Saturday, September 06, 2008

Long time, no post

Yikes, another 7 1/2 weeks have gone whizzing by. School started August 20th. This is my second year teaching. I have to finish my certification this year, before my temporary certificate expires. I am a junior class sponsor, which means there is prom to plan & funds to raise. So far, we seem to have a pretty good group of students who are taking ideas and checking into possibilities for prom locations (our new principal is encouraging us to go off-site, instead of using the high school gym as we've done for the past ... million years or so; of course, that's pending school board approval) and fund raisers. My daughter is back at college and my son is actually getting to play baseball this year. He was injured last fall, and just didn't get to play much during the spring season. For those of you accustomed to football in the fall, most of the schools in our area are too small to field a football team, so we have baseball and softball in the fall as well as in the spring.
And my husband is somewhere in the Baghdad area. He does get to email regularly, and calls occasionally. I've been so busy, I haven't really had time to pine. We're all doing fine so far.

I managed to finish the chenille scarf. I think it may be a gift for an as yet undetermined recipient. I just knit until I ran out of yarn. I don't remember if I have another cone of this yarn somewhere or not. I sorta hope not. Since it doesn't have any wool content at all, I didn't even try the felting process as the Vintage Velvet pattern calls for.
Pattern: Vintage Velvet, from Scarf Style
Yarn: Blue Heron Bulky Rayon Chenille, Heather

I also finished a pair of socks in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, in the Liberty colorway. These were ripped & reknit multiple times. I just couldn't seem to find a stitch pattern I liked. Ended up with a 7x1 ribbing because I didn't like the plain stockinette either. And I'm not thrilled with the way the colors do whatever it is they're doing. Great zig-zags of alternating rows of color & white. I'm guessing the Country Christmas colorway I have will look just like this, with green in place of the navy on this sock. These are going to Socks for Soldiers.


And last on my roster of items finished since my last post is yet another one I'm not thrilled with. This is Sizzle, which is not quite sizzling on me. I clearly don't quite have the hang of knitting to fit myself. The bottom of it is too big around. The waist decreases end just under my bust, instead of at my waist, and the bust increases continue above where they needed to stop. The yarn is Tahki Cotton Classic, recycled from another ill-fitting sweater I made myself. I do not plan to rip this out, but consider it to be a learning experience.

In much cheerier knitting news, I love this scarf! The yarn is Noro Silk Garden, in 2 colorways. Alternating 2-row stripes of 1x1 rib, a la brooklyntweed's directions. It is growing rapidly, not tedious at all to work on. I think it's the anticipation of what color combination is going to appear next that makes it so much fun to do.