December 2008


Two shawls completed! Yeah! Only one more to have done by Jan 15th – that leaves me blocking time for the last shawl. The RMTA banquet was moved up to Jan 17th so all otherwise spare time is knitting time. Not that I really have spare time but you know what I mean.

I also changed the yarn for the last shawl. Instead of the Knit Picks Shimmer I am using more Spruce Dragon Extra Fine Merino. While Christmas shopping I found a skein of SD in the most beautiful green colorway – she calls it Deep Woods. It is so perfect for the stitch pattern I am totally set on using for this shawl – Fir Cone. Sometimes there is only one pattern that is perfect for a project. The green colorway & Fir Cone stitch pattern are so perfect for the wonderful person who will receive this shawl. I got started on it yesterday.

The.shawls.will.be.done.on.time. – Yes.

Ok, gotta go knit………………….Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas & 2009 is everything you hope it will be.

Cheers! Jean

Since my last post I’ve been busy knitting – one shawl complete, working on the border for the second shawl and one more to go. I go off work a little early yesterday and thought I’d have some extra time after dinner to keep working on that second shawl. What happened? Let me tell you………

I called my DH to let him know I was heading home from work – and since I had been out delivering Holiday baskets for one of our clients I was coming from a different area of town. He says ok, kind of subdued. Then he says…..the dogs got your yarn. What?!? What yarn I say, thinking oh no they managed to reach the yarn for the third shawl. No, it wasn’t that yarn…..your Christmas yarn. What?

DH had been wrapping Christmas presents and somehow the yarn he bought for me either fell out of the bag, or he left it on the table within dog reach. A couple of our dogs really like to play with balls. And they “found” a soft, green – Qiviuk ball to play with………yes, you heard me. DH had bought a skein of Windy Valley Muskox Qiviuk for me, and now it was a tangled mess.

When I got home DH had the yarn spread out on the table and was trying to find an end. He’d been looking for an end for at least 45 mins. Oh my gosh – would we ever be able to rewind the yarn? Will it be ok – no felting or damaged beyond use? I looked carefully over the yarn and it seemed like no serious damage had been done. So, I put down my things and started working on getting the tangles out and finding an end.

About another 45 mins later – YES – here’s an end! Now to start winding the yarn into a ball and working gently through all the tangles. Ok, this part is going well…..wait, here’s another big tangle………ok, past that one – let’s keep going. Patience, patience – tugging won’t help. Yes this is worth untangling, no we can’t just go buy another skein. We should take a picture of this mess…….no, for a yarnie that would be like graphic violence. Three hours later we have the yarn wound into a ball. There was only one break and that was only a couple of yards from the end so I can deal with that. No serious damage although the ball now has a soft halo. I think I’ll cry now.

DH felt so bad, he knows this yarn is special. He’s a good man and really wanted to make this right. Without his help I would still be sitting at the table trying to rewind & untangle the skein. So thank you God for 1. a DH who knows to buy good yarn, and 2. a DH who knows when he goofed and needs to make it right :) That’s my real Christmas present.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night! May the New Year bring you peace, joy & happiness.

Jean

Updated and revising my web site again that is. I always thought I’d be one to kept my site pretty static but you know – there are always improvement to make. This update was a pretty substantial one that took all day to complete. And that is with already having sketched out how I wanted the site to look. Something friendly & inviting while also looking very professional, no easy task. Please visit and let me know what you think – Desert Rose Designs. This link is to the home page so be sure to check out all the links while you’re there.

On the knitting front – one shawl is ready for blocking and the second one started. The second one is about 9″ now without stretching. I love how quickly these are going and the stitch patterns are coming together. I’ll try to have pictures for you next post.

In the meantime – it’s way past bedtime and I’ll bushed. See you all later…………..

Cheers! Jean