the Akamai Knitter

(gakked from our Cookie, who gakked it from Carole.)

For those who are unfamiliar with Thankful Thursdays, the basic premise is to list three things you’re thankful for.  So here goes.

1. My friends. They’re an endless well of support and love. Especially in the wake of all my whining when I’m sick and I happen to get sick a lot.  They also respect my boundaries. I have a thing about people touching me and they respect that. So thanks to all my local friends and to my cyber friends.
2. My mother. Blogless Dayna and I  have a theory that we used up all our good parental karma on our mothers because we get along so well with them, but no so much with our fathers. But get along well with my mother I do. She’s one of my best friends and I cherish her.
3. This is a weird one. My dentist. If it were not for him, I would not have gotten the root canal that relieved me of considerably pain. He also doesn’t demand full payment at the time of the procedure. This is a lifesaver as I wouldn’t have been able to get said root canal. Instead I’d probably be missing a tooth.

In knitting news, I’m still trying to catch up to our Cookie when it comes to the Lyra (Ravelry).

I can’t wait for the 47″ needles I ordered to get here. It’s currently cramed on a 32″ circular needle and it’s getting a bit cramped.

Sammy’s feeling rather bashful today.

Happy Thursday everyone! I hear we’re canceling the rest of the week. (Not that there’s much of it left.) Doesn’t that sound like a great idea?

Remember the Oyster Bay Shawl? Well not only is it finished, it’s upstairs all pinned out and drying.

You see, I figured out why I was so unhappy with it. It was the needles! I was using metal needles and for some reason they were hurting my hands. I have no idea why all of a sudden my hands decided they don’t like metal needles over a certain size. They’re fine with size 1US needles, just not with the 5US needle I was using.

So I quickly changed to my plastic Denise needles.  The only problem was that the cable was a bit too thick for the laceweight yarn.  Megan suggested I try out new Zephyr needles from Knit Picks.  I went ahead and ordered some, but by the time they arrived I had already finished the shawl. Figures, huh?

Still, these needles are so nifty I decided to use them on my Herbivore.

I can see why Zonda has the love for these needles. The points are so nice and sharp! They make those purl through back loops so much easier. The needles themselves are nice and slick. They’re almost as slick as metal, which I like.

I cannot tell you how tempted I am to cast on for a lace shawl with actual decreases in it. But I’m knitting another shawl besides the Herbivore. So no. Not yet.

The fact that they’re clear doesn’t bother me at all. I thought it might be a problem, but so far so good.

All in all, I think these needles were worth the astronomical shipping cost that Knit Picks likes to charge Hawaii residents.

I’m also thinking of spinning up the other bobbin of this.

My wheels are getting rusty doncherknow!

Sammy wants to know what you’re up to!

It’s Monday folks. I hope you’re getting through it all right.

Megan may call me a bitch all over the interwebs, but the girl shows me the love with the birthday gifties. She sent me a box full of lovelies.

First up is a bag from the ever so talented Acornbud. Megan knows of my bag ho’ tendencies and my addiction to Barb’s bags, y’see.

Inside the bag, was a beautiful skein of gorgeous that Megan dyed herself.

The colors are perfect and they’ll match my wardrobe perfectly. I’m thinking Swallowtail. (Ravel it!) :)

Also in the box was this beautiful mug.

What I haven’t pictured is the nifty French Press that was included. Mainly because it’s dirty. I also didn’t include the bag of coffee. Mainly because it’s nearly gone.

Megan knows my love for coffee.

This was such a thoughtful gift. I love everything in it. Thanks so much, Megan! You can call me a bitch anytime you like!

As to why she called me a bitch? It’s because I cast on a new shawl.

The pattern is the Herbivore by the genius Stephen West. The yarn is Blue Skies Ahead from Hungry For Handspun.

And I am in love.

More on this in days to come.

Happy Friday everyone! Have a great weekend!

This week I had the nastiest toothache. Yesterday I went to the dentist and got it taken care of (root canal) and I’m much better now. While I had the toothache I was on painkillers.

During that time I finished my mom’s shawl. I was afraid that the shawl would be too small for her so I blocked the living daylights out of it.  That’s all I thought of as I pinned this baby out.

Make it bigger! Bigger! Bigger!

That was a mistake.

Before I blocked it the shawl had a beautiful solid texture from the alternating stripes of garter and stockinette stitch. You can see a little of that still in existence here.

But you can really see the difference in this before shot.

I don’t have time to reblock the shawl. Mom comes home tomorrow and the shawl would need a good soaking and in this climate it would take at least two days to dry.

So the plan is to give her the shawl as is, then to take it back, block it again, and possibly add more inches to it. I didn’t weave in the cast off ends and I have more of this colorway so that won’t be a problem.

The main thing for me is that the shawl will be a complete surprise come Christmas Day. Glass half full!

The bright spot of my morning is Quincy’s new lazy spot.

How he finds that comfortable, I have no idea.

Happy Wednesday folks! I’m off to vacuum. Even if it kills me. :P