June 02, 2007
Thank you everyone for the lovely birthday wishes!
We did enjoy our evening, especially dessert.
Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie. Divine. You can see I had to taste it before I took the picture. No patience.
It's Saturday, and I'm actually showing todays sky on time.
Warmish and sunny. Twinkie and I had our morning ritual, where I sit on the back step and she plays nearby in the sun.
Or just basks.
We hung my new wall sconce this morning.
Yes, there's a polar bear hanging onto my bed. You don't have one?
Here's a better picture of the sconce.
Isn't it beautiful?
The knitting continues to plod along. The Shetland Shawl has grown a little.
You can see the colour change in the yarn pretty well in this picture.
I had always considered myself to be a pretty fast knitter. This shawl is starting to convince me otherwise. I began it at our knitting exhibition, seven weeks ago. I'm a little more than a quarter of the way along. That means that this could take me six months or more. If I'd known that at the start, I may never have started it.
Did I mention that I have no patience?
Of course, the longer it takes, the more frustrated I feel, and the more I want to cast on for something new. Something quick.
Speaking of quick, the baby cardi is coming along nicely.
It's badly in need of a blocking.
The pattern is knit in one piece to the armholes, then seperated for fronts and backs. As I mentioned a few posts back, I used a three needle bind off on the shoulders rather than seaming, and I've grafted the neckband at the back, and sewn it down.
I don't like the way the pattern for the sleeves is written, so I need to do some tweaking. The pattern says to pick up x number of stitches in the armhole, and knit down to the cuffs. I have no problem with that, but it actually says "Sew shoulder seams, then pick up stitches around armhole. Do not join in the round, work back and forth in rows". What the?
Why on earth would you pick up stitches around the armhole in the round, then work back and forth in rows?
Not a chance, baby, I'm rewriting it to avoid seaming it.
And to finish, here's another picture of Twink from this morning just becasue I liked it.
Comments
Mmm that choc chip paradise pie looks fab-o. Don't blame you for not waiting!
Posted by: Rose Red at June 2, 2007 08:48 PMHappy belated birthday. Your Shetland shawl is growing very nicely & I love the baby cardi. You are right about the armholes - I usually pick up the sts & knit them in the round so there is no seaming!
Posted by: Ann Lim at June 2, 2007 08:56 PMThose instructions are too strange. Defeats the purpose of picking up stitches around the armhole!
The sconce is gorgeous! So is the shawl, colour change and all.
Posted by: Marina at June 2, 2007 09:02 PMHey that's a very nice picture of Twinkie! :) Your shetland shawl is looking good, I really like the look of the center panel. It's going to be one gorgeous shawl!
Posted by: claudine at June 2, 2007 09:03 PMHappy belated birthday!
Don't feel bad about the shawl. You're knitting other things besides that, like the baby cardigan, right? I think you're speeding right along, judging by the pictures!
Love Twinkie pics.
Posted by: jessie at June 2, 2007 09:32 PMWhat a stunning candle sconce for your wall! I love it :D
It's lucky that Birthday Treats have no calories - that Paradise Pie looks deadly delicious!
I'm actually impressed at how much progress you've made on the shawl in such a short time - and yes, the colour difference is obvious, isn't it - are you still thinking of dyeing it?
Baby cardy looks cute - and bugger the pattern, knit those sleeves in the round!
Posted by: Jejune at June 2, 2007 10:38 PMNo polar bears here, just a Raggedy Ann doll. :)
Love that sconce! Maybe some of your knitting ennui is because everything you are working on is white? You might need to whip up a quick garish dishcloth just to give your eyes a treat.
Don't forget to subtract the time you had to wait for the new yarn. That shouldn't count.
Strange instructions for knitting the sleeves of the cardi. I wonder if there's a particular reason they wrote it like that? I guess you're going to find out.
The last picture of Twinkie is really good!
Posted by: wool winder at June 3, 2007 12:21 AMChocolate chip paradise pie does sound divine.
Posted by: sprite at June 3, 2007 03:20 AMHi Donna, your sconce is very beautiful!!! I've always love candles but my partner isnt really too fond of them!! And that dessert!! Yum!!!
As for your knitting, you are definitely a very fast knitter. If I were to knit a shawl, I guess it'll take me years. Which is why I haven't started any shawls yet!! Hehehehehe.
Posted by: Michelle at June 3, 2007 11:41 AMWow, that shawl is growing fast! Twinkie in the sun is my background, now...
Posted by: Janet at June 3, 2007 01:27 PMThat Twinkie is just too photogenic for words. :o) I looked at your shawl photo before I ready your words and was thinking - wow you are a fast knitter! I can see huge progress since the last photo!
Posted by: Terri at June 3, 2007 01:51 PMOk this is going to sound crazy...but I like the two different shades together on the shawl. It kind of adds a antique look to it. I would very much like to see it when its done before you anything to it. Happy birthday a little late!
Posted by: Stacy at June 3, 2007 04:48 PMI dont think the pie would have lasted for me to take a picture. It looks delicious. The shawl is looking wonderful, and I am sure it wont take too long. You did do a bit of sewing for Em during those last seven weeks didnt you. The baby cardigan looks cute so far too.
Posted by: Sue at June 4, 2007 10:54 AMTwinkie always puts a smile on my face. She is just adorable. Your knitting looks beautiful as usual, and glad you had a wonderful birthday.
Posted by: Diana at June 5, 2007 11:15 AM
So sorry I missed your birthday. Working full time doesn't give me much time to visit my favorite blogs and sites. By the sounds of it you had a wonderful time and desert looks very yummeeee. Love the sconce and the polar bear hanging on your bed. Also love the Shetland shawl it will look stunning when it's finished.
Posted by: Helen at June 2, 2007 05:55 PMVery happy belated birthday wishes, hope you have a wonderful year too.