Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Windy Wednesday

Yesterday just after sunset Lance and I walked in the neighborhood. The temperature was a balmy 53 degrees and seeing lights from the sidewalk was fun. I understand the appeal of a walking tour in a city or countryside. Today the forecast is for very high winds culminating in an afternoon thunderstorm. The wind forecast is such that the schools closed today. When I stepped out to pick up the newspaper, the sun was shining, the air was warm, and a little humid. This is very odd weather for December in Nebraska. Every now and again we have thunder-snow and I wonder if that won't happen today. 

As usual this Wednesday, I link with Kat and the Unravelers. I completed the garter stitch body and knit sixteen lace rows of the red Wool Peddlers Shawl. Alas, the lace rows need to be unraveled and reknit. The pattern was published in Folk Shawls in 2000. I think it came before the time of so many shawl patterns on Ravelry. The lace chart is oddly written, leaving off the edge stitches and maybe part of the center increase although none of that is clear from the written instructions. According to Ravelry notes, some knitters thought it easier to follow the written directions so that is what I did. The trouble with that is it makes me a blind follower. I'd rather work from a chart/visual design. I plan to lay the shawl on a table and rip back. I also need to compare the chart and written directions. All this is best done during daylight hours. In addition, I changed the method for the center increase and added an extra stitch to each side edge. Ten years ago I knit this pattern with the same modifications so surely I can do it again. It's all knitting. Right?


In the meantime, I knit another section on the Anker's Cardigan. Although the yoke is ribbing on small needles, it is pleasant knitting. After finishing the yoke, I will put it on waste yarn and check the fit. Then it is on to the stockinette knitting with more audiobook listening. 

I am reading The Paper Palace and wonder about the hype it has received. Maybe the novel is more of a summer read. Since it is a book group selection I plan to finish. Moments of Being is a good way to learn about Virginia Woolf's time and place. The piece, "A Sketch of the Past," is a window into her early years, including her parents' personalities. Now and then she writes a sentence or two about her writing.  Jonah and I read Red and Lulu, a story of a pair of cardinals and an evergreen chosen as the Christmas tree for Rockefeller Center. Since he has been to Rockefeller Center, it is a fun story for him. When we came to the illustration of the long truck hauling the tree, he remarked, "oh dear, they are on I-95." 

The clouds are blowing across sky and the wind is rising on this warm December day. If you are in the vicinity, put rocks in your pockets and hang onto your hat. 

Ravelry Links

Anker's Cardigan

Red Wool Peddler's Shawl

Handmade German Stars.



8 comments:

  1. I love your shawls. You are so talented with your handiwork. I haven't read that book, but will put it on my questionable list since you didn't really like it. Glad to see your week is going well.

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  2. Hope you can easily get your shawl back on track.

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  3. Your Wool Peddlers Shawl is such a lovely color, and I hope you can get the lace figured out easily. You are right to wait until there is good daylight, and hopefully, a good supply of patience. But I know you are up to the task! I love Jonah's comment. That's exactly how I feel when we are driving back and forth to MD. Oh, dear!

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  4. I thought of you yesterday while I was reading about the strong winds in the middle of the country. I hope you are safe and comfortable. (The winds are here now, but we're only on the edge of the "action.") I wish you the best with your shawl! I'm sure it will be worth the extra effort once you get it all sorted. And I am smiling about Jonah and I-95 . . . XO

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  5. I just laughed out loud at Jonah's comment!

    I hope you can fix the lace without too much trouble. I don't work well with written directions because I'm a very visual person, so I often end up charting them if they're not available. I do have fancy charting software for designing, but plain-old graph paper works just fine, too.

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  6. oh my "I-95" ... I laughed out loud! I have that lovely book under my tree - Katie spent her first Christmas away from home working in Rockefeller Center and that tree has always been special for us.

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  7. I am reading 'this is happiness' and it's not the book for me but many many people loved it so. Oh well. Love the knitting!! we had a warm day yesterday but it was so windy that you could not really enjoy it much - it kicked up all the allergens!

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  8. I hope to have Lincoln Highway (not quite I-95) finished today! I am enjoying it thoroughly! And I can manage some knitting! But first... I have a long list of cleaning to do today! Sigh!!

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