Getting to know you, getting to know all about you

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 
 As 2013 comes to a close, the frenzy is on for knitting.  Its cool, its hip, its appropriate to wear scarves, hats and crazy knitted items.  And yet... I still knit reasonable, predictable items.  Things you might find at a store in the mall.  Things that aren't boutique-y. I just love the regular, normal way of doing things.

But as a knitter, I still like to do something new every now and again.  I am in the process of learning more about cabling and  trying to learn about left and right twist. This is a method to achieve a cable "look" without actually using a cable needle. Actually it was way easier than I thought it would be, and I definitely plan to use the technique again.

Recently I cast on some socks  (six sox knit along twisted diamond) with some wool that I spun during the Tour de Fleece on my spindles - a grab bag of yarns that would have made some interesting socks. Except that the yarn/needle combo was just not right.  The yarn proved to be too dense for the frail bamboo needles, and after a bit, I decided that the project was just not meant to be.


Today at the library I happened upon a great book from Clara Parkes that has more sock patterns than I can handle!  I can't wait to pick at least one pair of socks from the book to try.  Her stuff always looks good when its knit up. 

I've done a little bit of spinning lately on my Kuchulu.  I love this spindle.  Its my favorite, hands down.  Small, light, cute and easy to use.  #You'reWelcome

For Christmas, I got some very meaningful gifts, and that's pretty special to me.  One was a lovely bracelet from my daughter and son in law.  My parents gave a gift card that enabled me to buy the camera that has replaced my poor, taped-up, rubber-banded Nikon.  And my son and daughter in law are upgrading my website so that I can blog in style.  I love my family and they mean the world to me.  And we are certainly blessed with a very warm and comfy home, reliable transportation, plenty of food to eat every single day, and lots of fresh clean water for every thing we'd ever need it for.  I am very blessed indeed.

As we look into the New Year, I'm super excited to be re-organizing my old planner, making my list of goals and resolutions (aren't they the same thing?) and dreaming of things to come in 2014.  There are so many things to be thinking about, that I had a hard time sleeping in today.  I can't wait to meet the new year, and get to know all about what things it has in store!

A Little Bit of This and That

KNITTING
Its been a while since you've seen a post from me, and for that I apologize.  You deserve better, and this blogger has failed miserably.

The coolest part of fall is upon us with Thanksgiving around the corner.  Lots happening everywhere we look, all leaning toward the peak ahead of us; the holiday season.  

For knitters, its the best time of the year, because there seems to be no limit to the number of projects we imagine we can undertake.  Its cool outside, so we want to knit scarves, mittens, hats and throws.   Its gift giving time, so we attach potential recipients' names to these projects.  We stash dive and pair up yarns with patterns, and start a lot that will never be finished, often because they look weird, even to us. 

Here are a few that have made it beyond the "forget-about-it" distribution cull.
Thing 1:  Burgundy Christmas Stocking for my DD

Cabled Christmas stocking on size 9 bamboo DPNs

Better color in this pic

Thing 2: Fuzzy Fingerless Glove for HH

Fingerless glove knit with Elann Peruvian Highland Wool

SPINNING
There are more things spun than one would care to view. But currently here are the things in my spindle basket.

Some silk/wool combo on both the Bosworth Midi and Jenkins Kuchulu.
Some natural cotton on the Bosworth Mini.

The Kuchulu goes with me most everywhere that is Instagram-worthy.  If you follow me on Instagram (my handle is brendamyfrienda) you'll see lots of "where I've been" pics and a few items I've been baking, etc.

Wool and mohair PURPLE!

Carding Wool and Llama blend - super fluffy!

GARDENING
Yesterday the leaves in the front got thinned out just a bit, and a few piles went to the back garden/flower bed to mulch over the winter.  After my morning walk, I noticed that everyone in the neighborhood had limbs out by the sidewalk to be picked up by the city. After raking the yard, I hauled all those branches from the last post to the driveway edge. The city came by just a few hours later so my timing was impeccable.
I also managed to prick my finger on a rose thorn. I'm a wimp, I know because you can hardly see the dot where I got pricked, yet I'm blogging about it cause it hurt so bad.

No vegetables got planted this year so there's just no harvest to show off, although I'm getting excited about next year.  Perfect timing, huh?

READING
You don't even want to know how little I've been reading lately.  Big time fail.   The only things I've kept up are my personal devotions in the morning via the massive volumes of Matthew Henry.  (Yesterday I read from Ex. 27 about the horns of the altar and their meaning.) These books are outstanding by the way, if you are religious!

PERSONAL
The last few weeks have been particularly good.  We got an unexpected respite as caregivers - a whole week of stay-cation.  REALLY an awesome week! Good family times interspersed with outings and a retreat for me and a friend.  She and I met online through a virtual support group that has really gotten me through the last couple of years.  (When and if therapy is not an option, go for the support of friends. MAKE them happen; get with people who lift you up!)

My friend came to stay with me for a few days and we attended the retreat with all the other members of our virtual support group from all over the country.  It was so empowering and uplifting.  I had no idea how down I'd felt and how upside down things had gotten.  I also discovered by accident (a cold) that a very small dose of Percogesic, 1/4 of a pill, has helped me to stay asleep through the night and greatly improved my mood in the mornings.  Apparently I haven't really slept through the night in a long, long time.  Sleeping pills are way too strong and make me groggy and lethargic, but this small dose is just what I needed!

We've had fires in the fireplace, homemade cookies and lots of Netlfix to keep us busy; doctors appointments for my father in law, and opportunities to volunteer in the community.

My husband has recently written a book that is extremely well received.  He has worked so hard on this, and poured his heart out to potential readers.  Not just a bucket list item, but a real true accomplishment!  You go sweetie!!  My son did the artwork and the graphics inside so I'm doubly proud !!

Seduction of a Wisteria Vine

GARDENING
Most of us have at one time or another, been gifted a plant. Sometimes they are for indoors, and sometimes they are meant to be planted outside.  I have a friend who is a Master Gardener and she was "cleaning out" her back yard of unwanted plants several years ago.  We had not been in our house for very long at the time, and I was more than happy to take the extra plants off her hands.  Most of them have worked out really well, and I'm ever so grateful for her generosity.
 But one plant, while beautiful and healthy, has begun to take over and manipulate (yes I said manipulate) the other plants in the vicinity.

Garden of Eden - NOT

The blooms have gradually ceased because of the competition with the other plants.  And the roots of the wisteria have literally strangled the once healthy hydrangea underneath.

Wisteria vs. Hydrangea - no contest

This bully plant comes on strong with vines, leaves galore, and quick growing shade.  What's not apparent is what's going on underground.  The roots are growing wide and deep, surrounding other plants' root systems like a zombie invasion. And the roots of a wisteria can't be pruned like their vines overhead. I had intended today to just move the shrubs underneath to a new location, allowing them more morning sun, and  less competition for water.

Insidious Roots

But no, there was NO moving the shrub, because on further inspection, I could see that the wisteria roots had taken over the neighborhood like the gang in West Side Story.  Surely they've been snapping their fingers and flipping their switchblades when I wasn't looking!

This morning I knew I had one  day to either move or remove whichever plant I determined was the problem.  Clearly it was the seductive wisteria.  It kills me how much I've bragged on this vine and Instagram-ed pictures of the almost non-existent blooms.  No more.  I sawed and clipped and pruned until my arms gave out.  That sucker is toast. Good riddance to bad rubbish.


SPINNING
I did actually participate in the Spinzilla challenge, although not online.  The colored wools that were dyed back in the summer found their way to my spindles and wheels. Maybe mittens??

Purples, Greens and Blues

KNITTING
This afternoon my ever protesting muscle groups made their demands.  Espresso and knitting until time for supper.  Espresso has been deposited to my tummy.  Now for the knitting.
I'm watching Eunny Jang's video on how to knit cables from a chart, and found the inspiration I was looking for.  Ah yes!

One of the things on my New Years Resolution list was to learn to knit cables from a chart.  I can cable just fine, and really enjoy it, but complicated cable patterns make me look away.  I'm all of a sudden shy, and I know why.

 I don't want to flex my mental muscles and learn a new technique.  (By the way, I learned how to spell t-e-ch-n-i-qu-e today.  It has a CH where I would've put just a C)
Anyway, I'm out to learn to knit cables from a chart, and that may just take me all the way to Christmas. Guess what you're getting for Christmas, honey?

Incredible!! (Blogiversary)

Today I feel incredibly proud of myself.  After setting a goal last January to learn to steek a sweater, hopefully handmade, I have completed my task!!  There really are no words to type that would convey how amazing this feels.  Its a sweet and simple euphoria to make a really good, fitting goal, and then to meet that goal within the time frame you gave to yourself, and after having overcome numerous obstacles to get there.  Probably this is like running a 5K for some people, or making an important journey.  There's hope fulfilled, accomplishment, and a lot of exhaling.

CUTTING THE SWEATER OPEN

I didn't realize how much I'd been holding my breath lately.  The final stages of this sweater have by far been the trickiest.  Its finishing touches have made me collapse every so often, thinking this was just going to be one more sweater that I'd throw in the back of the closet and never wear.  My goodness I was not sure if this was going to happen or not!

PICKING TRIM AND SEWING UP THE RAW STEEKED EDGE

CHOOSING AND SEWING THE BUTTONS

Steps to the final phase:
After making the actual sweater, the center front section had to be crocheted on either side of the steek stitch.  Then the whole sweater had to be cut up the middle.  LIKE AN AUTOPSY.  Oh my word that was hard to do.  And after having read all the comments from the online class by other knitters who had complete disaster with their sweater,  I was shaking in my boots!  Then the facing band had to be sewn on either side of the steek, and finally buttons and button loops added.

BEFORE BUTTONS

AFTER BUTTONS

What a journey to card this beautiful white fleece months ago, with some delicate angora. The carded wool was spun on my Kromski Symphony wheel, and then knit by hand.


When I learned to spin, making a sweater from wool I'd spun was one of my main goals.  I moved to Tennessee in the fall of 2001, and moved into this very house 12 years ago next week.  Not long after moving here I set out to learn how to spin.  Which I did.  In late October 2004 I started blogging and have made myself stick with it - mostly to keep up the momentum of projects started.  To this day I don't really know who reads my blog, and I get very, very few comments, but that doesn't matter.  I don't blog for numbers or feedback.  I blog for me.  Like a diary.  And I'm so glad I've been posting about this sweater these last few months.  It has given me the push I needed to stick with the project to the end.   So, here it is.  My first Icelandic sweater; picked and carded, spun and knit entirely by hand.  Yay for me!!

FINISHED AND READY TO WEAR!!

What I did today (no knitting, just chit chat)

So today I've had a ME day.  Every so often I need a little time to myself.  Some women/men go the spa, golf course, mall or shooting range.  With the way the economy is lately, it seemed prudent and even frugal to just wander around my home town, doing things that I might not ordinarily do.  Today I did a couple of things that I felt would put a little gas in my emotional tank while saving gas in my car's tank.

(As I type this from my backyard, my computer is sending me lots of pop ups to tell me  that I have no spyware protection, that the world will end in less than an hour if I don't update, scan and arm myself immediately.  I thought this ME day was supposed to get rid of the stress, not fill me with more.  I need more gas in my tank, not threats from my laptop!)

So, back to today.  I always join a friend of mine on Tuesday mornings to pray at the church.  I'm not Catholic, but it would be pretty cool to show up one morning and find some nuns praying on the front pews, with some candles lit nearby.  I always wanted to be a Catholic, mostly because my whole neighborhood was Catholic when I was growing up.  Catholics got to go to church on Saturday night, the women got to wear pants and they had this great "Lawn Party" every summer.  Oh yeah, and they took communion all the time and dancing was okay with the priest.  I grew up Baptist, and that's a whole 'nother story. 
So anyway, I went to church this morning to pray, and when we were through, I went to a local park to take a walk.  I brought my iPod and earbuds, and made sure to wear my hiking shoes and cargo pants.  The weather was beautiful; sunny and clear.  Perfect for walking, right?  But I got to the park and it was full of young mommies and their tots, strollers and sippy-cups.  It felt really warm in the car, and I chickened out.  After a few minutes I drove a couple of miles away to another park that proved to be perfect and inspiring. The paved walking trail follows the path of a creek, in one big meandering circle. One lap around  was 9/10 of a mile.  Some of the path was shady and the breeze was enough to keep me cool for the entire trek. 
After the walk, I went home to get some lunch, change clothes and go to the Books-A-Million to get a cup of coffee and check out the latest books. 
I'm so proud of the book stores that made it through the financial collapse a few years ago.  I really want to support them if I can, so I try to buy something every time I go, although mostly its just a magazine or cheap paperback.  Either way, its my way of saying "Way to go!"
On the way home from the bookstore, I drove to the local rec center, to see how far the walk would be from my house to there. I'd like to try doing that walk every so often, although there's one part of the walk that inevitably creeps me out.  I don't know why.  It creeped me out today when I drove over there.  They say our area is full of civil war battlefields and there's no telling who might have died there a hundred years ago. 
So, maybe I won't walk to the rec center after all.  Maybe the half mile there and back would be better spent at the track by the creek. Don't you agree?

Laundry Room Detective

We have all been there.  We approach the laundry hamper with caution, like a crime scene.  Peeking down into the hamper, we see that all the contents have been dumped.  Every bit of the laundry is piled next to the hamper in a small mountain.  We know that technically the thing wasn't dumped, but plundered.
The obvious scenario is that a "favorite" item (shirt, top, jeans, shorts) that someone wanted was still in the hamper waiting to be washed.  The perpetrator came looking for their item, knowing exactly where it would be found and never gave the slightest hint of a complaint that I was.....Guilty As Charged: I waited too long to do the laundry! said while blushing with shame*

Back of sweater with one arm almost finished

KNITTING 
Instead of laundry, or housecleaning, or doing anything else productive around here, I've been knitting.  This awesome work of art is still in progress, but I can now finally see the barn door.  I'm knitting the last sleeve with my last skein.  When that skein is gone, I will be spinning the last of the carded wool/angora blend.
I hope that will be the end of it.
I hope that this will be the so-called 2 minute warning like they have in football.
The signal that we are approaching the STEEK part of this project.  (see previous posts)

PERSONAL
Fall is truly here in Tennessee, and while the leaves aren't turning, the air is decidedly cooler, and the humidity is low enough to open the windows at night.  Two nights in a row, and I'm sleeping like a baby.  Woo hoo!
So today, I'm trying to come up with ideas for fall decorating.

I have a wonderful glass and copper lantern that needed polishing; it will be the centerpiece for my fall table.  Between Pinterest and Hobby Lobby, I should be okay.  Still looking for ideas as I type. I'll keep you posted.

READING
I'm listening to an audio book that keeps me moving.  It's a book about a murder in an Amish community.  A big-city attorney goes to live among the plain-folk in order to solve the crime.  Industrious people make me feel guilty for sitting around. And Amish people are very industrious!

The actual paper back book I've been reading while knitting the sweater is about Ireland.  Between the two settings, I am itching to travel and experience Autumn like never before.  I LOVE the way books do that to you!

SPINNING
Although you may have heard news stories relating to the use of deadly force in some horrific circumstances, I have been making news of my own.  The biggest news story in the last month is that I finally got a Kuchulu spindle from Jenkins Yarn Tools.  The money was not in our budget, so my guitar playing husband sold a pedal online to buy it for me!  The company that makes the spindles keep their notices on FB to alert you when some become available.  Unexpectedly, a couple of weeks ago the notice came that Kuchulus would be available the very next day.  16 spindles were posted and all 16 were gone in 7 minutes!!! These are highly sought after and very desirable for avid spinners like me.  I LOVE this spindle and have taken it with me, almost everywhere I've been since it was delivered.

New spindle right out of the mail!

Spindle on our hike

Spindle in the back yard

The day it came was one day earlier than my tracking number indicated, so I was completely and wonderfully surprised when it arrived.  I was really having a bad day, and it could not have come at a better time!  Hallelujah, O happy day!  Isn't it just adorable? 

Spindle in the kitchen

Spindle on our way to the mall

Looking Forward to Fall!

KNITTING
Just a quick post to keep you updated on the Icelandic Sweater project, or "My Stab @ Steeking"

I do enjoy this process; the whole thing.  From carding and spinning the yarn, to learning about chart reading, and knitting the sweater itself.  I particularly like knitting in the round, rather than back and forth on straight needles.

Knitting in the round 1410

 The feel of this sweater is soft, and adding angora in the carding process makes it more lofty and less stiff.  So, here's my progress, which doesn't look like much!

Back of sweater with short rows added

Front of sweater with steek row

These little stars are a great diversion, especially as a take-along type of knitting. It makes me excited as we turn the corner toward fall, and the thought of Christmas knitting is inspiring me.  Woo hoo!!

Christmas ornaments from scrap yarn

PERSONAL
With the thought in mind that Fall is near, I've taken back my lax cooking habits, and am replacing them with a decided plan for meals in the coming weeks.  I love the Stephen Covey philosophy about being proactive with your life.  This is one of those areas that, for me, need attention: cooking.

Pinterest has tons of recipes scattered among the flat-abs pictures that make me suck in my tummy every time I look at one.  So I'm ignoring the exercise pictures and taking a cue from my maternal ancestors to cook and soothe my soul with some good old fashioned cooking.

My old day timer and Grandma's cookbook

I've got lots of sticky notes marking my favorite recipes, and menus jotted down in my old day-timer.  I am about fed up with all the digital tools we have that supposedly make our life easier.  Poppycock!  Smart phones are more like dumb-phones when it comes to wasting my time.  I am less efficient when I'm scanning emails and social updates.  I'm more efficient when my thoughts are written down physically, and even shopping is more efficient, if I've written down my list after studying my recipes/menu ideas. 
Proof of this method working - last night we had Shrimp Creole for dinner (my father in law's birthday) and the old fashioned recipe was a hit.  And it totally reminded me of my mom's Shrimp Creole.  Growing up on the Gulf Coast, we ate this dish as much as most people eat Spaghetti! 

Long Time Coming

KNITTING
Here it is - the sweater I've been anticipating for months is now the sweater I'm falling in love with.  It is just challenging enough to keep my interest and make me want to pick up and knit a few rows.  It is easy enough to grab when I sit down to watch TV or  work on while reading on my computer. I am thoroughly enjoying this project!

Colorwork finished! (about 250 stitches around)

The sweater pattern and video are not overly clear (or I'm overly dense) regarding the start of the sweater and the colors.  I assumed that I would be starting with the main color of the sweater when casting on, then switching to the other colors.  But the instructions tell you to start with pattern color 1, which is not the same as the main color.  Point taken.  Rip out and start over.

Neck edge cast on in wrong color!

Neck edge in correct color

 I quickly had to leave the double pointed needles (used for small circumferences)  and switch to circular needles.  Since none of them were long enough, I had three going at the same time! I needed at least 24-32 inches and only had 16 inch circulars.  It looked and felt like knitting with stiff spaghetti!

Connected two circulars into one long needle - much neater

All that's left of the brown yarn

The brown in the picture above is all that's left of pattern color 1.  I dyed one skein (only 1) and nearly used all of it for the color work.  If I ran out, I was not going to be able to replicate the color.  Thank goodness there was enough!

Center section to be cut (steeked) Yikes!@#$%

The front center has a purl stitch that's repeated all the way down the front, and will eventually be cut and a button band will be attached. This is the process called steeking which makes a pullover into a cardigan sweater. The reason this is attractive, is that you eliminate having to knit lots of separate pieces and then stitch them all together.  This sweater is knit all in one piece.

SPINNING
 In the very small world of spinners, there's a little war going on.  Everybody wants to get a Turkish spindle from Jenkins, and the one to get is the Kuchulu.  But you can't buy one.  The only ones being made are other varieties of Turkish spindles, all just a bit bigger than the teeny tiny Kuchulu which will literally fit inside your eyeglass case.  You can hardly even buy a used one, as they rarely become available and sell in just a few hours after being posted. Wow.

The idea behind these itty bitty spindles, is that you can finally take your spinning with you, and discreetly spin without making a big scene.  Other people are on their mobile phones, checking social sites and emails, texting and chatting.  For spinners, we've had to make do with taking along a small pair of socks to knit, so that we can get our little fix, the same way you might play with your smart phone.  But there's not really been a way to slip some spinning into your wait time at the DMV, or before the movie starts.  Now there is!  Now there are some super small, portable, handmade spindles, perfect for spinning on the subway or in the car without disturbing the people around you.

READING
 I can hardly remember what my reading goals for the year were.  This is a shabby area for me that needs some work.  Being distracted doesn't help.  I want to put a Shelfari or something on my blog page and  maybe that will help.  Any suggestions would be appreciated!

PERSONAL
My parents came for a visit last week and it truly filled my emotional tank.  We spent some good, concentrated time with each other and the rest of the family here in Tennessee.  I am so thankful for them and cherish each and every time we spend together.

Yesterday we all helped my son and his wife do some cleaning on their new house.  It's been vacant for a long time, and needed some TLC.  We painted, swept, vacuumed, steamed, and power washed. Good as new! Moving day is next weekend, and I'm glad there's a little break between the cleaning and the moving.  My out-of-shapeness screamed when we hit the sack last night.  I seriously needed some painkillers!




 

Out of this Whorl

SPINNING
In whatever time I choose to sit and spin, I am rewarded in the mega category with this kind of stuff: beautiful wool and angora for my upcoming sweater project.  I need a catchy, cutesie name for the sweater.  Something that makes you tilt your head and smile.   Hope to cast on this week!

Spinning for Sweater Project - Kromski 12:1 Whorl ratio

Batts and another bobbin full of yarn

Yarns already in the stash

New kid on the block - 11 wpi

KNITTING
I finally finished and gifted the Argyle golf club cover to my son in law.  He really liked it and that makes all knitting worth while.  Its bulky, but wasn't too hard - it just took me a while to finish it.  I'm so glad  it turned out well, but I had a heck of a time getting a good picture.  The previous posts have better pictures for sure. 

Argyle Golf Club Cover for my son in law

actual colors

Argyle Golf Club Cover in color (purple and yellow)

Wonderful Son in Law - golfer extraordinaire!

Sweater Project Swatches
To start the sweater project I need to achieve 19 sts. per 4 inches or 4.75 stitches per inch.  In the picture below, the wooden needles at the top were probably the right size for the yarn, but the gauge was off.
The pink size 7 needles gave a closer gauge, but still not on the money. The size 6 needles in the second picture were about as close as I was going to get. 

Size 7 Needles - gauge too large

Size 6 Aero Bernat needles - gauge just right!

PERSONAL
Lots of things are happening with our family right now, and after a couple of rough weeks, there is a lot to be thankful for.  My SIL and DD are back safely from Disneyworld and they had a marvelous time!   My DS and DIL are finally closing on their house this week and will be moving soon!
My husband works a few hours a week for our church on Sunday mornings, helping with the worship band and singers during the service.  Each week there is a different "worship leader" or "song leader" depending on your religious persuasion.  I have to say that each one, while uniquely different, is a truly kindhearted and good person.  People give these folks a bad rap sometimes, thinking they're diva's or high maintenance.  I have to say in our case, they are far and away genuinely caring, humble individuals, and every week my husband comes home from church, glad that they worked together. We are truly blessed to know these talented people.

READING
I have Careless in Red by Elizabeth George on both audio and ebook formats from the library.  That way I can jump from one to the other.  Good book, good writing, but a little sad, which doesn't make me jump at the chance to read very often.
I'm also re-reading this book by Stormie Omartian.  Very good, every time I read it! 

GARDENING
We have had so much rain this summer, that our ground is soft and saturated.  My zinnia garden is full of flowers, and I cut a few here and there for vases in the house.  They are so easy to grow, I sometimes forget they're out there.  My roses and whirling butterflies have had bugs all year, and the blooms are weak looking.  I'm sure its from all the rain and lack of sunshine.  Too bad!

Crank It Up

SPINNNNNNING
If there has ever been a time for me to go to a "Spinners Anonymous"meeting, it would be now.  Obsessed?  Overcome? Infatuated?  I can only say that I am a spinner; judge away.

You may recall that my biggest knitting goal for the year is to steek, as in, steek a sweater. So I've begun the process of spinning enough wool to make a sweater that I can steek. (More about that later.)

Squishy Wool

Smitty and the Skeins

This is the softest, cushiest yarn I've probably ever spun.  The crimp is super fine, short locks and a little angora blended in to make really round, squeezable, Charmin-tissue-like yarn.  What did that guy say in the commercial? So squeezably soft, its irresistible!

Mr. Whipple

KNITTING
Argyle-mania!  This is the first of two rounds in the pattern I'm using for an argyle golf-club cover.  In LSU school colors.  The needles have progressed from 5's to 7's to 9's.  Clearly I'm on a roll (no pun intended, Mr. Whipple).

Argyle Golf Club Cover

And before I get too lost in little projects, I'm determined to keep my learning curve steep.  I'm going for another try at the  "Beginner's Triangle Shawl" from Meg Swansen's book Gathering of Lace. 

Take two - Beginner's Triangle

Acrylic yarn (don't say it) on size 7 wooden needles.  A little too much drag, but I'll switch to circular needles soon enough, once I get the hang of the pattern.  I tried this before and got really hung up with the pattern.  Now I know why.  The purl row (or wrong side row) is included in the chart, and it's worked backwards!  What the??
Well, I can't argue with an expert.  It is the Beginner's shawl project for a reason.
The purl/wrong-side row is in the chart for the sake of the beginner, but it just threw me off.
Threw me for a loop.
Yanked my chain.
You get the idea.
Now I've got it, and I hope to make this a small little shawlette as a sort of draft for a future project: A prayer shawl.

Now to explain about the steek, mentioned before.  I got the Craftsy class on knitting an Icelandic sweater, and it will eventually be steeked, but the yarn must be wool. I have a lot of wool.  A heck of a lot of wool.  But none of it is the same gauge, color and/or breed.  I need pretty much 1,200 yards of the same thing.  That's a lot.  So I'm going to be spinning for the next few weeks until I feel like I've got enough yarn to knit a sweater.  I cannot wait.   I hope to start the sweater September 1st.  Be sure to check back by then!!

PERSONAL
I had a fun lunch with my baby girl today.  She bought my lunch and we took it to a local city park and ate at a picnic table, under the trees, by a creek.  Lovely!  Until some kind of acorn-war started in the branches above our table.  I never saw it coming until my daughter (who is 25) gasped and shrieked, thinking some kind of critter had landed on her.  It was just an acorn, but one after another landed on us and our lunch until one acorn literally bounced off her salad container and into her little salad dressing cup.  It could never happen again in a million years, and we will remember this lunch for a long time.  I only wish I'd taken a picture!