Holy caught-off-guard, Batman!

I have no exciting knitting updates for you. Mystery Project 1 is still unflattering, still cowering in a corner of my dresser and awaiting its imminent demise, to be reincarnated as a wearable garment made with a pattern. Mystery Project 2 is still in that long, painful stretch of mindlessness (after the armhole shaping but before the collar. ugh.) that causes one to simultaneously want to keep working so one can get to the fun part again, already, and also to throw up one's hands in utter disgust and abandon it in favor of a project that's at the fun part already. The Lace Cardigan has recovered from the unfortunateness that was "ripping back 20 rows" (shudder), and I realized last week that I probably need to backtrack again, though to a much more manageable - and less demoralizing - degree. I thought I was being so slick with the increases I put in for shaping purposes. "Look at me, using increases in lace!" But as it turns out, I was just messing it up. Sigh.

But really, there are no exciting knitting updates to give you because the needles have been sitting idle for most of the past couple weeks. I've been too busy going hiking and going to dinner and the like, and just generally being swept off my feet. I know! I'm in disbelief, too!

All the news that's fit to blog...

Right. So. New Knit Design Under Cloak of Mystery #1 is teetering on the brink of being done. All the pieces are done and seamed, so all that's left is to weave in the ends and block it. I'm hoping against hope that blocking makes it more flattering, because right now, well, it just isn't working. It fits and it's comfy, but yikes, would I not want to be seen in public wearing this thing.

New Knit Design Under Cloak of Mystery #2 has been on vacation (read: profoundly neglected) for the past few weeks. This should be changing soon. Unless it doesn't.

The slow-moving lace cardigan has hit a (proverbial, as opposed to literal) snag. I inadvertently dropped a stitch near a bunch of yarn-overs, and the surrounding three square inches just sort of dissolved into mush. There's no way I'll be able to figure out a workable solution other than ripping out ten or so rows. Sigh. This thing had better be worth it when it's done...

Um, what else? Oh, I get to go dancing this weekend! And I'm having lunch with the Big Noodle today! Hurrah! And... yep, that's it.

Sleepy, Sneezy, and Happy

I appear to be allergic to something that's been in the air lately. I don't mean this in a sarcastic way, like I'm "allergic" to work or "allergic" to mainstream media political coverage or anything like that. Rather, literally, I've been sneezy and sniffly and congested - and it's been waking me up at night, which is ever so lovely, and has been causing the sleepiness.

Notwithstanding the above, it's been a pretty good week. I put in about 5 hours of my best construction efforts (ha!) volunteering with Habitat for Humanity on Saturday. I learned that I'm not very good at hammering nails, but that using an electric drill is within my capabilities. Good to know.

I've had sushi for dinner - always the mark of a good week - and a cup of the best hot chocolate you ever did see. Also got to catch up with a dear friend and give her a birthday present that appeared to be a hit (yay!). Went to an event where one of the most intelligent, successful, inspiring, and all-around quality people from my state gave a brief but wonderful speech. Annnd, I get to look forward to hiking this weekend (weather permitting) with nice people.

Knitting-wise, I've been distracted by the lace cardigan I linked to in my last post, so the two items I'm working on as new designs have been languishing for a while. But there's been definite progress on the cardigan (lace is so FUN, with all the yarn-overs turning into a pattern as you proceed), and the new knitty is up, with a couple of things that have gone directly to my Must Knit list.

All of the above = happy.

But wait, there are four more dwarves, right? Hmmm. Grumpy? That was last week. Dopey? Still feeling the learning curve at work, but hopefully not THAT much. Doc? Um, no (unless my wearing glasses is enough of a parallel). And Bashful? Well, yes, actually, I guess I have been. But mostly sleepy, sneezy, and happy.

Liberal

And proud of it!

That link is to a fantastic New York Times op-ed piece by Bob Herbert. Read it. Forward it. Own it.

As for a knitting update, I'm nearly one lace repeat into this sweater. The yarn is fingering weight wool so it's kind of slow going, but I'm hoping it'll be worth it. Also hoping the wool won't turn out to be too itchy. And that I don't run out of it before I've at least knit cap sleeves...