Decisions

I hope to have some FOs to photograph in the next few days. Some lovely things will be completed today, now that I have some gorgeous buttons from M&J Trimming. I don't even want to tell you how much I spent on a tiny handful of buttons! But they will be so worth it, as you will see. And if you're ever in NYC, you should check it out: the buttons! the gimp! the feather trim! the crystals! the ribbon! Mon Dieu! I'm glad I went with specific projects to focus upon and Isobel to keep me from spending the day there. I think she enjoyed our adventure to the Garment District, though her favorite part was the giant plastic lobster hanging from the Red Lobster entrance in Times Square. Guess she's a New England girl at heart!

So, on to decisions. What next? I want to knit something for me and have been assessing the stash and my Ravelry queue...
-Black Dog Designs Ink Flared Sweater in BMFA's Geisha
-Tangled Yoke Cardigan in Jo Sharp Silkroad Tweed DK
-Rosy Tucker's Cocktail Capelet in Green Mountain Spinnery's Sylvan Spirit (different gauge yarn than the pattern, so would involve some swatching and math, probably)
-Kat Coyle's Tulips cardigan in Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk (after I frog the cute vest I made a few years back but never wear)
-A Cardigan for Arwen in O-Wool (I may not have enough of this, though someone on Ravelry made it in a larger size with 6.25 skeins - I have six)

In other news we have about six weeks to go to D-day, and I've been thinking about what to do with my wedding and engagement rings. I'm not sure I'll do anything with them for a while, but this article was interesting, as were the comments. I mooned about over the wedding band for weeks before we ordered it (and then they made the wrong one and had to line the store sample with more platinum to make it fit since there wasn't time to make another one - oy!), so it's kind of sad to not wear it but it is a symbol of something that is emotionally over and will soon be legally ended.

Most of the time I have no excuse for not blogging, but last week Isobel and I were at my parents' as my dear aunt had passed away. She fought breast, then bone, then brain cancer for the past ten years. She did it with humor and a can-do attitude, but now she is free of her suffering. For that we are all grateful. It was a bittersweet wake and funeral. Some people waited over an hour at the wake to condole with my uncle and cousin. But it was great to see some cousins and my aunt and uncle who drove up from Florida. I'm glad we went, and my parents were happy to have some cheery distraction in Isobel.

But I brought my rings back from my folks' where they had been for safekeeping. The best way to transport them was to wear them, and it was strange. Familiar yet discomfiting. Also weird-feeling was being back at my parents' house, since we flew home when the end was near for my aunt due to end of Spring Break craziness with the airlines and then extended our stay to attend the wake and funeral. The not knowing when we were going back to New York was reminiscent of some of my wandering feelings last year. But we did get to go visit my grandmother, which is always a treat, though I didn't get to treat myself to a visit to the Fold, since Isobel had just passed out in the backseat when we hit the exit for Marengo. Next time.

Thinking about The Fold has me leaning towards Ink Flare in Geisha, since it's the yarn I bought last time I was there, and I'm very curious to knit it up. I could hold off on the Cocktail Capelet until it gets a little warmer here (and until we get closer to planning a happy post-D-day nuptial-type event), and I'm not sure I'm ready to plunge back into a largely stockinette sweater, even one for me. My brother has his sweater, and we did a little blocking when I was home to hopefully add some length to sleeves and body. I'll have to get him to take a picture.

B*ll*cks

Sorry for the expletive, but the buyer backed out of the sale. I found out just after Isobel and I had crossed the border into Massachusetts and would have turned around and headed back to NYC (through a crazy snowstorm - what is it about the stretch between Hartford and the Mass. border that always makes for an awful drive?), but Isobel really wanted to see Peter and he was at the house.

The upside to continuing the journey was her getting to see her father (though that has plenty of emotional baggage for me) and going to the bestest Knit Night I know at Yarns in the Farms. Isobel was a little nutty thanks to no nap, so we only stayed an hour, but it was fun to see such wonderful people again, and I bought some yarn.

Apparently, I can't actually upload pics to Blogger right now, so you'll have to wait to see my gorgeous yarn, but check this out. I bought the blue (surprise) and am planning to knit a baby blanket with it, but if that doesn't work out, I could make a sweater for myself with the 1200 yds. I got. Fifi, perhaps?

And I'm extra miffed that picture uploads aren't happening right now, as I have a finished pic of my brother's sweater, and I am quite proud of it. Hope he likes it (and that it fits).

We'll just keep on keeping on with the house and keep our fingers crossed that someone else comes along who loves it.

Moving Forward

We've accepted an offer on the house. Assuming the inspection goes well (we fixed pretty much everything our inspector pointed out when we bought the house, so can't imagine any big problems will come up), we are to close at the end of the month. Yes, this month, which means I will be spending a bit of time up in Gloucester going through things and deciding what to do with them. Isobel and I are headed up there this morning to start working on a game plan and bring back the rest of my cookbooks and her toys and whatnot.

It is a bittersweet moment. The buyer plans to turn the house into a museum, which is good because (hopefully) lots of people will get to see the house and appreciate it's history. But it's also sad because this house had been lived in continuously since 1739. That's the way the cookie crumbles, though.

For you Massachusetts folk, I will give more advance notice for the next visit, which may very well be next week.

In knitting news I'm working away on the Swallowtail Shawl, having taken a break from my brother's sweater, as it's taking a toll on my wrists now that the whole shebang is on one needle. I appreciate seamless garments, but once the sleeves and body are united, it can be heavy, especially when it's for a tall, handsome fellow like my brother. I think my next sweater may be pieced, now that my finishing skills are somewhat improved. I'm considering that Drops sweater jacket that everyone's been knitting - "they" say it's a really quick knit.

I'm also thinking about knitting a Pi Shawl, since I've been re-reading Knitter's Almanac before bed, adding in some lace patterns to make it exciting. I've been combing my Barbara Walkers and have found some likely candidates that meet stitch and row count requirements as well as having purl-back rows. I am finding lace, the structure and balance of it, more and more intriguing.

A Fifth of What?

Yes, our house has been visited by Fifth Disease. Isobel had a fever Sunday; Nick received a call Monday that his son had the tell-tale "slap" rash on his cheeks; and then Monday night Nick started to feel ill. In the usual progression of things, I should have started to feel crummy yesterday but seem to be resistant (or am going to be beaten with a pile driver tonight - who can say).

It's a funny virus. By the time you get the rash, you're no longer contagious, and the fever is low-grade and other symptoms seem like the symptom for almost anything. The only thing is that it's usually a kids thing - the fifth of the classic five diseases that the little guys (usually ages 5-10) used to get (measles, scarlet fever, rubella, the brilliantly named fourth disease, and fifth disease) - and when adults get it, they say it's worse, which is the case chez Purly this week.

So, I haven't gotten much knitting accomplished in the last few days, but I do have a snap of the Swallowtail Shawl:

I'm a little further along now, but it's more of the same. I love this yarn, and the body pattern is pretty easy (though I still consult my chart now and then). My only problem with the yarn is my own problem - my right index finger is a little rough, probably from cooking, cleaning, etc., and it snags the yarn a little sometimes. Not enough to really be a problem, but I need to exfoliate!

Speaking of cooking (and baking), I've been doing a lot of it lately: shortbread from Cook's Illustrated for Valentine's Day, chocolate loaf cake from How to be a Domestic Goddess (along with a recipe for fudge that was not to my taste), mussels from the Sunday Farmer's Market a la Aquitaine, apple crisp with Farmer's Market creme fraiche, white chocolate brioche bread pudding (my own adaptation of a Joy of Cooking recipe), couscous salad with butternut squash (also from the Farmer's Market), lemon-thyme-garlic roast chicken (bird from the Farmer's Market - sensing a theme yet?), stock from the chicken carcass, and pan-fried squid (from the FM) with lazy aïoli (mix minced garlic into good mayo) from Nigella Express. Sadly the kids won't eat any of it, aside from the chocolate cake, but Isobel likes to "help" me in the kitchen and has an adorable apron to wear.

We'll probably have squid again tonight or leftover chicken, depending on the health of the patient.

Look, storage!

A belated Valentine's Day post, as my love got me an Expedit bookcase from Ikea to store the stash. What do you think? He's a keeper, isn't he.

Of course, this means I have to organize it a little. My darling non-knitter thought I might do it by color. I had to gently tell him that by yarn weight is usually a better way to sort things. This means I have to get the rest of the stash from Gloucester, too.

Still going back and forth on the house. It will be very bittersweet to sell it but for the best. At least I still have a little antique cottage in Bath, mere blocks from Halcyon Yarns!

Progress continues on Michael's sweater. I'm about two-thirds of the way up sleeve two (yay!) and will soon be joining that one to the rest of the gang. And I'm slowly working on the Swallowtail Shawl whenever I know I'll be able to concentrate a little more (or whenever I can't take any more stockinette!).

FO: Slouchy Cardi

This one has been finished for so long that it is a wardrobe staple now. I think I've decided not to do the hood, though I have enough yarn for it. I really like the points on the front, which you can see in the second pic. Whaddaya think of my armscyes? I'm very proud of my seams!

Pattern: Slouchy Cardigan from Greetings from Knit Cafe
Yarn: Jaggerspun Zephyr Wool-Silk DK from the good folks at Halcyon Yarns in #6 Steel Grey
Needles: US6
Mods: Even with checking the errata, I ended up with too-deep armscyes and had to rip back, but all turned out well in the end

Scenes from the life of Mommy
Mommy: (Exasperated at the end of a long day and trying to get some dinner ready for someone small) Isobel, this is the last time I'm going to ask. Do you want your pizza hot or cold?
Isobel: Warm.
Mommy: Nnngggh.

A few days later at bath time...
Mommy: Come on, sweetie, your bath is almost ready. Let's get you undressed.
Isobel wriggles and attempts to get away in her room. The usual.
Mommy: I have to check the bath. Get your shirt off, please. (Turning to leave notices the patch of blue crayon colored on the wall by the door) How did this happen? Why did you color on the wall? You know we only color on paper.
Isobel: (Collapses in tears and stays that way, dramatically, for many minutes) ... Sorry.
Mommy: Thank you for apologizing. Please don't do it again. You know better. Let's get you in the bath.
A few minutes later during the bath...
Mommy: Sweetie, why did you color on the wall? I don't understand.
Isobel: Mommy, we already talked about this.
Mommy: Nnngggh.

The coloring was the result of Mommy not paying enough attention to Isobel due to spending too much time on the phone with all the people who own the house with me, as well as my family, due to our getting an offer (!!). We're in the midst of negotiations, so I don't want to say much more. If you're in the habit of praying or sending up positive thoughts or any such, send them up Gloucester way. I'll let you know what happens.

Semi-FO: Cable Ribwarmer

So, Tanya nudged me out of my petulance, and I ripped and re-sewed seams yesterday. I still have to pick up and knit around the whole shrug edge, as well as the armscyes, but the little thing can be worn. I have to finish my brother's sweater before I can free up the US7 24" needle called for. It does need to be reblocked though - those pin pulls are not terribly attractive.

Pattern: Ribwarmer #28, Vogue Knitting
Yarn: Queensland Collection Llama Seta (88 yds.), 3 skeins
Needles: US6 Bryspun, US7 mystery aluminum 24"
Mods: none

This is a cool pattern, though it would be interesting to see something similar that doesn't rely on the sewing up for its shape. And I like the yarn, though it's not a construction I'm used to working with. The Llama Seta is a ten-ply yarn made up of five double plies. I thought it would be more splitty than it was, though ends and sewing up bits untwisted quite a bit.

Next up, Slouchy Cardi pics!