Nick of Time

HA-HA!! Saved from Red Heart!! It took some doing. A lot of steam, a lot of sweat, and some mindless watching of Shrek (I love it when the bird explodes), but here she is, needing a final block and some buttons, Colorful Tracks. I am not in love. I spent a lot of anger on this one, and when they make me angry, they really go to the time-out corner in my mind and stay there for a while. Maybe when she's got her collar straight and her buttons on, I will like her more. The yarn is Berkshire and Berkshire Hand Dyed. The beautiful and not inexpensive buttons I bought do not match (shhhh...don't tell Mr. Wonderful....) The pattern will be available someday soon at your LYS in a file labeled MelissaKnits or through this blog, or my website (also coming soon!).

I had a Scunci incident. I think this may be due to our well water, but it must be dealt with, and soon. For some reason, Beloved Scunci decided to pee on rather than steam the sleeves. They're still not dry and they've been hanging all night. I actually put them on damp just to get her done. It did fine on the fronts and back, but then had a little accident on the sleeves that cost me a lot of time. And, because they were not well and truly steamed, they curled and made me insane during construction. I may wet block the whole shootin' match. I really prefer wet blocking and since there is no deadline with this, I can take the time to do it my way. This is the first full garment that's mine all mine. Not for Webs, not for anyone but my own selfish publication. I can take time, I can let her drip, I can find the perfect button.

I love the way the hand dyed looks knitted in this stitch. I just love it. It's what started the whole Make Tracks thing - a swatch in the hand dyed done in this stitch. Then the concept changed to a solid color with the decision to carry the hand dyed in worsted only, and a need for a Berkshire Bulky garment. But this is where it started. I love the way things move and shift and end up where they are supposed to be without my really doing anything. Make Tracks was supposed to be colorful. Colorful Tracks was supposed to have a stand-up sort of collar like her cousin, but then I bound it off and said "I like this better". I love that these kinds of serendipitous things can happen if you let them. If you get into micro-managing, making it happen your way, it can't become something better than you imagined. You have to allow it to be what it wants to be. It's amusing because I have found this true with dolls, sewing, felting, spinning...it all becomes what it needs to be, and I just help it navigate the journey. This is incredibly ironic as those who knew me B.F. (before fiber) may remember that I was an insane, obsessed type A with a huge drive to not just pass, but pass witha 4.0, and not just get by, but go beyond and stomp all competition. One day I was spinning (badly) and suddenly thought "Let go. Just let go." The next thing you know, I "retired" from Type A, mainlining caffeine, nursing; the whole lifestyle; and just am so much happier now. Peaceful is a good word. An 'Ahhhhh...' sort of life.

Swatching some Amherst lately for a yoked pullover. I started this swatch and now am not sure if I like it or despise it. Frustrating. I don't hate it enough to discard it, but I don't love it enough to not try some other options. Time will tell! Today I am going to swatch Malea's Rock Star again, on a 3 this time, and see if I can't get gauge. Then I will work on Gail's shawl, photo coming soon, which I'd like to have done by the end of the week. Clearing my plate for what comes next...new yarn, new garments - the stuff of my life!