The Unthinkable Happens

    My mom just called me, sort of in a panic. Remember, she is moving in 6 days to a smaller apartment? Well, she told me she just called the management office, and asked if she could get into the new apartment, to take measurements and stuff.


   The lady in the office told her that her apartment won't be ready until the end of November! They are gutting the whole place, putting in new insulation, and all that. So it's taking longer than they thought it would.


    Well, the move is already all planned! The movers are coming on Wednesday! The cable and phone are being activated in the new apartment as of Wednesday! Now she has to cancel all this. It was bad enough the first time, taking over an hour each to accomplish the transfer of services. She is dreading having to do it all again, to cancel the whole thing!


   Her question was, and a valid one at that, is why didn't they notify her that her apartment wouldn't be ready on time? What would have happened if she hadn't called?


    The good news is that now she has more time to get all her things sorted and packed up. The element of panic, and rushing to get it all done, has been pushed off!


   And here is a photo of Mom, taken Sunday, at her birthday party!

Go Big or Go Home

    I wonder why I was surprised about having to abandon plans A, B and C... I have never liked working on a small scale. Before I started knitting again, my hook of choice was the N size, which is pretty big. Big enough that when you crochet with it, you usually use two strands of worsted weight yarn.


    I like the instant gratification that comes with crocheting with a bigger hook. You can make so much progress in so little time! It's perfect for satisfying that creative urge.


   When I started knitting, I was willing to work with small needles. But it turns out that sock or lace weight yarn is just too darn tiny for me to see the stitches. Especially in black, and in my house. We keep my house kind of dark, since my Hubs works the night shift, and sleeps during the day. Minimum light works best for this.


    A few years ago, I crocheted a shawl, it turned out to be most awesome, and it was HUGE. Of course, I used a bigger hook than recommended. Now, I am fairly tall, at 5' 8". When this shawl was done, and I wore it to Rhinebeck last year, the point actually dragged on the ground.


    I recently gave that shawl away, and made a new one, which turned out smaller. I love it just as much. I haven't yet had an opportunity to wear it out, but I am looking forward to it.  Stay tuned to watch me make a fool out of myself over and over again. It seems that it's inevitable. But I hope it's at least fun!

Change of Plans Due to Epic Fail

    Well, I tried. I really did. I cast on all those 301 stitches, really loosely so it wouldn't be too tight when it was done. I was about halfway through the second row when I realized I was beyond my skill level. So right in the middle of the row,  > gasp < , I put it down.


    You see, it's kind of dark in my house. I figure if only I could knit outside, where it's nice and bright, I might be able to do this project as planned. The dark makes it very hard to see the black yarn stitches, and the fact that the stitches are so small doesn't help matters.


    After thinking about it the rest of the evening, and then again this morning, I have decided on an alternate plan. First, I will wind up the (possibly) Tip it Ewe Lush, and try that for the cob web border. It might be easier to see, and the black can still be used for the body, as it's all stockinette with decreases.
   
    If that doesn't pan out, I do have a plan C. I will forget about the black all together, and use some beautiful natural that I have somewhere, in one of my stashes. I am pretty sure I have more than 1000 yards of it, so it will do.


    A wiser knitter than myself pointed out to me that it was brave to try and use black for this project, it turns out I wasn't brave, but foolish. I remember when I bought it, I was planning on making black socks. I doubt that will ever get done either. I will probably crochet something with it, if this plan B doesn't work out.


   The stitches are still sitting there, glaring at me on the needles. I can't bring myself to frog them yet.