The death of a shawl

Why didn't I trust my instincts and cut a new, longer lifeline? I'll tell you why. I was overconfident. Yes sir, I believed I had it down pat at this point and wouldn't make a mistake in the final repeat before I did the edging. Hah! How foolish!!! I looked down to admire my handiwork only to find that not only had I made a mistake but I had lost part of my lifeline as well. In vain I tried desperately to locate the stitches necessary to pick up once I frogged back but it was no use. I was hopelessly lost. So I frogged the whole dang thing. That shawl had the audacity to break a few times too. I'll start over but not until at least June 15th. Why June 15th? Because it'll take me two weeks to get over the case of the red ass I got from making such a stupid mistake. Should've, should've...paid more attention, cut a longer lifeline instead of being a cheapy and trying to reuse the previous one just one more time. Grrrrr! What next? I'm not sure but I'm thinking Squash Blossom. (see pic above)I like it. I have the yarn and it's summery. Maybe I'll go do a gauge swatch now. It'll make me feel better!

Edit:
Okay, I did the gauge swatch for Squash Blossom. I need bigger needles which I've ordered. So in the meantime, I spent the weekend sewing nine, yes nine, pillows and a wall hanging. Picture to follow soon. I don't care to sew that much ever again in one weekend. I couldn't have done it without Mom and the wine she brought. Okay, I didn't drink the wine while I sewed, I drank after! I've cast on for a cotton throw for the couch too. I've decided to do my own thing and not follow a pattern. Hopefully it'll come out okay. I'm sort of keeping track of what I'm doing so when I'm done, I'll post about it. DH is helping me make a duct tape double dress form next weekend. Yeah!!! If all goes smoothly, I should finish up the crocheted car coat I'm working on this week. I'll confess that I something doesn't seem quite right about it. I hope that's not the case since frogging this yarn would be next to impossible. Till next time! Alicia

Half full or half empty? Half full I say!

Ahh the ebb and flow of life. One step forward; one step back. Our a/c went out again and we just broke down and bought several fans and an inexpensive window unit since the temps were above 90 degrees. The a/c repair should be out here tomorrow but I'm not holding my breath. Three FO's to call my own. Two one skein wonders done with kool aid dyed yarn. One fat bottom bag in Noro Kureyon #88 (I think)--see SnB crochet Happy Hooker. I love both patterns! They are quick and easy. Instant gratification. I'm still plugging away at my lace shawl and have a confession to make. I've been ignoring it. Don't get me wrong, once I'm knitting it, I enjoy it and am so happy I learned to do lace. It just feels like it's taking forever and I'm not a patient person. Technically, I could just start the edging now and have a nice shawlette but I'm feeling stubborn and don't know if I want to do that. So in the interest of compromise, I've decided to finish the skein of yarn I'm on and then maybe see if I want to do the edging. Until then, I need to find some way to avoid the siren song of other projects. You know the feeling. If I just put this down, I could whip this up in no time; have something really cool and get back to the forever project soon enough. This is what makes the forever project the forever project in the first place. What a viscious cycle!! On the couch painting front, I've got one down; one to go. They were previously ivory, a very stained ivory at that. I'm not beginning the next one till the air is fixed due to the humidity in the house. Ignore the pillows, I'll be recovering those shortly (as in next weekend)and promise a full before and after set of pics. Till next time!

Lilac Orangina off the needles!

Well, I finished my Orangina Saturday and seamed it that night while watching Ultimate Fighter 3. I can't get enough of UFC. Orangina was a surprisingly fast knit and quite satisfying. Not too challenging but not boring either. I chose to do the smallest size since cotton and I have a tenuous relationship. The very first top I did was in cotton and though I picked my actual bust size, it seemed to grow by at least two inches. The end result was a top that was cute for two wears and now is saggy and baggy looking. Picovoli was my first successful cotton knit since then. The only change I would make would be to knit the lace pattern an inch to an inch and a half longer and then begin the ribbing. I like a little more tummy coverage than most blouses offer these days. We'll see how I feel two wearings from now. It might be juuussst right by then. In embroidery news, I demolished one shirt and put a leopard smack dab on my breast on the other. Nothing like leopard boob to spice up your day. Note for the future, placement really is important when you embroider. I was working steadily on the fat bottom bag from Deb Stoller's Happy Hooker, SnB Crochet when I got to thinking it just wasn't looking right. Sure enough, I had messed up and had to frog it completely. I chained again last night and started over. That's what happens when you don't pay attention to detail. Apparently I just kept increasing and increasing. That's what happens when you lose track of your stitch count! On the needles now are many things. Among them a cotton dishcloth knit continental style. Funny, I know it will be quicker to knit that way when I get the hang of it but right now it feels so awkward. Also, I'm still working on the lace shawl and the goal is to complete it by the 15th. I better get cracking on that since my couch paint just came in. The goal is to wrap that up by the weekend. I'm sick to death of the whole couches in transition look. Time for completion already! Oh yeah, the hat on the stuffed horse is another stashalong project. I had a single skein of yarn hanging out and the pattern to go with it. I crocheted it up in one night. Love that!!!