Progress? Not so much...

Knitting right along, but I discovered that I spaced out and knit like eight rows of stockingette instead of garter on the border. It's on the left where the working yarn runs over in this picture, and I've also got a close-up of my silliness. ARRGH.

I'm in a quandary because I don't think I can fix this without ripping back, and the yarn is so soft it looks crappy when ripped out and reworked. Rats! I could try to drop the second stitch in and redo it, but no way I could do the first stitch. I know I can't do it, and I'm not sure anyone could. I may have to live with this mistake... But I may not be able to. I'm going to very gently rip some back and see how the yarn holds up.

Missed My Own Blogiversary

OOOPS! My Blogiversary was yesterday. Happy BV to me, a day late and a dollar short.

By Popular Demand

I've started Granny M's shawl! Wish me luck, because it seems like the last three or four ambitious projects I've started have not worked out. But I'm feeling good about this one. I've wanted to knit a shawl, triangular or Faroe, for quite a while now, but I couldn't see myself wearing one. Granny M is my husband's grandmother, and my son's great granny. She's turning 90 this August, and I think a shawl would be a great present. I'm doing the Watered Down Version of Spring Things by Susan, mainly because I'm really feeling like knitting, what, 62 rows of stockingette, and the border is my favorite part of that pattern. I'm planning on using beads instead of nups; Granny is a bead kind of a lady.

The yarn's some formerly undyed Merino I picked up at Stitches West last year, I think from the Yarn Barn of Kansas. It was one of those huge skeins with a tiny tiny tag which just said Merino and the yardage in ballpoint pen. It's quite soft, and although it's sock weight, I don't think it would make very good socks. I don't even remember the yardage, but I'm sure I have enough for the shawl; it's broken into two skeins. We dyed them at the same time, so they should match.

Friday, Teri invited me to dye yarn with her and Karen, so I dug it up and bought twelve packets of Kool-Aid. Teri's a great teacher! And it was very fun to meet Karen and her baby, and my kid loves her boys; we all had a great time. Karen and Teri helped me name my first creation: Cherry Martini. Very Teri, no? Although I think Karen suggested the name actually. The color's pretty true, I think, but the picture makes it look kind of blotchy. We'll see how the small patches which stayed white look; I don't rule out overdying the whole thing. I'm satisfied with the color, though. Granny likes bright colors.

Three Wishes (Not The Yarn Shop)

I know, this is supposed to be a knitting blog. It's been forever since I posted any actual knitting content, but I ever since reading Jacquie's blog this morning I can't resist the temptation to do her Three Wishes meme.

Here are my three wishes:

1) World Peace without tyranny.

2) Morons may no longer hold elected office anywhere. I am also thinking that all world leaders might need a comprehensive review of 20th Century History before taking office. Maybe taught by Howard Zinn? I realize this is undemocratic, and I feel a little twinge, but not much of one. It's just a wish, right?

3) For #3 I am leaning towards a) Universally available clean water, or b) Mutual Respect. Would mutual respect bring clean water to all? Also am considering a provision by which mean people's mouths would spontaneously be superglued shut...But I'm pretty sure that's covered by Mutual Respect.

Am now considering all kinds of Monkey's Paw-type scenarios in which my innocent wishes breed tragedy...I realize they're dictatorial wishes. Is that bad karma? It's certainly arrogant of me.

Back to the Knitting:

1) Brought the "Wheew" socks to Kansas and Arkansas on vacation, but I didn't finish them. I'm too attached to them to want them finished. What is it about knitting socks? They're so soothing!

2) Learned a VERY COOL thing last night at SnB. Most (better) knitters already know this, but I didn't. You form the long edge, that is the top edge, of triangular shawls by casting on just a few stitches at the center and increasing at regular intervals. This magically forms a long straight line! I've always assumed that if you cast on a few stitches you'd be working on the point, not the long straight part. MAGIC! Thanks, Susan!

I LOVE YOU ALL!

I read a couple of articles in the New York Times today which criticized bloggers in general for their lack of civility. This one pretty much blames blogging for a decline in civility in the media and public discourse, and this one recommends a codified code of conduct. It all seems to stem from the kind of bad manners and unkindness which sometimes broke out in discussions held on Usenet groups in the early 1990s and still breaks out in some Yahoo groups of today. Some people are mean, and feel entitled to express their mean opinions.

You are all lovely, though! I am writing to say that I feel very fortunate to be part of such a supportive, generous, kind group of bloggers. I so appreciate your good manners, good humor, and kind support!