BeanMama Knits

Ah, what to write about Stitches West? I got there around 10:30-ish? Maybe 11:00. It wasn't raining yet, though it started soon after I got into the building and poured for the rest of the day and long into the evening. I got good, easy parking in the parking lot across from the Convention Center. Which was good. I had forgotten my umbrella (or so I thought -- I found out after I returned home that it had rolled under the driver's seat. Grf,) which turned out to be a little wet for me later in the day. I had a few folk who were going to call me to hook up in the Market, but only one of ended up doing so. Which was fine, I know how crazy the Market can be and how plans change and what-not. Alice, who was a friend of mine from my old Genetech days, called about an hour after I arrived and we hooked up. By then, I had done almost all of my pocketbook's damage. You see, I fell deeply in love with a shawl from La Lana Wools of Taos. So new it's not even on their website ye...

Elizabeth I and me. I am still stuck -- unwilling to pick up another project, even a small one, for fear that Elizabeth I will become a UFO. But not terribly motivated, it's been hard to pick up the needles and work on her. But, I have been picking it up and am now 2 rows away from being finished with Chart C. (I have to do Chart C 4 times, I believe?) It will go faster from this point as I've begun the armhole shaping -- it's a raglan style so there will be fewer and fewer stitches per row as I go along. I am working on the final piece - the front - the back piece is done and the sleeves are each done up to the raglan shaping. It should be be quick to finish those off. Then I need to sew the pieces together and do the neckline. It's really not that far from completion... it's just hard because my motivation is in the toilet, so to speak. But I WILL NOT let her become an UFO. Even if I end up finishing her, and shoving her in the back of the closet forever. *** In ...

I've not posted because there hasn't been terribly much knitting going on for me. I am struggling along with my Elizabeth I -- I've finished the back half and it is turning out, as I feared, too long. I seem to be in a state of fierce denial. I do NOT want to frog it because I don't know how I'd fix it really. I geuss I'd have to rip it all the way out and change the placement of all the waist shaping and begin the center panel sooner and re-calculate all the raglan shaping. Not sure I am interested in doing all of that, frankly. I'm going to finish the back half (really, I' just need to do the left shoulder part which will take me 10 minutes if I sit down and do it,) and then pin it out on my body and see what it's actually going to do. I'll let you know if it's hopeless. I'll throw a whinge party. Had to share a photo of my favorite Christmas gift this year -- given by my clever SiL who managed to find the perfect ornament gift for ever...