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.