gaining ground

Posted on annePosted in lace/shawls, projects

there’s nothing like having two finished gifts in one morning. the girlfriend scarf came off the needles last night, and it’s just what i wanted . . . unblocked it’s about 45 inches long and i used all but about a foot of the adorably perfect girlfriend yarn (no waste—we love that!).

i’m still deciding how i’d like to block it; i don’t want to lose the thicker, cuddly texture of the fabric, but part of me really wants to soak it in unicorn fibre rinse to make it extra soft (though, that might make the fabric flatten out more than i want). i think i’ll do a little gentle steam blocking on it first, to see how that affects the fabric.

i’m excited about it because now it looks as if james and diana will be stopping here overnight on their way to diana’s family christmas. we always enjoy spending time with my nephew and i’m looking forward to meeting “the girlfriend” (i know: that’s so italian-american—the girlfriend).

in fact i’m thinking of naming this scarf “the girlfriend” because it turned out to be a gift that says just what i want it to say: welcome to my family and my home, here, have something knitted, that’s how i express my fondness for you; i’m so happy that you make my nephew happy, etc, without me blathering on and potentially embarrassing my nephew or myself. it was also practically no trouble to knit, while at the same time looking very carefully chosen. sigh.

today i’ll write the pattern and we should be ready to take pictures and release that by the end of the week, maybe sooner.

i finished my noro scarf in a waiting room, where i sat for several hours today while david had a colonoscopy (he’s fine, all’s well; it was just routine. but don’t wait til you need it to have yours—just sayin’).

uh yeah, the scarf. i made this a little longer than i like mine to be—about 60 inches—because i noticed my mom wears her scarves long and knots them at her neck. i’m just going to steam it a little to give it a nice finish and then it’s 100% done. yay. and i finally wrangled a small gift list out of her yesterday—she wants a digital tire gauge and the new tony bennet christmas CD. i knew she was tired of getting shawls . . .

and the pieces for david’s jacket are piling up too—they go quickly when i actually sit down and work on them. so far, so good—the individual pieces are turning out exactly the size they should, and my gauge is spot on now. my pattern tells me how many rows i should knit to reach each landmark and so far, it’s been right every step of the way.

now, i just need to spend more time on it. i have 10 days left and i need to knit the back and finish the sleeves, sew the seams, put a collar on it and all those infernal pockets (which i predict will be the death of me). i’d like to be done with the knitting by next weekend. i have a good shot at it if i don’t get distracted and right now there aren’t any distractions lying in wait that i can think of (ha! that i can think of—that’s the operative phrase there).

still, i’d like to also get these socks done, now that the scarves are completed. right now, i’ll work on them for late-night knitting, but if i need to, they be put aside to work on david’s jacket. i got a few rows done on them in the doctor’s office today, but wow, can i just say what a shock it was to my hands changing to the little needles and yarn after working all week on bulkier projects and size 8-9 needles?

now, i said something about writing a pattern today and i also have another class to teach, so i better corral myself and do some work. but you could go see this next, and have a good laugh.

20 thoughts on “gaining ground”

  1. Anne, love the girlfriend scarf. I know she’ll a very happy recipient. Now if your mom is tired of getting shawls, I’d be glad to step in for her. Just sayin’…!! Happy Holidays to you and yours.

  4. I really love the thickness of that scarf! I hope you don’t block it all away! Which yarn is that, exactly? I clicked on the site, but there were several there, and I guess all sold out. I’m tired, so I may have missed it. I need a pick-me-up. . .like some new yarn and a new pattern!!!

  7. sounds like you’re keeping on track, which is more than i can say – i had a repeat more to go on the fir cone chart than i thought. (and we didn’t even go to the tuba christmas last night – they changed their minds before i got home…typical!) good luck!

  8. Girlfriend scarf….perfect! I love you stay on task and get these things done. David’s sweater is going to be so nice. 🙂

  11. The girlfriend scarf is just perfect! Up until now I’ve had quite a dilemma about what to knit for my older son’s girlfriend. “The girlfriend” says just what I want to say ~ can’t wait for the pattern!

  14. Anne, I just don’t understand why David didn’t want to have a “bonding experience” during this time. I mean, geesh, it isn’t like you don’t have 2 bathrooms or anything, I woulda brought the baby wipes 🙂 and Steve coulda been entertained by all your knits!

  15. I think that scarf might be the perfect little “for me” project once all this Christmas knitting is cleared out of the way!

  16. You’re finishing projects and I’m frogging them. *sigh* I only have a few left to finish but of course, as usual, I leave the most difficult for the end. One of these years maybe I’ll learn from my past.

  17. Good for David! It is *so* very, very important to do the checkups.
    I had an early scope a few years back (I was only 45) because of gall bladder troubles (got rid of that litle annoying organ). They found something. But they found it early and the news is all good now. However if they hadn’t gone looking and I’d delayed at 50 (as I’m delaying my first mamogram.. I know! I know!)…

  19. I love the girlfriend scarf and I’m sure she will
    love it too. Is your mom’s scarf the same as
    that one? David’s sweater looks great.

  20. I’m sadly behind again. I hope the girlfriend enjoyed her gift! I also cast on a Diagonal Noro scarf recently, and I’m really enjoying it.

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