With Due Deference to the Yarn Harlot (Stephanie Pearl-McPhee )

You know you knit too much when....you wonder whether you can get away with knitting socks during your ex-husband's wedding. Oh, yes, I am serious. The wedding is next Sunday and I KNOW that knitting will make the experience ever so much more fun.So maybe if I sit in the back, bring a huge purse, and use bamboo needles, nobody will notice. They will, after all, be watching the bride and groom, right? Then again, maybe my kids will take it the wrong way: Mom sitting there with two sharp implements in her hands. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.....

On another subject, I had a semi-Eureka moment while working on my Master Handknitter swatches. If I make my stitches with just the tips of the needles, I get virtually no rowing out. I know, I know, every book says to do this! I've just gotten very fast and loose over the years (in my knitting, I mean!) and I've been trying to compensate by tightening up. The result of that has been exascerbated arthritis, sore hands and arms, and a bad temper. Not to mention continued rowing out. Well, I think I've solved the problem. No full-Eurekas yet, however.

I've set aside the "More Than Circular" shawl for a while in order to knit a cardigan out of Giotto. (I want to wear it to the above-mentioned wedding) It's a quick knit on huge needles. I HATE huge needles. I am simply astonished at all these new knitters who persist in knitting with eyelash yarn on these things that feel like broomsticks in the hands. I would detest knitting if that were they only knitting I could do. Someone should clue these newbies into the JOYS of knitting with size 5 or 7 needles (or smaller) and worsted or lighter weight yarn.

Well, so much for that fantasy!

Back to the swatches for me...

My STASH! 

Statue on the Stairs 

Dalya as Statue 

Mastery and Life, too

I have been reworking my swatches for Level I of the Master Handknitting Course. I have ten swatches to resubmit. I believe I have five that are now good enough to send in.

Other than that, many exciting things have been happening, not knit related! My daughter appeared in a Gala for her local ballet company and it was thrilling to see her progress and how grown up she is getting. See photos!

Also, my "office/studio" is finally in an organized state. I'm posting a photo of my "stash" which includes yarn, fabric, beads and photographs.

On the needles: Still working on the second version of "More than Circular" this one is yellow. I'm also working on a lovely cardigan in "Giotto" which I'm hoping to wear to the Ex-husband's wedding next week. I've lost three pounds this week and am bound to lose more by the 3rd. It feels GOOD!

Giving It Up

Sometimes it's good to know when to STOP! I am still messed up on one stitch on "More Than Circular". I can SEE the error. I know exactly where the error is. I just can't figure out how to fix it. I've decided to set the thing aside and start a new project. If I don't do this, I will obsess and rip and obsess and rip and I will get more and more frustrated. Better to wait until I have a better understanding of lace structure or find someone who does!

Lifelines!

After frogging the "More than Circular" shawl four times, I finally got wise to the "lifeline". I think I've spent more time ripping than knitting on this and it's all because I have yet to really learn to read the structure of lace knitting. The YOs and decreases just have me dizzy if I have to correct an error. I am perservering, however, and now that I am inserting lifelines, I feel more confident that I will finish the thing before my trip to Los Angeles next week!

I have been disappointed in most of the yarn stores in the LA area, with the exception of "A Major Knitwork". Most are trendy and seem to cater almost exclusively to scarf knitters. I am baffled that so many Angelinos need so many scarves! I will continue to explore the area, however, on my next trip.