I have finished the sweater! I was motivated to get it done when we had some cooler temps last week. Now it is all hot and humid again, so wearing it will have to wait. Here are some thoughts on Banff:

1. I haven’t knit myself a sweater in 20 years – it felt good to make this.

2. this yarn – by sirdar – is very soft

3. the pattern is very well written

4. combining #2 and #3 – this sweater is very snuggly

4. although it is just miles of stockinette stitch, I am very pleased with the engineering of this sweater – the fabulous decreases making a nice, crisp raglan shaping.

5. I took my time, and if I do say so myself, did a fabulous job with seaming and picking up the neck

I am changing my wicked, knitting ways. It used to be that I would rush, headlong and swatchless into knitting projects. In a feeble attempt to get things done quickly, I would take shortcuts that usually didn’t work out all that well. I have been trying to become more mindful – making a swatch, learning a new decrease/increase technique, and reading through the patterns ahead of time. To remind myself that knitting is a verb – it is all about the process. If I remember this, then the product will take care of itself ….

It seems to me I am always the sensible one. (quit laughing!) Yet my girlfriends are always …. zany. In one way or another, the people I surround myself with are out there.

Here is a true phone conversation between me and one of these friends: (the weather is awful and we had a bad connection)

Me: this connection is really bad

Her: I bet it’s all this rain we’re having

Me: yeah, our cable has been going on and off

Her: and I have my phone down my pants.

as she said that, she put me on hold to answer her call waiting. I was left howling with laughter. When she came back on the line

Her: what’s so funny?

Me: you have your phone down your pants??!!

Her: yeah?

Me: no wonder I hear the ocean!

The Daughters had a successful first day of school yesterday. Daughter #1 is a senior — it is hard to believe that she will be off at college this time next year. sniff, sniff Daughter #2 is a freshman and had a good first day of high school. She only got lost once – lo and behold her sister came along at that moment and turned her around. It’s good to know they can be sweet every now and again!

On the knitting front: I have been busy finishing various projects in order to clear my schedule for more spinning. The poncho is off the needles and is awaiting a photo opportunity. Banff is 10 rows away from being done.

I got all of this done while sitting in front of the boob tube last night. What was I watching? a Nova special, a fascinating documentary, perhaps an Indie flick??

all wrong! I was engaged in one of my guilty pleasures ….. it was the premiere of The Real World Philadelphia. anyone else out there who is enthralled by this show?

The Daughters had a successful first day of school yesterday. Daughter #1 is a senior — it is hard to believe that she will be off at college this time next year. sniff, sniff Daughter #2 is a freshman and had a good first day of high school. She only got lost once – lo and behold her sister came along at that moment and turned her around. It’s good to know they can be sweet every now and again!

On the knitting front: I have been busy finishing various projects in order to clear my schedule for more spinning. The poncho is off the needles and is awaiting a photo opportunity. Banff is 10 rows away from being done.

I got all of this done while sitting in front of the boob tube last night. What was I watching? a Nova special, a fascinating documentary, perhaps an Indie flick??

all wrong! I was engaged in one of my guilty pleasures ….. it was the premiere of The Real World Philadelphia. anyone else out there who is enthralled by this show?