Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Concentration

Concentration, or absenting myself from felicity (in Jean's words) while I start another round and adding an additional center panel to the Vogue lace shawl. That is what is needed: concentration.


The yarn is 100% organic linen from Quince & Co.  It feels fairly rough, being linen, and is smaller in circumference than I had envisioned, so the shawl will be smaller than the picture of the finished project shown on the published project sheet.  I am using a size larger needle to accommodate this difference in yarn size and hoping the yarn will soften after washing.  It is a bit like knitting with kite string at present.

If you are wondering what "organic linen" actually means, look here for an intense written presentation.  My take on what the organic blog says can be narrowed down to:
  • Lowest practical ecological impact
  • Fair Trade guidelines
That being said, on with knitting.  The Chart II repeat (middle) is now in process; it begins on row 49 and is repeated 15 times prior to adding the wings. I had difficulty in reading the chart, as it is different on the right and wrong sides, naturally, so I made a flip chart with index cards which made the changing charts easier to follow.  However, it took about 150 cards to make the chart. This is definitely my Magnum Opus of knitting.  And it may be the  last, God willing that I live long enough to finish the knit.

The center is beginning to look like hearts, and I wonder if this is because of the yarn.  Liking it thus far, but it requires concentration and cannot be successfully knit with the husband in the room providing side notes or asking questions, adding to the ambient noise of tv commentary.  However, it can be happily knit on while sitting alone and having an episode of "Pride and  Prejudice"spicing up the airwaves.  The husband will retreat to his den with the dogs when he hears Colin Firth.

It is cold here today, and I had to bring in all my seedlings last night because of the frost warnings.  Three more days of in and out with these little guys, and then the zinnias and cosmos


will be almost ready to go into their new raised bed.  More later on that project.  Three pots of marigolds are in the garage, and more pots of herbs are up by the back door that will have to go out again in the sun by 10 AM when the frost warning is lifted.  Three more days of this and then we should be free of frost.  One wonders at the efficacy of all this attention to planting when the local grocer provides plants already blooming.

Lastly, one new addition to the front porch: an urn with columbine and marigolds, reminding me of college colors:



6 comments:

  1. Hi Nancy (:)
    thanks so much on my bench..
    love the shawl and the banner..& your background ..so fun !!!
    hugs,Patty

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  2. What a funny sign. It's so weird how snow is nonstop in parts of our country while we have drought. I wonder how Much global warming is affecting it.
    Okay. I looked at that lace shawl and was like whoa. Yes, concentration, concentration application; keep the rhythm. That pattern would freak me out. You go, Nancy.
    Jellybean planted some marigolds last Wednesday. They're sprotuting already. Her little face lit up this morning when I showed her.

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  3. Wow, that lace looks so intricate, I can only imagine how intense your concentration must be. Your method of keeping it all organized with the index cards is really neat. Honestly, I'm really impressed! I don't think I could do it. (shakes head)

    You made me swoon when you said you could manage an episode of the Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice. That's definitely on the top 3 of knitting viewing. My Husband retreats with my son to any other room I'm not viewing in which basically leaves the kitchen, their bedrooms or the apartment entirely, ha!

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  4. That is gonna be a gorgeous shawl! Can't wait to see it! Enjoy your day dear friend, hope all of your pretty plants survive! HUGS!

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  5. How very pretty your lace shawl is turning out, it will look really special. Betty

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  6. You are an amazing knitter, Nancy! You know so much about yarns and patterns. BEAUTIFUL!

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