End of Clue 4

I'm way behind the pack on this one, but that's ok. I'm thoroughly enjoying each stitch.
Have I mentioned that this is my first Wollmeise project? I had stashed a number of her skeins and nothing seemed quite special enough until my first Romi knit came along.




Petey loves it at Lee's, not in small part because Lee leaves socks all over and Petey brings them to me like the most precious gift.


Chica doesn't bother with these humble offerings, but Petey is persistent, much to Lee's chagrin. But not so much chagrin that he picks his socks up!!

Rough day for pain; had to go to the higher dose codein, but I am grateful for the relief.


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Rough week

Inventory prep at work kicked into high gear last week and over the weekend. Of course this coincided with me period. I felt like calling in just wasn't an option, so I doped up on all the Rx and zombied my way through. Monday was a migraine - same story.
But I got through, the store was ready, but the numbers were not good. I'm sure that there will be a game plan by the time I go back on Thursday. I've had today and tomorrow off for putting in my time on the weekend.

I've been making decent progress on Romi's MKAL. I am *so* much more pleased with this colour and now that I've added in the 2^nd colour - I'm just giddy!!


The thumb is good. It was warm for a few days, but nothing was infected; it's scabbed over and perfectly serviceable.



Today was a lovely day to be off work. I did errands, hung my laundry to dry, then sat outside for some all natural vitamin D.


I was sitting downwind off the clothesline - it was relaxing to just sit back to the scent of clean wash.

The SmartSilk people were at Costco today. I've been pondering a duvet for a few years now and had narrowed it down to silk or wool. I took the plunge and purchased one, spent ages finding a duvet cover at Bed, Bath and Beyond - Lord have mercy!! I was intimidated and a bit frightened by that place!! - and will give it a go.


(Yes, that's Petey's bed. He sleeps with me when Lee's not here.)
Lee is a fan of down, but he can't possibly dislike silk more than he likes my penchant for layers on the bed.



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Starting Again

I took a few pics of the Wollmeise yarn outside,






but still not quite capturing the depths, richness, and subtleties of the colours that make it inimitably Wollmeise.

I have finished Clue 1. Again.


I am already so much more pleased with this version!!

The following contains graphic images and is not for the faint of heart.

So I was zoning (straightening) yarn at work today and I jammed my thumbnail into a shelf. Any of my other 9 finger nails and the acrylic would've snapped under the stress and that would've been that.
But this was my single un-reinforced nail. The thumbnail that is only on by 1/2 the nail bed because of the staph infection a few years back.
So this happened.


Fortunately I was on about 130mg of codeine (for my tummy pains) and while it hurt, and I felt a bit nauseous, it was not the agony it might have been.
Then to the clinic, (handy having one at work), where this


and this


followed. Again, not nearly the torture that having fingernails pulled off is portrayed in the movies thanks to the Rx.

The naked nail bed is quite delicate and it's going to be a challenge adapting to having no thumbnail, again, but not bad, all in all.

Inventory prep is a crazed challenge at work, but I've never backed down from a challenge yet. And all will be ready for Tuesday because it must be. Simple as that.


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Knitterly Knitter

I feel astonishingly and refreshingly productive!!! 

I have finished my purple socks!!

And we all know that there is no love like a new love. That feeling of anticipation,  just thinking about that soft new fibre slipping through your fingers, seeing the colours dance and twirl on the needles and into a new fabric. Hearing the siren song of a new pattern. Ah yes ... there's no time for tired now.

I cast on Drops 85-11 aka Beth's Zara Print Sweater last night. I forgot how buttery smooth Zara is!! It has such a soft twist that you'd think it would be splitty, especially when I'm using my most fave needles ever - Signature Stilettos. The colouration is wonderfully blended, the cables are popping well.

I am also in the throes of indecision for Westknits Mystery KAL 2012. I read it on Anne & Julie's blogs and thought that I had missed the signup - but I didn't!!!

Not like I need another project but Stephen is a very clever designer and I admire the organic flow of his designs very much. I dove into boxes, retrieved likely candidates, mixed, moved, walked away and walked back.



I had it down to the Sundara Seaweed & Red Corset Sunkist but the two skeins of Seaweed are sufficiently different that I have decided against them; I don't want to be switching up balls on alternate rows on a Mystery Project.

I think I'm in love with this though. Wollmeise Blue Bell & Dream In Color Some Summer Sky. Seriously - the names alone betoken a perfect summer shawl combination!!
 
I'm also considering a linen laceweight combination, but I'm not as certain about it.

Wins

The Spiders won again!!! Our time of 5:53:34 was sufficient and a half hour faster than the 2^nd place team. Here's a link to the official results.






The Relay for Life was awesome - the weather was perfect, not overly cold overnight, not the dewiest we've knit through and experiencing it as a Survivor for the first time was very special. Thank you to all of my supporters - you were all with me in spirit!!!





Amanda has graduated from Grade 8! It was a lovely evening, she was (as if there was any doubt, last minute beauty emergencies notwithstanding) beautiful and her teacher made a wonderful DVD montage of the year for all of the graduates. I am so proud of her and can't believe that my baby is going to be in high school in the fall.







I am almost done the Wollmeise cami for Elise. I love how the straps are rainbow striping!!

I'm going to be at The Needle Emporium on the 9sup>th of July so if you're in the area pop in & say "hey".

Swatching Heaven

I've been swatching & knitting on a design of my own the last couple of months. I can't share the swatches but I will show you some of the yarns that I'm working with. I just knew that there was a reason why I have been collecting so many wonderful indie-dyed yarns!
Tempted Yarns, Dashing Dachs & Lorna's Laces are just a where I've started, I've got a few more to swatch up and source then get going hard core on the project.

I ventured out early on a frigid Saturday morning to pick up a package at the post office only because I was certain that it was my 2^nd Wollmeise sock club shipment. And it was!!! I love the Yarnissima pattern and can't wait to get started on it (yeah, any day now ) with the Jultomte colourway. Amanda got busy straight away knitting up the tiny ball of yarn to see what's in the centre. (it's a stitch marker) She's knitting a super-skinny scarf - I've got a couple more sample skeins of the worsted weight Wollmeise so that Amanda can make it a usable length.
Isn't she cute - and she knits like me with her RH needle anchored in her hip!!!

She Scores!!

I got totally lucky on July 11^th. Claudia updated her stock, I got wind of it, swooped in and started throwing skeins in my shopping cart. I was very lucky and came away with 5 skeins on checkout.med Rosenrot, med Wilder Mohn, dk Wilder Mohn, lt Johannisbeer und Brennessel, dk Rittersporn

The Rosenrot is very close to the medium and dark Wilder Mohn and while the differences are subtle, I love them all! The deep purpley blues in Rittersporn are deeper and richer than I've seen in any other yarn - Claudia is a veritable colour genius!!