Well, I'm into the thick of my research and progressing ever so slowly towards the completion of my doctoral dissertation. I had 2 research interviews this week, one of which took all afternoon and 3 days worth of energy. Add a university workshop on "what you need to know about formatting your dissertation so we will accept it and let you outta here" and the usual Tuesday research group meeting and what to do you get? Not much time for knitting this week. Not that I'm complaining mind you, because all knitting and no research isn't a fun way to live either. Been there (cuz' I was too sick to do much other than knit, bead, or tat), done that!
Nevertheless, it wasn't knitting abstinence either. Especially since I the flu closed the schools in Cookeville on Thursday and Friday and Aunt Kristina and the Grandparents got to entertain 2 kids for 2 days while Mommy and Daddy were working and doing their on school stuff. let's face it, it's pretty darn hard for me to focus on writing and transcribing audiotapes with Victoria bouncing in and out of my bedroom announcing "let's do something fun!" Sometimes fun requires my active, constant involvement and other times it's just supervision and access to the "stuff" like the boxes and drawers full of jewelry, hats, and scarves. Aunt Kristina has lots of pretty things ;-) I got a fair amount of knitting done on the Hidcote shawl while Victoria played dress-up. All I had to do was gush appropriately once the costume changes had been made. Easy! Every time she wants to dig in to the fun stuff I just remind myself to enjoy it while Victoria is still young enough to find such things pleasurable. At 7 I still have a little girl for a few more years and I'm gonna enjoy every minute of it.
I was most delighted when Victoria popped in Thursday morning and announced that she wanted to learn how to knit. YES!!! I've just been waiting for her to be interested. I told her we would do it while she was here. I prepped Thursday night by grabbing a pair of size 8 bamboo needles and some Wool-ease and knitting a few short rows to get her started. I decided after trying to teach some high school girls last year that starting with casting-on isn't the best way to go. Last night Victoria was ready for her first lesson. I showed her 3-4 stitches, knit another 3-4 with her, and then she was on her own. She successfully knit several more stitches before becoming distracted by something else. Not bad for a 1st lesson with a lively-minded creative child. Give me a couple more years of maturity and I'll have her addicted too!
Just a quick progress report on the Hidcote Shawl. I finished chart 7 and this morning and have started in on chart 8. I was knitting along last night thinking how well I was doing and how I had made no mistakes in this shawl. Then as I started to knit the last RSR I realized that I had knit 2 additional yos into every repeat on the previous RSR. I had jinxed myself! There was no way I was going to haul out close to 900 sts so I studied my options and decided I would just compensate by knitting a decrease, either a k2tog or ssk, in the offending position on the current row. That would return my stitch count back to normal and would not be very obvious in terms of the design. One would have to know I had made a mistake to find it because I was consistent across the entire row. So much for perfection. Chart 8 is short and I may get it done this weekend. That leaves only 2 charts left to go.
My only challenge now is that the rows are so long my 32" needle is getting mighty crowded. I could break down and order a 40" needle, but it would be at least a week before it arrives and I don't want to be held up waiting. Or I could buy another 32" and use 2 needles like they were regular straights. If I did that I wouldn't have to wait because I could go to Jinka's and buy it. I do seem to use size 4 needles a lot for lace so I don't think it would be a waste. But then again Addi-turbos are expensive and I want to try the new KnitPicks Options needles. Oh decisions!
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