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There was a time when it took less than an hour to make Lexi a pair of socks. Baby feet are that small.

Now she’s a big girl, and at the end of this summer she’ll be a whopping 5 years old.

Now it takes a dedicated evening to come up with almost a pair of plain jane socks with short row heels and toes; almost but not quite a pair. Pictured is where last night tapered off.

For her part Lexi takes these delays for finished socks in stride. She’s very analytical about it, pointing out that it takes much longer to make Josey socks because his feet are “very very huge.” (Which indeed, Josey does have gigantic feet for an eleven year old.)

We also managed to work a new camera into the budget. R.I.P. old camera, you served us well right up unto the middle.

Buying a new camera that was within the budget was a difficult task. First I had to get the husband into the store. This might have been easier had I not divulged the fact that it was to purchase a new piece of electronics. (Note to self: next time hint that they may have a sale on Star Wars items and start a rumor that they are giving away free cookies.)

Then I had to actually get him to compare cameras, we’d chosen another camera awhile back, made comparisons on function and agreed that it was indeed the best one. So I’ll admit that choosing another model (as in a model that we could afford right at that very moment) was probably a bit of a shock to his system. He kept saying “If we wait we can get this one for only $110 more.” and I kept saying “How long will that wait be?” and he kept shrugging, so I’d answer his shrug with “We need one to get us through that wait.” and then he’d repeat “If we wait we can get this one for only $110 more.”

Lather, rinse and repeat for the next 40 minutes.

Let us not forget that while I only want a camera to document every second of my adventures in motherhood and knitterly activities, the husband actually needs a camera in the course of his professional life (as in if he doesn’t have a camera he can’t send very important photos to his clients in order to be paid.)

Eventually this all lead to buying the camera that we could afford: Canon PowerShot A470. Which, as it turns out Matt is absolutely delighted with, and I’m not going to turn my nose up at the macro setting. As my friend Opal points out “It’s all about the macro.”

Law of mohair #142: Intentional ripping of mohair from knitted article in progress will be prevented by the innate ability of mohair to suck and tangle into itself.

Law of mohair #143 All mohair articles larger than 2 cubic inches knitted on metal circular needles will reject said needles when the article is in a resting state prior to completion.

Law of mohair #143 appendix a) articles larger than 2 cubic inches that have successfully rejected knitting needles in a resting state will spontaneously begin to unravel.

Further scientific study on the unique and often frustrating physical nature of mohair is required. The laws of mohair although baffling seem to be finite and immutable.

This is the garter stitch rectangle I had knit up in the prior post. The felt is formed. And it’s very pink. And extremely soft.

Now I suppose because I really liked that yarn and I have to spin more.

I know what’s it is destined to be; Lexi said as soon as she saw it “Yarn slippers!” For a three year old she’s pretty good at seeing uses for materials.

There’s barely enough for a pair of womans slippers, but plenty for preschooler big girl slippers. Big girl slippers for the soon to be 4 year old sound like a pretty good idea.

While the girl child is just now learning how to knit on a loom, the boy child has taken to sewing.

On my sewing machine.

Which, at times, hurts my brain. I have this standing rule with myself that I will not, ever, under any circumstances fix, fuss, or fiddle with my children’s craft projects– ever. Not because I’m mean and don’t want to help, but because I have perfectionist tendencies that I think my children can live without.

So that means I get to stand back and watch, give advice when I’m asked, and provide proper safety oversight. Fortunately Josey saw me impale my thumb with the needle of the machine a few years back, and he’s scarred for life duly cautious.

I was using a sewing machine (hell, lets be honest, I was using power tools and a gas lawn mower too) unsupervised when I was eight, it was a different time though. Still I boggle. What were my parents thinking? Every time Josey sits down at the sewing machine, my day stops and I’m right there until he’s done. I’m caught between feeling like a paranoid overprotective parent and a responsible one.

And before anyone gives me any guff for teaching my male child to sew or knit let me say this: It has nothing to do with undermining the macho factor, it has everything to do with learning to be a self sufficient adult.

Last winter I checked Spinning for Softness and Speed by Paula Simmons out from the Salem Library. (One thing I do have to say for our area, the libraries are knitter and spinner friendly places.)

The yarn pictured was the result of reading said book and trying the techniques therein, I wasn’t really fond of the yarn in particular at the time, but when I was sorting through my stash I came across it and I’m looking at it with different eyes.

So I decided to knit it up into a garter stitch rectangle, and throw it in the washing machine with some pinkish/crimson dye. It’s agitating with soap at the moment.

I have no idea what I’m going to use the cloth for, I guess it depends on how it turns out. One idea that I had was to embellish it with some ribbon or bits of fabric and just use it for holding the service dishes at dinner. (Doesn’t that sound fancy? I have cheap dishes, they need all the help they can get.)

Another idea was to felt it up firmly and use it as– felt. I just don’t know, it was a spur of the moment idea crafty impulse to do something and then worry about the consequences later.

After putting some lace knitting behind me, I totally understand the value of knitting something that keeps one entertained.

Am I just a freak of nature because I’m not bored by stockinette or garter stitch?

Or am I just so obsessed with composition that I think the eye should have a clear line to travel and a place to rest, before taking in the contrast of complexity?

This is something to consider when choosing a pattern.

What I like about the Flower Basket shawl is that it’s a complex all-over design on a small shawl, therefore it’s not overwhelming on a normal sized person (who hopefully will wear a dress or blouse under it that is a solid color with clean lines.) What I like about the Icarus is that the lace pattern is mature and clean and the large field of lines is quite flattering– that and it has feathers so I can pretend to fly around the front yard singing the theme song from “the Greatest American Hero”

What I don’t like to see are shawls that visually make no sense. Like the designers decide to throw in everything and the kitchen sink just to make an entertaining knit. Stop it dammit. Stop it. Don’t you know some misguided soul is going to knit your bastard child design in Koigu and destroy us all? Just stop it. Please.

Why do knitters fall into this? Is it just to avoid miles of ‘boring’ stockinette?

Is it for bragging rights?

Come on, think about like this; good accessories are like good makeup. Both should be clean, fresh, and artfully applied to frame and not distract.

Lexi seems quite pleased with a shawl of her own. I think this will also make it much easier for her to leave my Icarus alone (although she’s terribly adorable when she tries to wear it, in no small part because it’s so huge on her.)

See? I told you she could pull off wearing darker colors. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a peach in pink, but always wearing pastels when you are under 5 is not law.

Seriously, I finished the shawl. I even blocked it.

It’s after 8 o’clock so the intended recipient is unavailable to model it. It’s past her bed time. Although it’s pretty heartening to hear, “That’s my beautiful shawl?” as I pin it to shape on the quilt. I think Lexi likes it.

The yarn is handspun Shetland laceweight, doubled as recommended in the pattern and knit 4 stitches to the inch on size 7 US needles.

It’s quite pretty, I know people don’t think of putting little girls in such dark colors– but Lexi has such a clear complexion she can pull it off.

As for knitting lace, the jury is still out. I think I’m giving it a fair trial, but truthfully there are parts of it that really just don’t make for a relaxing time of knitting. I’m definitely not in love with carrying around patterns or firing up the laptop everytime I want to knit. At least with socks and sweaters, cables– oh my beloved cables– I know where I’m going.

I’m working on the Flower Basket Shawl it’s a fun little knit, originally I planned doing it on size 5 needles using a single ply of yarn, but I ended up frogging it and using the doubled yarn on size 7s. As is it’s still a very small shawl but I plan on giving it to Lexi when I’m done and she’s a very small person.

Since I have to tink back a few rows I’m not exactly in the mood to photograph my progress at the moment.

I’ve also been doing some linen dyeing and a little spontenious sewing. This is a ruck sack that I made with some of the fabric. The patterning on the fabric is a bit overwhelming so I kept the design of the bag as simple as possible, I tend to like it much more now that it’s been sewn up.

At 12 inches high and 22 inches around, the bag is a nice size for the fabric, I don’t think it would have worked so well visually if I’d gone much larger. The draw-string and the straps are one in the same, it can’t be seen in the picture but at the bottom of the sack there are buttons and the ends of the drawstring have button holes so it can be unbuttoned and carried, or buttoned and worn like a backpack.

Since I’m a little obsessive about finishing it’s fully lined with undyed linen.

I finished the Icarus shawl today.

Here is a close up of it. I’ll bask in the glory of completion for a little while, before a good bout of Post Project Depression settles in. This is my first big lace project from a chart, it’s the first shawl I’ve ever knit from my own yarn, it’s the largest shawl I’ve ever knit, and it’s the only top down expanding from the middle triangle shawl I’ve ever knit. I deserve to bask in at least a little glory.I am so wearing this next time I go to the grocery store. I’m wearing it to the library. It’s big and it’s soft and it’s mine and I made it.

(This picture is the shawl length wise on my bed.)

Matt was kind enough to watch me cast off the last stitch and weave in the ends. He even gave me a patronizing kind of quiet golf clap. I honestly don’t think I’m getting enough attention from him to actually bask properly.

Maybe it’s the Post Project Depression setting in already.

I’m on the 5th repeat of the 1st chart and through my first ball of yarn. I wasn’t sure how to join the second ball, since overlapping the two strands for a few inches seemed like it might work now then stand out when the shawl is blocked I grafted the two together ever so carefully, leaving just a little overlap that can be trimmed out after blocking if need be.
This part of the shawl is going fast. My husband is assisting by renting lots of CSI episodes from the last two seasons. CSI= knitting. Remember that, there may be a short quiz.

Opal (aka the Akamai Knitter) made my whole family the most delightful scarves for Christmas, the box was here earlier but I have been sick so haven’t had a chance to photograph everything. I am still sick so I haven’t indulged in the chocolate yet, but I’m wearing the kickass scarf she made for me. I promise I’ll post pictures of the scarves and the children modelling them. Yes, there is yarn too, of course there is yarn– Opal is a goddess of yarny goodness.