the good vibes, a bit of good karma and good friendships.

And the story isn't over yet.

Now we wait to see who will win it and finish the story.

Can I be cranky?

Or is it the wrong time of year for that?

Lookies what I did last night!

Yes, in a night.

Shut up!

It's not like I sleep or anything.

The pattern is Foliage*.  I saw it at Nora's and loved it.  Since I've had a single skein of Malabrigo (Polygala color way) in my stash for almost two years, it seemed perfect.

I knit the pattern as written.  Even managed to do the ribbing on smaller sized needles.

I was a little concerned about the length, but I like how the photos in the pattern look, so I cast on and didn't look back.  Or up for a few hours.

Of course, after giving the hat to it's intended owner, I had to deal with whining and implied complaints about how it's "fancy" yarn.  People, it's wool.  It's not my fault if you knit with plastic crap yarn and have people who send you (more crap) yarn without the slightest clue about quality.  You can always tell them no.  Like I did when you suggested I rewrite someone else's pattern because you don't know how to wear a fucking hat.

And don't get me started on the attention whores who keep posting on knitting groups I belong to.  Like thousands of us are going to give a rat's ass that you lost a pattern that you don't know the name of.  Or that you're too stupid to use a lifeline and/or tink back and fix your mistake.  So you frog an entire project and now you're worried you won't have enough time.  Then there are the DPNs are hard people.  I swear, that's where I'm going to snap when it finally happens.

A lot of people who knit really shouldn't knit.  Have you noticed that? 

There's no shame in that.  Some people are meant to do maths.  Others are really good with words.  If you do not have the gift of the sticks and string, please stop trying.  No one will mock and, frankly, a lot of us will like you a lot more if you just stop it.

I so hate people...

But I sort of don't.

Jean, emailed me last night to tell me that my little box of hats had arrived.  I was very happy to know that because I had begun to wonder if they had made it or not.  Then Jean emailed me back to tell me I had won something wonderful in the drawing she had.  There will be another drawing early next month, if you haven't gotten your hats in to her yet and want a little incentive.

Thank you, Jean!

&

Thank you, Manise!

Tomorrow?

Maybe nothing.

Maybe a love voodoo doll.

Maybe something totally unexpected and fabulous.

Come back and find out.

Oh, and have a great Tuesday!

* I loved how familiar this pattern looks after all those Evelyn Clark shawls I've knit.  While I have never done a hat top down before, the pattern itself was something I understood and it was quite easy to do.  The lace pattern reminds me of Leaf Lace.  Hard to go wrong with something I've knit a few times already.

It's Hat Season!

Go read Jean's post and please consider knitting a hat or four.

I love knitting hats, but haven't had anyone to knit hats for in a while.  The joys of singlehoodedness.

feh

However, thanks to Jean and her good heart, I am now able to knit a few hats that I know will go to people who can and will use them.

So...

Last night, I went leftover stash diving and found some purple worsted weight wool and cast on.

With a little help from the yummy Mark Harmon, I have a finished hat that is big enough to fit my giant melon of a head, so you know it's plenty big for a normal person.

Shut up.

It has my usual spiral decreases and the 2x2 ribbing to help keep someone's ears warm.  Simple, easy, tv knitting that will help make things a tiny better for someone else.

How good is that?

& Lookie how cute? 

Don't you want to take a few hours out of your week and knit a hat or four for someone who is having a hard time? 

Aren't we getting close to knit unto others season? 

Just sayin'...

The Monday Love Round Up

It's a seriously pink zinnia.

This is the third of my four plants to bloom and the first non-white.  I had begun to wonder if I had seeds for white zinnias only, but clearly that is not the case.

I love the little crown of tiny golden stamen ringing the center.  I think they're stamen.  I'm rusty on my plant sex.  Sorry.

Hello Google Searchers!

I love that Norma and I love that she has reminded us about the Red Scarf Project Fund. 

Yes, they are still taking scarves this year.  Although, you need to get moving if you plan on mailing one in.  Time is flying, people.

If you haven't already seen The Norma's post, go read it.  If you email her at the address listed in her post, for every $5 you donate, you will be entered once for the fabulous prize pool.  

Not that we need goodies to do a good deed, but goodies never hurt.

I think I love Marc Jacobs scent Daisy.  Sadly or thankfully, depending on how you look at it, I very rarely wear perfume, so no Daisy for me.

Besides, can you imagine me wearing something called Daisy?  o.0

I love that today is much cooler and holds the promise of rain and a real change in the weather.  High 90's over the weekend are not what we want in late September, so today is a lovely change.  (Now if I could just get rid of my stress headache.)

And because I love my Sandy, a little sky.

A Bit of Everything, Bloglines

Dear Comcast Cable,

While this may come as a shock to you, I really do not need a stranger turning up at my door at dinner time two nights in a row.  Nor did I enjoy her banging on my front door like the SWAT team trying to get in without a warrant.  Nor did I enjoy her phone message, in which she used the fake word 'umm' fifteen times in two minutes. 

Here's the big shock... I do not need someone helping me make the 'right 'choices' when it comes to your services.  Nor do I need someone to bullyboy me into leaving the phone company and taking up with your fake phone service.  I only use your cable services because you people bought Sac Cable out from under me.  If I had a non-dish option, I would have taken it by now.

No love,
CrankyInTheBurbs

To the people of the world:

It's not always about you!

JustPlainCranky

In other news...

I knit another pair of socks.

Okay... more than one pair.  For the first time here, an FO post in another blog. :^D

I love that pattern and I'm so happy with how they turned out.

Meanwhile...

This pair of socks will go to Dulaan next summer.  They were knit with worsted weight yarn that I dyed using Kool Aid and my solar dyeing method.  Btw, that has to be the easiest way to dye yarn... ever.

They are a 2 x 2 rib carried down the foot with a short row heel and weird wedge toe.  My wedge toes are always weird.  I used those pink metal Susan Bates US 4 DPNs for this pair of socks.  I'm not sure why, but I really do like those needles.

I have more stuff to talk about and share, but, if I don't move around a bit, I'm going to start sprouting moss.  Who's summer do I have and how do I give it back?!