we each have something new

Posted on Posted in lace/shawls, projects, Uncategorized

well the lights got hung without a snare yesterday—nobody fell or hurt themselves in any way. in fact, the whole thing was over within an hour. ok, the hour seemed like an eternity, but it was a mere 45 to 60 minutes only.

beth gave the fixture(s) a name i love—the “anti-fixture”. it pretty much describes the way we are handling the whole renovation. we are turning the house into an “anti-colonial”—it looks like an historic colonial, but it isn’t. you’ll see.

today, one of david’s longtime dreams has been fulfilled. today, he is the proud owner of a cabinet table saw. it was delivered to the front curb just a few minutes ago, just at the bottom of the stoop. it was so helpful of them to deliver it there, seeing as it really can’t stay outside like that. it is big and heavy. and needs to be moved to the basement. but first it needs to be moved around the block to the back door.

there he goes.
i wonder how he’s going to get it down the basement steps?
(i wonder how it will up the basment steps if we move some day?? it’s beginning to dawn on me that we may never live in the sleek, low-slung, glass-enclosed midcentury home of my dreams.)

it’s always something with this renovation stuff.

anyway, wanna see my knitting??

in a true turnabout from yesterday’s frenzy of projects, i really only have one thing to talk about today and that is my new shawl. in february i received a beautiful batch of merino/alpaca/silk DK-weight yarn from chris at Briar Rose Fibers. this is Wistful; it’s luscious.

i made a second casino shawl with another of her yarns last fall, which she showed at her booth in rhinebeck. it was so well-received that we decided to collaborate on another one for this year, that she could show on her summer tour of fiber fairs, along with the pattern.

as soon as i saw it, i thought of the “morning glory” stitch from BW2. i love the morning glory pattern—i have knit a couple of scarves from it, but have always wanted to do a shawl. this DK yarn will show off that unusual pattern really well.

i had to fiddle a bit with the accompanying edgings and so forth, but i finally came up with a combination that i like for another rectangle shawl.

it’s something like this, though i have tweaked the bottom part again (and the color in the swatch photo is WAY off—try not to look and judge . . .). it is inspired by this rickety old trellis we have in our yard. i hate that thing, and we do not grow morning glories on it, but we can’t seem to get rid of it either (i think that’s becasue secretly, david likes it). and since it’s there, i look at it, and its image creeps into my knitting.

last night i was finally able to cast on. this should be a fairly quick knit compared to some of the lace pieces i make, due to the heavier yarn, and the fact that it is oh-so-touchable; i can hardly keep my hands off it.

the color is more true in the second photo—the swatch was sitting in bright sunlight which is usually bad for getting nice tones in yarn pictures.

the yarn so gorgeous that i ordered a set of jenkins needles to knit it with (not pictured here). actually, to be truthful, i need a set of size 9s that have better tips than most of the ones i’ve tried, and ed’s needles are perfect for the job. the points are beautifully tapered and can take on any p3togtbl you throw their way. well, you’ll see. they should be here tomorrow or so . . .

oh, and lastly, i have to tell you about a Really Good customer service experience i had at my favorite online bookseller yesterday. i order a lot of books from Overstock.com. sure they charge for shipping, but hell, it’s 2.95 for as many books as you want, and usually, i still get out of there for less than i’d spend at that amazonian online bookseller. you know, the ones that take three weeks or more to deliver their books free?

overstock, is FAST. i mean, really fast. at least, that has been my experience.

so anway, a YEAR ago, i made a little mistake when i ordered a gift and forgot to have it sent to the giftee. so i had to cancel that order and reorder. but the first order came to my house anyway, and i was billed for two of them. overstock gladly took my item back and even sent me a mailing label for it, and they said it was their error.

well, when i was getting ready for taxes this year, i discovered that lo and behold, i had never been reimbursed for the item—my credit card statement showed two cahrges, but no returns.

oh groan, i thought, this is gonna be a real hassle. so, i put it off for a bit. ok, i put it off for over a month.

when i finally called, of course, the nice lady karyl, patiently explained up front hat i would need to supply several pieces of evidence in original form, not photocopy. then she looked at the original order and my account and squealed, “oh wow! this item is still in the system—OMG, i’m actually gonna be able to take care of this right now!”

which she proceeded to do, and with much graciousness. so i told her that i tell my friends about companies that treat me right (like hers). and then she told me she’s been working there SEVEN years, and i was even more impressed. as a person who has been sacrificed many times through the wonders of corporate mergers, i value company-employee loyalty quite highly. so that was the cherry on the sundae for me.

and, they have a great selection of knitting books at good prices. you can’t go wrong.

25 thoughts on “we each have something new

  1. I was just reading your last post, got interrupted and returned to start again, when you put up this latest post. I am soooo glad for that! My stomach was all knotted up seeing the pictures of David on that ladder, particularly imagining him outstretched, reaching for something while balanced on one leg. Shudder. I’m so glad to hear he’s done with that and still in one piece!

    I’m really interested to see this new shawl come to life. I love the swatch! Really interesting combination of stitches and not like anything I’ve seen before. Can’t wait to see it unfold!

  2. That yarn is simply beautiful. I’m sure you will do it justice, and I’m looking forward to seeing it!
    The finished un-fixture looks great! Um, hate to ask but… how will you change the lightbulbs?

  3. I like the shawl already! Morning glory is such a pretty pattern. I can’t wait to see the finished product.

  4. I like in your story that Karyl was so excited that she could take care of you right away. It’s too bad Overstock doesn’t ship to Canada… yet.

    I’m glad to hear that David is alright after his adventures with the ladder. Lets hope his luck holds with the saw.

    And finally, I’m Wistful for wistful. Just lovely.

  5. The Wistful really does look like wild morning glories that come back from self-sown seeds. And I can totally see the rickety old trellis.

    Glad the fixtures are up and they look very cool. This may or may not make you feel better about the ladder. Here’s my husband’s hobby
    http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/440299631_831f7058a2_o.jpg

    Don’t see him, how about now
    http://farm1.static.flickr.com/180/440299426_bc51762dab_o.jpg

    That’s the 100′ tower. He’s working on the 130′ tower now.

  6. I’m worried about my bank account now… what with Overstock.com and that yarn and that pattern… yikes!

    Also, I thought about you and David hanging out over the stairs on the ladder several times since I read that post. It’s the kind of image that sticks with a person.

  7. Ah, yes. Will we ever live in that style of house that we first sought? We wanted a bungalow with a porch swing and ended up with a 40′ tall postmodern, pink stucco and corrugated metal-clad house with no porch. SOMEDAY, we’ll find a cute bungalow, right?

    I love your swatch. I think that will make a great shawl!!!

  8. Oh, Anne, I was feeling just so tired of knitting, this garter stitch cuff in the round I’m desperately trying to finish quickly, etc., etc., and then I turn to you. Wow! What an inspiring entry. The yarn is gorgeous and your new shawl is amazing. It looks great in hand-painted yarn, which I have too much of. I can’t wait for you to finish it (I know, you just started . . .) and offer us the pattern. Now I’m excited again. Thanks!
    Have a great weekend!

  9. This newest shawl is going to be just as wonderfully gorgeous and fun to watch take shape as the one you just completed! I love that color(in the second photo,of course). The yarn does look sumptuous. What a great customer service experience, doesn’t it just make your whole week when something that pleasant happens?!

  10. Very cool light fixture.

    I love the swatch; all the patterns flow so well together.

    I hope David enjoys his cabinet table saw. My husband looks at them longingly in catalogs and at woodworking stores. We rent, so he can’t have one right now. He has a small non-cabinet table saw that doesn’t have the best sort of drive (I don’t understand motors at all) or something, but he has made some very nice things with it, including a cedar lined blanket chest which is wonderful for storing handknits.

    Have a great weekend, Anne!

  11. That is great customer service. Now adays you go thru an automated system of pressing buttons and when you finally get to a real person he/she doesn’t seem interesting in assisting you at all. Hats off to overstock.com for having well trained csr’s on staff.

  12. The new shawl is going to be beautiful. Now hurry up and knit some socks out of that yarn Debbieknitter gave you…I’ve been daydreaming about it all day…so pretty! I think you should make David use a safety harness when on that ladder….men!

  13. Oh, boy. Here we go again. I can see two pattern purchases in my future for gorgeous lace shawls. I certainly hope you never run out of ideas because your designs are stunning. Thanks so much, Anne.

  14. I really love the anti-fixture! I think that was a fantastic idea.

    I hope you have a great time on your road trip to see the yarn harlot and think of me back here, working. Sigh. (ha)

    Lastly, I got my Joy last night. And an enormous bag of roving! Mostly llama and llama/wool blend. I am ecstatic. whoo!

  15. I agree about Overstock. I had ordered 3 books, the Harlot’s new one, Victorian Lace Today and Henri Nouwen’s Reaching Out. They had me down for the end of MAY!!! I went to Overstock and ordered them. They were cheaper and they will be here in a week. So, I have a little request. Someday could you offer a shawl pattern and make it a kit with some yarn you like? I have never used any of the yarns you use so I was thinking (and had read in your blog) that you were considering doing this. Could you, huh? Also, do you accept anything besides Paypal? I don’t have an account anymore due to a mix-up, so I can’t really order any patterns? When I look at your ordering page, you don’t show any other options. Do you already have other options? I’m being a pest today and I apologize, but it’s torture to look at your shawls and not be able to do anything about it.

  16. Lurve the anti-fixture and am so glad to hear David is still in one piece. Told my husband about the creepiness of the ladder on the stairs and he informed me that if David did it properly, it was quite safe because the ladder would be wedged against a step and therefore have nowhere to go. I told him it was still creepy and he just looked at me like I had 3 heads.

    Also lurve the new shawl-in-progress – very interesting stitch pattern (we love thee, BW) and you just can’t go wrong with Briar Rose. It’s really good stuff!

  17. My last job was at a call center. If I hadn’t moved around within the company, I wouldn’t have lasted 8 years there – but I had about 5 different jobs there. 7 years is VERY impressive.

  18. the new shawl is so beautiful – perfect combination of yarn and pattern. love it.
    Ed and Wanda Jenkins do such great work. We have been fans for a long time now – it’s so great to see them get recognition on your blog!

  19. Wait a minute……how come you didn’t show us a picture of the second Casino with the Briar Rose stuff? huh? huh?

  20. love the anti-fixture. our house is similar – a center stairway colonial that is decorated so not colonial! 🙂

    the swatch has some great patterns – i spent all weekend looking through stitch books!!

  21. Anne, that was one heck of a nice comment Stephanie AKA The Harlot made about you. She managed a nice photo, too. It all looked like fun.

  22. I’m glad to see that you’re coming up with another rectangular shawl: I can see myself using a rectangular shawl much more than a triangular one. That is going to be another very nice pattern!

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