Kashmir

I thought I looked at my knitting. I really did.

That is, until I had knit about 100 rows and then discovered a mistake at about row 50. The mistake was the ommission of two rows when I went from the top of the chart to the bottom again. It looked fine.... not as fine as the original pattern, but even folks that knit Kashmir would have been hard-pressed to see it unless it was pointed out. I took my friend Carolyn's advice (She who also knit Kashmir) to keep on knitting.

So I happily knit another 22 rows on Sunday.

And then...

I spotted it. A Big-O, Obvious can't-ignore-it error at about row 70. I was missing another entire row, which made the design kind of bleed together. Ugh. Ick. Flock!!!

I sighed. I took a picture. (photo above is an earlier one at the 100 row point. The 122 row one is still in my camera.)

And then I began to frog.... and frog... and frog....

When the fist 52 rows were ripped down to the Big-O mistake, frogging another 20 rows didn't seem all that drastic. This wholesale frogging is kind of like spotting a dreamy pair of shoes in some glossy fashion mag that costs the equivalent of a mortgage payment - makes that pair that costs a whole car payment look downright reasonable (for about 3 seconds).

I'm 25 rows to the good now, and I'm watching like a hawk. Believe me!!

Seduced

I've been completely seduced by Ravelry all these months. It is a spectacle with it's kaleidoscope of inspiration and breadth of discovery, a World's Fair of fiber and wonder. It is the exhibition halls, the midway, the barkers, the cotton candy, the tilt-a-whirl, the tractor pull and the prize livestock all rolled into a click of the mouse. I've made magnificent friends, been wowed a thousand times, organized my stash, and broadened my horizons.

It's time to come back now, just to keep my own journal. In truth, I tried to come back before, but I couldn't remember sign-up e-mail, passwords, etc., and blogger does not make it too easy for prodigals to get back in the swim of things. I have lots to update.

Watch the Birdie!

DH and I got back from vacation on Mackinac Island today. We brought back a DVD of wild birds (natural sound and music, too). Oliver and Garbo are positively enthralled. When a bird flies off the screen, they look in the back of the set to see if it went behind there. When the video ran out this afternoon, Oliver cried until DH started it again.

More on Michigan yarn shops later....

Two more hands, please!

I just landed a new job helping a wonderful friend of mine run for Governor for the state of Indiana. I've been busy getting her office set up and attending meetings. With her background and experince, she will be perfect for the job. The work is exciting and fun - but it hasn't left me much time for knitting!

I'm still plugging along with my MS3 stoles. The white one is ready for Friday's clue, but I'm behind on the gray one and probably won't catch up before the next clue is out. Knitting the ground of flowers has been fun, hasn't it? I'm really curious why we'll need the lifeline.

I'm also excited to see what the theme will be. My back-up guess is that the theme has to do with the plight of the honey bee. Honey, I'm stuck on that bee thing! Bees have been in the news lately (read it in black and white) because of the mysterious epidemic killing so many.

With so much traveling, I needed a really, truly mindless project to knit in places where knitting lace can be dangerous (like conversing with your boss in a moving car, for instance). Using this bundle of yarn from the Fleece Artist, I'm working on the "Lady of the Lake" sweater. I got the yarn and pattern from an eBay store called Tidal Brook Yarns. Kathleen is an excellent merchant, with prompt shipping and helpful service. I recommend her highly to my knitting friends.

Yep, I should be knitting the Koigu sweater sleeves, but I'm still figuring and planning as I go (not mindless enough). Even though Koigu can be frogged a lot without visible damage, I want thesleeves perfect this time so Jazz will have to wait until I get an MS3 finished.

In Sheep's Clothing

I just went for a second cup of coffee!

(Garbo, asleep in the alpaca fleece I was spinning.)

The buzz

MS3 is buzzing around my brain. I now think the motif in the point is a likely a bee. It fits even better with my original guess of the Goddess Neith, the weaver, the wearer of the veil, deity of the sky (light and dark). The Temple of Neith in Sau (Sais), Egypt, is known as the House of the Bee.

"The Veil of Neith" sounds like a good shawl name, too.

Or a thousand other guesses.
It probably really is a NASCAR checkered-flag theme. Ha!

Sheep shot

My wonderful nephews are in town, which means little knitting or spinning. More like NO knitting or spinning. But fiber? Can't keep me away from fiber! We went to a petting zoo yesterday, and I got to at least feed a coupla sheep and a llama or two.

I love my nephews. (But I'm missing MS3)!