Unsolicited Assistance.

It is my favorite time of day. Morning. Really-I mean it. Everyone else is asleep. The coffee is brewed and I have quiet time to myself. No one has asked me for anything, I haven't gotten dressed, just a slug with a cup of coffee!

An uncluttered horizontal surface is a rare and wonderful thing to find in the Latham household! This had been covered with tools and sundry manly debris. A massive household tidying up took place and the surface appeared.

I subscribed to the Year of Lace and the first shawl was Phoenix Rising by Silvia Harding.(Ravelry link) I finished it the middle of last month but was waiting for a horizontal surface to come available so that it might be blocked. Yesterday the time was ripe. The surface was available and knitting has been curtailed due to trigger thumb.

Then came the unforeseen obstacle: unexpected and unsolicited assistance. This kitty has been declawed so it was not as problematic as it could have been. However, he chewed on the flower pins and believed that every time a blocking wire moved he had to attack!

Eventually I was successful and here it is in all it's glory:

The July kit from the Year of Lace is on it's way. I have seen a spoiler picture and it is a lovely stole in blue. The first kit was a little problematic, I so hope they have worked out the kinks.

I did try to knit some on the socks last evening but thumb is still swollen and stiff from the injection. It is amazing how much I use this opposable thumb. I finished a book and started another but really wanted to be knitting during this time off. Instead, I am going to try to finish some WIPS. Porthos just needs sleeves sewn in and the Etruscan top needs sides sewn and then i-cord around armholes and neckline. I should at least be able to do the sewing.

Hopefully I will have some FOs to share tomorrow.

Knitting slowing down.

What a week! This is vacation and ' not so much'!
1. Monday I worked to tie up loose ends.
2. Tuesday - my car is in the shop for some body work. Totally my fault. I misjudged the placement of a concrete pillar in a parking garage!
3. Tuesday evening, DS called from work to ask me to bring him something for an ear ache. I met him in the parking lot and he decided it was too bad to work and we went straight to ER. What an interesting place! We went in at 8 and left around 11:30. The place was really rocking by then. I had the Aquaphobia sock in my purse and ipod so I figured I was set. When I pulled out the sock, I discovered that one of the cables had pulled out. The pattern is a slip stitch on every other stitch, every other row. There was no way that I could pick up the stitches, especially in that poor light. Instead, I frogged and began again. I guess now it can be a legal Summer of Sock, sock.
4. Wednesday I went to the Orthopedist for my thumb. It has been bothering me for at least 6 weeks now and not getting any better. I just didn't have time at the end of the school year to take care of it - that is what vacation is for. He diagnosed a 'Trigger Thumb" and injected Cortisone. The hand was numb and throbbing all night. Today, the thumb extends less than it did yesterday. I may try to knit some this afternoon. After all, what else do you do on vacation :)

As DS left last night to go to work he asked me how it felt to be the only family member without a job and car! Hopefully the car will be done today. The job will interrupt vacation repeated over these three weeks. There are some things that will have to be taken care of. Such is life.

Mmmmh, Vacation

Thursday was officially the last day of my contract year. I should have three weeks off. There are several things that I have to finish but the pressure is off. I started the morning with a cup of coffee on the porch with the cats. What a gentle way to begin.

Last week was outrageous and I am so glad to have it over! WWKIP day was a total bust. We had to drive to Charleston to make arrangements for DD to have parking in the fall for DD at college. We passed three yarn shops on the way. We met with the gentleman, signed a contract and went to lunch. I pulled out my cell phone at lunch to check on DS and realized that I had his keys in my pocketbook. He was scheduled to work that evening so we needed to skip the yarn shopping and get home.

I organized a technology summer camp for our teachers. I really enjoy the teaching opportunity. Teachers choose to come, it is not required. I schedule four sessions during each time slot so that they can choice something that fits their interests and skills. Many will not have the opportunity to attend a technology conference and I want this week to be a similar experience. I had some wonderful teachers who agreed to provide some training sessions, they were great! The attendance was low this year but everyone seemed positive. It did lead to some very looooong days with very little knitting.

Little knitting but my left thumb is still bothering me. I guess it is tendinitis, again just on the opposite hand. I have called the orthopedist and have an appointment for next week. I have tried to hold my needles differently so that there is less pressure on my thumb but it is not working. Typing is also a problem and contributes to the pain. I am really not looking forward to the visit. Here it is vacation time and he might tell me no knitting.
Fingers crossed.

Goal Setting

The weekend goal setting on Friday seems to have some rewards. I finished the Calmer vest and it is now blocking.

The buttons were sewn on the baby sweaters which were gifted today (one is 2 years late).

I cast on for a new pair of socks. Aquaphobia socks by Knitfreak.
We had some running around to do on Saturday morning and I needed a take along project. I have signed up for Summer of Socks and I jumped the gun a little but we all know that I will never be in contention for the most socks knitted. The yarn is dyed by indie dyer, Susie from Perchance to Knit. I am not sure what the colorway is, maybe Windflower. I think I have the label in the bag I took to Florida. I will check and get back to you. This was a casting on photo. I have knit about 4" of the cuff.

Sunday, to distract myself from the pressures of 20 hours a training that I will conduct in the next two weeks, I cast on for the Etrusca Sleeveless top designed by Knititude.
The tank is fitted with the increases and decreases hidden within the columns of the design. The back has a slightly less deep neck. I think I will also use that on the front. Too much sun and the passage of time has left some wrinkles on the Décolletageage that I would rather keep covered.

The yarn is the recommended Karabella Empire Silk. I purchased it through Ebay for about 1/2 the price. It is an aran weight yarn and the color is a light gold. It does not have the hand I expected of 100% silk but is very nice. There is some shine but it is not slippery. The twist is loose and it is a little splitty but I am loving this knit!

Did it work? Did I dazzle you enough with the new projects to help you forget there were three items on my "To Finish" list. I found the sleeves for Porthos but did not get to them. I will do that this week, really. Also, I hope to have Etrusca finished by the weekend. It really is going quickly.

Weekend of FOs

I have it figured out, some where along the way I moved from a process knitter to a product knitter. The whole idea behind the title of this blog: Knitting Therapy was that I found knitting to be relaxing. While knitting the Phoenix shawl, I became a product knitter. It has not been relaxing, I feel like I knitting on a deadline. It is time to get back to the relaxation.

I finished knitting the Calmer vest with 6 yards left over. Thank goodness I chose to knit the small. I am not sure how this busy pattern will look on me. Probably not the best choice. I will be seaming tonight. In finishing the edges of the armholes and the neck opening, I used a technique that I use to match curved edges when quilting.

1. sew the shoulder seam.
2. fold a side seam to the shoulder seam, matching the armhole, and mark the halfway mark.
3. Repeat for the other side.
4. The long edge should now be divided into 4 sections.
   
5. Divide the number of stitches to be picked up by 4.

Now, when picking up the stitches they will be even, you will be able to judge if you are picking up too few or too many.




Other planned finishing:
1. Porthos, I have two sleeves to sew in and this will be complete. I could not find them after my trip to Tampa but they have reappeared.

2. I have two baby sweaters that need the ends woven in and buttons added. I purchased the wrong number of buttons and had to return to Charleston to obtain some more. There were no more of the color I chose so I had to pick up a different color. I got home and could not find them. I located the buttons while searching for sleeves. I really must get more organized!!

3. The Phoenix shawl is complete and is just waiting a bath and block. I am not sure I have enough space to block. Maybe I can do some cleaning up this weekend and create some space.

I close with a bittersweet hug. DD graduated this week from high school. DH is an administrator for the school district and represents the district in the graduation ceremony. Two years ago I purchased a doctoral gown from Chapel Hill, his alma mater and he has worn it to DS and now DD's ceremony.

Hobby or addiction

Knitting is taking over my life and I cannot resist!!!!

I think I have tendinitis now in my left hand. My thumb is locking in place, I can not use it to turn the page in a book and there is pain! I have not made an appointment with the orthopedist because I do not want to stop.

I am two inches above the armhole on the Calmer vest. I am just loving this knit but again I feel driven to finish. The shop recommended that I purchase 6 skeins of yarn. It took 3 plus a few rows to finish the back. I am knitting the small because of the great stretch of the yarn, however, I had planned on knitting a medium so I should have enough yarn but I am concerned so I knit frantically so that if I do need additional I can contact the store in Florida and hopefully there will still be some from this dye lot.

I have several trainings scheduled that I will be providing this month. They are all new topics and I have nothing prepared and/or practiced. I need to be working on this in the evenings - instead, I knit.

My house is an absolute wreck. I finally washed shirts for DH this evening so he would have something to wear to work. I need to vacuum and dust, nah, I am going to knit!

I have ordered new yarn. I can't seem to help myself. The Sirens call and I cave. It is starting to trickle in. Some summer projects and also two sweaters for DD to take to college. I can justify those - she needs a reminder of her loving mom while she is off at school, right? :)

Well, I digress, I need to get back to the knitting - farewell.
Do you know of a 12 Step program for a knitting addiction????