LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHILE YOU’RE PLANNING YOUR PROJECTS
Beth has been up to major exploits and I am handing the reins over to her this week. Here she is:
I may have mentioned that my four boys were all born in the San Diego area. One of them, at least outwardly, retains a very laid back, fun in the sun outlook. Several years ago I remember trying to remind him without nagging at the end of Thanksgiving break that he had to complete his college application essay that day. His response as he reclined on the floor was, “I work best under pressure.” I couldn’t help myself, I exploded, “But you’re never under pressure!” Not so his mother. My heart is constantly pounding with upcoming deadlines (frequently self imposed). 
I promised Kendra I would finish the ‘Favorite Summer Sweater’ from Sally Melville’s “The Knit Stitch” in Taffy for the yarn catalog. I love Sally Melville’s book and I love Taffy and I can hardly wait to wear the sweater. There is an interesting technique incorporated into the pattern. You begin by knitting on two different sized needles, decreasing onto the large and increasing onto the smaller needle creating a sheer effect for the bottom of the sweater. I thought it was great fun when I knit the back, but I have torn out the front five times! And finally conceded that it was time to do something else for awhile…
Taking a leaf from Gwynn’s blog, I bought some Swans Island Worsted to do another one of my favorite patterns, ‘Lacy Lovelies, Knitted Shoulder Sweaters‘ (Barbara laughingly calls these my fake sweaters!) And Gwynn is right! Like knitting with a cloud! I could feel the tension drain as the beautiful blue-green cloud floated through my fingers! As I knit, I’m planning my outfit around the finished product. And just as I was sinking into the restful luxury of Swans Island, Susan 
announced that we had to have an ad for ‘Handwoven Magazine‘.
The Handwoven Magazine is sponsoring a contest for weaving with sock yarn. The idea was to tastefully group some of our sock yarns for the photo. The ads were due on the 10th (as in today) the announcement came late on the 4th and I had my four year old granddaughter, Savhana, spending the weekend. But none of that stopped the thoughts that came into my head from shooting right out my mouth! (Will I remember next time to just shake thoughts out of my head?) ”Wouldn’t it be better with something actually woven out of the sock yarn?” So armed with Gemstone Silk Boucle and Berroco Sox Metallic (going for the same effect as Annalees’s beautiful crocheted shawl) I went home for the weekend. I should admit right here (maybe sooner) that I am a novice weaver on a rigid heddle loom. I love weaving. I generally think it goes faster than knitting so I’m sure I thought at the time that I would whip out a vision of loveliness! A mouth bigger than my ability! But Sunday night after taking Savhana home, I excitedly set about warping my loom. And even got some weaving done before going to bed at 4 AM. (I don’t work Mondays and Tuesdays adding to the thought that I had plenty of time to make the deadline!) I had to make a show of domesticity during the day (housecleaning long neglected) and then my youngest son called to say he thought he’d drop by to help his Dad in the yard a
nd, “Oh, by the way, what are you having for dinner and do you mind if I bring Jess and Alex?” So another late start Monday night and weaving ’til midnight. Tuesday I was ever mindful that I HAD to finish, but things were not going well–sock yarn stretches more than silk and I had no experienced way to compensate! So I just kept adjusting tension and kept weaving until 3 AM. I then got up at 8 to finish, knowing I had to be at Halcyon for work at 9:00. (I wasn’t– giving Gwynn the opportunity to ask if the ‘weaving diva’ was ever coming to work.) The discouraging part was that the finished product didn’t turn out as I hoped, or good enough to justify the beautiful yarns. (here is a pic of it drying in the courtyard) But it will be artfully draped as background in the ad and I am determined to do 
another with more time, thought and tips from Halcyon and Michael. Maybe even enter the contest! Meanwhile, I am returning to the lap of luxury and the Swans Island yarn–better, if no longer cheaper than therapy!
