Dawn's Dream

I'm now most certainly over my little boredom episode as evidenced by the two-about to be three-new things on the needles. The Minimalist Cardi from IK turned out to be just the ticket to get me out of my slump, especially since I'm making it with the Cherry Tree Hill Silk & Merino I stayed up til midnight last year to buy on deeeeeep discount.

I managed to get this much done during the database training last week - not as much as I would have liked, but since I had to be head cheerleader, refreshment stocker, and best learner during the sessions, I'm pleased I got to knit at all. I'm pretty awed by how much needs to be fixed, and how badly this database has been managed over the last 10 years. In typical non-profit fundraising, the accounting department has very different needs than the development department, and neither wants to play nice (or even speak) with the other. I now get to be the mediator for both groups - and I'm working to find a way to assure both I've got their backs.

Back to my knitting - I know some folks are bothered by variegated yarn, but I love the weirdness that often results, like the line of little blobs of color in a row that developed here. I'm way too lazy to alternate balls of yarn every couple of rows - I take what I get. The colors in this yarn are ones I wear all the time so it will be a useful wardrobe unit. I used to say this was my very favorite yarn, the one I'd take with me to a deserted island, but it has serious pilling issues. It's still up there on my list for its incredible softness and sheen and drape, and the moss stitch is enough to break up the colors. If I ever got into the yarn making business, it would involve silk.

I also found the perfect use for my little bits of handspun - who knew I would love mitered squares so much? They're not only super fun and fast to knit, they make good use of the funky colors I end up with:

This is one of two I knit up this week, but I forgot to take a picture of the second and it's off on a secret mission now. I fantasize about making myself something with a bunch of random squares of my funky handspun someday.

I've temporarily lost interest in the Whiskey fair isle sweater - I DID finish the first sleeve, agonizing flat knitting and all, and even have almost all of the 5" of ribbing one for the second sleeve. I can't bring myself to pick it up right now though - so instead I think I'll finally cast on for Captain America's cabled vest. I think I'm making it up as I go along, and basing it loosely on a vest in Men in Knits. I've knit two full cardigans for the man, but I apparently have the same issues with fit no matter who I'm knitting for - both were a disaster and live in a box upstairs now. In my defense, the first was very early in my knitting life and I had no concept of gauge at that time. I'm hopeful (and wiser) for this new wearable for my guy.

I think not. More like just another little quirk related to my lifelong, complicated relationship with all things military. You might have such a complicated relationship if your parents were a hawk and a dove - a Navy SEAL and a hippie. I grew up with a huge sense of pride and a love of men in uniform, but also mixed in a huge dose of rebellion. On a trip to the Naval Academy during high school, my father was gung ho about me, the oldest, attending while my mother tried to console me by telling me how good I'd look in uniform. True, but not enough to break my James Dean impersonation. I'd have been kicked right out back then anyway, though in hindsight it may just have been a darned good thing for me. Anyway, this really does have to do with knitting, I promise.

Captain America is in love with all things military surplus, and he is honored to tell people that his father-in-law was a SEAL. He came home one day all excited to show me his new SEAL t-shirt - The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday. Poor guy - I guffawed out loud and said, verbatim, "are you kidding me? I grew up with a gross of pencils bearing the family name and that quote!" I always think I'm escaping the whole military thing, and then I go and marry a guy who works with and has huge respect for our armed forces, and move to the Navy town I grew up visiting when dad drilled - go figure.

So, CA asked, as I was knitting away on my Minimalist Cardigan, if I was making a digital camouflage sweater! And he should know - he has a huge collection of digital cammo hats, work shirts, tote bags (you know, the ones the soldiers carry their yarn in-hah) and any number of other garments and doodads. You tell me - I think he's on to something. Maybe Cherry Tree Hill should get into the uniform business.

I'm into the sleeves - the end is in sight. I love being able to do two sleeves, or the two fronts for that matter, at the same time. I'm less likely to abandon a project out of boredom this way - a good thing.

I'm off for the weekend on a family adventure that features, among other things, an iPod full of everything we had on 8-track on our family road trips in the 70s. Like Queen, The Carpenters, Boxcar Willie, Baby Snooks, and Barbara Streisand. We'll be the station wagon rocking and laughing down the highway for sure!