You should have seen smoke in the distance. Smelled the odor of wood burning a bit over the hill. Yes, I had an actual thought. Several things happened this week. I've been relistening to the old podcasts for "Cast On" w/ Brenda Dayne. Her easy style of podcasting is just SO relaxing to listen to, so I'm downloading all the old episodes and giving all the series' a second listen. Well, I'm up to the series on the Muses and the episode on memories and history and all that. She had a guest essayist who wrote about knitting her own bridal veil and knitting a future memory.
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2X4 between the eyes for me. You see, I've also been lurking on the "EZ as Pi" group over on yahoo and Elizabeth Lovick designed an Orkney lace Pi shawl. She just finished hers and she has a pic of it hanging on her clothesline and it's beyond gorgeous. Absolutely lovely! That picture sort of flittered through my mind as I was listening to this guest essay and... Bingo! I know I've said that I adore lace, but I really see no purpose since I like my shawls warm. I'm not a lacey kind of gal. Lacey confections of loveliness are something to be admired, but not something that I'd really wear. So why would I knit them?
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How about to create a piece of future history? I have two daughters who are 16 & 18. Someday, I hope they'll marry and want kids and all that. Why wait until they make the announcement to plan a wedding project? Why can't I knit a lace wedding shawl now for each of them? I could knit them now. Wash and block. Carefully pack them away in a ziploc bag with their name and then have them ready should the day come when they want to marry.
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After all, I've pretty much decided that, unless the bosses force me out of my current position and reassign me to a new post, I'm staying. I'm ensconced in my booth and I'm quite happy to remain there for however many years I decide to stay at my job. How more lucky could I ever expect to be? How many knitters could fall into a job where they can spend probably 30 of every 40 hours knitting? Stay where I am and simply plan large projects for each year. This year, I'd wanted to knit Christmas presents and I'd planned the two Philosopher's Wool sweaters. All projects accomplished as well as some extra Christmas gifts thrown in because I hd the extra time. Both sweaters knit also. Now I'm working on more socks and that Pi Are Squared shawl.
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Anyway, so next year, I could get a couple cones of laceweight yarn and work on future heirlooms for my daughters.
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Oh, speaking of yarns. Claudia Handpaint in Bearded Iris are done. Lovely yarn and lovely colors. I just turned the heel last night on the Colinette Jitterbug in Monet. This is the second sock, so I expect those to be on the feet this week. (Can't test how warm they are unless I wear them, right? /g/) And I started a new pair in Fannie's Fingering from Farmhouse Yarns. Now, Farmhouse Yarns is the one who started the store where I bought all those yarns in the bin sale. She sells mostly her own yarns. In fact, a great deal of the yarn is made from her own sheep. (At least, this is my understanding of how things have progressed for Carol Martin.) She used to sell her yarns from her home, but she's done well enough that she now has an official shop. I have to say that it's well worth the trip to see her shop. The yarns aren't cheap, but then she's located in East Haddam. Not exactly a poor part of the state. Taxes are low, but I'm sure rents are sky high and the housing market is unattainable for someone like me. Anyway, it's called CT Yarn and Wool (www.yarnandwool.com). Well worth the visit. Displays are wonderful and the colors in their hand-dyed are simply amazing.
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But I'm blathering. Fannie's Fingering in Zinnia, which is various shades of yellow with some orange and peach. Really gorgeous stuff to work with. Lovely, lovely. A real pleasure on the hands and the end fabric is lightweight, but I imagine it will be warm also because it's 100% wool.
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In the meantime, I have to sit down and clean my wheel in preparation for spinning. That will be my project while recuperating next month. As soon as I can sit comfortably, I'll be at my wheel while working through my library of DVDs. I got some beautiful fibers from Cathi at Stone Barn Fibers (www.stonebarnfibers.com) I got 6 oz each in her colorways of Blueberries & Cream, Orchids and also Arcade Treasures. Okay, I also got more sock yarn in Cranberry Bog, Spring Fling and Winter Wonderland. Oooo.... damn, Cathi's sense of color is beyond amazing. Gorgeous stuff and I can't wait to work with ALL of it... /g/
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Anyway, I do have quite a stash of fiber and my plan is to spin it all this summer so I can plan on projects next fall. In between the large projects of the two future wedding shawls, I'd like to see if I can finally spin my own sock yarn. If I can't get it that fine, then I'm hoping for a couple moebius' for the women I know--Mom, mother-in-law, aunt-in-law and a wonderful excellent friend, Linda. Christmas goodness in yarn that I spun myself. Yup, that's the plan.
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What was really nice this past week was spending the day with Hubby. Remember I wrote how we had to get a new entertainment center for his mother? Damn thing was solid oak. Weighed a TON. But we managed to wrangle it onto the trailer and then get it over to her house. It was real interesting to finagle it into her small apartment. Now, anyone else would consider this a huge room, but you have to understand my mother-in-law. She collects everything that comes within five feet of her. She stuffs every nook and cranny (as well as every available open space) with more junk that she considers "treasures". You can't take a step in any direction anywhere in her apartment without tripping over something. More crap than a dairy farm... /sigh/
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Anyway, got the picture? We had to maneuver the old entertainment center out. That was interesting enough. Then had to maneuver the new one in. Yeah, took us well over an hour because, for every step, we had to move three things.
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But we got that done. And then the DH had to pick up a car in Higganum and transport it over to Southington. Sure, I took the ride with him. It was really nice to spend about four hours, just the two of us. Nothing special. No big and meaningful conversations. Just spending time with each other without anyone else.
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Am I getting old if I can simply appreciate spending time with the Hubby? Quite possible and that's okay with me.
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