Laceweight? Fingering? Did I say that?

It looks like I've got yet another worsted project on the needles! On the plus side, it doesn't involve DPNs, and it's not in a cotton yarn. I do love the slip of that organic cotton, and the soft hand it has (oooh, SO soft), but it doesn't have much stretch. Right now, I'm working in...Wool-Ease. Yes. And it's not for a baby.

I decided I should knit a shawl for my Memere for Christmas. I didn't want her to have to worry about special washing or drying or re-blocking instructions. This is MEMERE, after all. She's the sweetest person alive, but...yeah. Bless her heart. Also, she doesn't really have room in her tiny apartment for laying a shawl flat to dry. I figured a washable, dryable yarn would be best. I need it to go fast, because, well, I have less than 2.5 months to do this. I do want it to be a full-size shawl, though. I decided to do something in worsted weight. After a great amount of dithering and posting on Ravelry, I saw that there were a number of people who'd done Multnomah in worsted, following the pattern as written, and ended up with a full-size shawl. This, after someone cleverly reminded me that Feather & Fan looks very nice in a thicker yarn and doesn't really need blocking to look good. Oho, I said. I got the yarn after work today at Windsor Button. I picked out a sort of dusty rose color that looks to be right up Memere's alley. I cast on while watching X-Files on DVD, and am now on my way. I know it will go fast because I've done it before, and it took me no time at all. Really, like two weeks. Less. Since I'm using the same number of stitches, rows, and repeats, it shouldn't take me too long. It will help that it's something I can do pretty easily while watching TV or chatting with people. Also, tomorrow I'm going to stay overnight with friends. I'll have plenty of time to hang out and knit the next day before our class starts in the afternoon. YAY. I'm going to recommend to my sister that she get Memere a shawl pin for Christmas. Dunno what I'm going to do for Pepere. He doesn't wear scarves, and I'm not sure there's anything else I could knit him in time for Christmas that he'd actually wear or use. Guess I'll have to ask Papa for some ideas that don't involve yarn.

Man, I wish I were going to Rhinebeck or Stitches East this year...

Oh, the sacrifices we make for family

When last we saw our heroine, she was purchasing yarn to make a sweater for the first member of the next generation of the family. Yeah, my cousin and his wife are having a baby. I've been working on the sweater on and off--I got especially distracted by my man coming home from Afghanistan--but right now I'm ready to bind off and weave in the ends. Then I'll sew on a button, crochet a loop to fasten it, and give it a gentle wash in the sink. The shower's on the 22nd. Should be good by then! Oddly, I ran out of the main color of my yarn before I could do the button band and collar. That didn't happen last time. I am substituting one of the contrasting colors (periwinkle blue). Looks fine. I will actually be able to return one of the skeins of yarn I bought for the project: the cream-colored yarn I had from my old skein was sufficient for the project, so I didn't need to wind the new one!

When this is done...hmm...start my Shipwreck? Talk to Mom about doing her a shawl for Christmas? (Might be late...) Finish those goddamn socks that have been sitting in the drawer for literal YEARS? (Probably not.) Whatever, working with thick worsted weight yarn seems downright WEIRD to me right now, and I'm eager for some sock-weight-or-lighter lace again. :)

OH! The sacrifice. Yeah. The shower, as I said, is on the 22nd. That is the weekend of Stitches East. I'd assumed my friend the Knitting Kumquat wouldn't want to go, having just given birth a month ago to Baby MC^2. I figured, "Oh well, I'll miss it, but it's not like I'd have been able to go without her anyway, since she's my ride there." Last night, she e-mailed me to say, "Do you want to go?" ARGH. Oh well. Maybe we can make a road trip to WEBS sometime.