GOOD, they're GONE!

FREEDOOOOOOM!

Why yes, Term 2 is OVER and I have time to, I don’t know, do FUN things like a) sleep, b) read, c) knit, d) clean my house, and e) listen to Great Courses. I’ve got a few things I am responsible for before heading to town for a shopping (and some pampering!) trip, but I have so enjoyed getting to be in my house, and to think about something other than late/poorly done homework. So, to celebrate, I finished the “Curve of Pursuit” or Crazy blanket I’ve been working on for 2 ½ years! Yes, the angle is a little funny because I didn't want to get my shadow on the picture.

Knitting the boarder was a test in patience and endurance, but I’m glad I stuck it out—it looks so nice! Plus, that puts me at 1,630 meters for Stash Dash! So glad to get this off my needles, and soon to send it on its way to the dear friend who’s little girl needs this.

I am getting close to finishing my Magrathea scarf too; I weighed my yarn and found that it is time to start the edging! I’m still not sure why I bought this yarn, but I’m kind of liking this scarf… Not sure if this will be mine or a gift, but I’ll be glad to get it off the needles one way or another!

After 3 attempts at the Sherman toe, I finally got one that almost met up and decided I could live with it. I haven’t put loads and loads of time into this project as I’m trying to get my big-yardage ones done first, but this will be travel knitting when I head down to the Copper Belt.

I also finished turning the heel on the Mystic Spiral sock, and am ready to start the next wedge section. Let’s see if I can count this time…

Oh—and I also finished the fourth and final fingering weight dishcloth made with some birthday yarn and some random stuff I happen to have out here. As a super picky about her dishcloths person, I am willing to knit them at such a tinny gauge because I like the results. And I hate dishcloths that are too big, so there was some trial and error on the correct size—65 stitches at the widest point of the diamond seemed to hit that for me. I think one will be a gift, but the others are MINE.

So, that’s what I’ve been knitting! I’ve been doing some really good reading too, but that will be another entry.

HOLIDAY!

Progress

Whew; I had a super busy weekend on, and I did not have very much time to do much other than work. However, I did manage to finish the second Realm Walker’s book, Two Renegade Realms by Donita K. Paul, and I finished reading a book I’ve heard a lot about, The Girl Who Drank the Moon, which was a delightful read. I’m now reading The Hidden Oracle, first in the Trials of Apollo series. I am LOVING the projecting of ancient Greek gods and demigods into our world today; I can’t wait to see how it all pans out! And, as we read The Eagle of the Ninth in literature class, I am enjoying it even more then the kids. I totally fall in love with Marcus all over again every time I read that book, and I must have read it somewhere close to 6 times now.

In addition to enjoying some excellent literature, I have reached some exciting points in my knitting projects. On Sunday I finished the fourth wedge on my Crazy blanket, and have started the border.

I am rather anxious about having enough yarn for a decent boarder, but we’ll see how it goes. Also, I only have one set of size 7 interchangeable needle tips, and this is so massive that I need two circulars to accommodate it. So, I’m doing something wild and crazy; I have a size 7 and a size 8 needle tip on each cable; the larger on the left side and the smaller on the right. My reasoning is that the right tip is more important as that actually forms the stitch, so we’ll see if my brilliant “I live the middle of nowhere and can’t get another needle tip until December” solution actually pans out! Note to self—get a longer cable or two while I’m at it…

I also swatched for and started my “Tintern Abbey” socks with the “Shrewd Lady Mary” yarn from One Twisted Tree that I won in a Downton Abbey trivia contest last year. This yarn is LOVELY, and feels wonderful to work with. I have a strong feeling that more One Twisted Tree yarn needs to become mine…I’ve been eyeing her “Rare Woman Clair,” and her sock knitter profile bag is now one of my favorites. I decided to start this because I need a plain project, and as this is pretty simple up until the cuff it fits the bill. Plus, SO PRETTY! No picture yet as the toe is just barely started—afternoons off sadly still mean very little time for knitting, but hopefully next week I’ll have something to show you!

I didn’t get around to doing an entry last week, so I didn’t get to celebrate last week’s addition to Stash Dash—the first of the Pink Lemonade socks was finished! I started these in the plane on my way home in December, and I’m sort of saving the second one in hopes of plane knitting this December again. However, HO’s count, so I’ll take all the meters I can get!

Also, I have just over 40g left on my “Magrathea” scarf, so it isn’t too long till I do the edging (around 25g). This is particularly appropriate to pick back up again as I am listening to The Restaurant at the End of the Universe just now. It is read by Martin Freeman, and while he does a good job, I have to say that Steven Fry’s rendition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was absolutely amazing and I wish he had read all three. It is also fitting to finish this because it was started during last year’s stash dash.

So, that’s what I’m up to. This is my exam week so I likely won’t get much done, but I am getting excited about having a month off!

Parting shot: Sockwash Sunday!

The Sock of Sports Day

Well, I’m comforting myself that my stash dash showing is about to improve, and that once I’m on holiday I should be able to make my 3k goal. Because, this is after all for made-up points on the internet…

I finished another wedge on my crazy spiral blanket, but it’s not significantly changed so I’m not posting another picture. I also finished a second fine dishcloth and got roughly half-way through another, but again, not terribly interesting. I got in another pattern repeat on my Hitofude, and you guessed it—not interesting! Here is something worth noting though, my view of Sports Day and my project.

I got all the way from the brown just after the heel turn during the course of Saturday! I love that I get good knitting time in on Sports Day. I guess it balances out being so far out of the action for most of the day. Being scorer has it’s perks…

So, I hope to have a FO by next week, and to finally be able to put a few things in. It’s been too long since I finished something—guess I shouldn’t knit so many long-haul projects... Until then-have a great week!

Oh, and don't throw away your shot and enjoy some 4th of July for me. It's going to be a pretty low-key celebration in the bush I fear!