Music To Knit By

As promised, here are some photos of the newly completed Damson. It has been re-christened from it's working title of Damson the Second, to it's official Ravelry name:  The Jim Croce Damson.  Odd. I know.  However, I spent so many happy hours recently sitting in my comfy chair with my old K-tel Jim Croce on the turntable and knitting this.  The long, long, final rows of this shawl were completed while humming along to Lover's Cross, I Got A Name, Operator and others.  This LP has been in my collection since I was a young teen, back when my entire collection was fewer than ten records.  It doesn't get taken out often these days, but when it does, it's played on repeat.  Such good comforting music.
Here's a sample. Enjoy.

What This Place Needs Is More Yarn

Lettuce Knit has a new home.  They're still on Nassau Street but have moved a few doors west to a larger, lighter store.  I dropped in on Wednesday evening for a bit of knitting and laughter.  The previous location was charming but had space issues caused by the long thin shape of the rooms.  The storefront at 86 is rectangular so the table sits in the middle of the floor with plenty of room to walk around it and shop.  Two huge windows let in the natural light highlighting the yarn and the trademark lettuce green paint colour of the walls.  Simply delightful.

While there, I finished my second Damson.  Cast it off and blocked it last night.  I'm thrilled with the way my birthday Tanis yarn looks in this pattern.  Note:  One skein of Tanis is not quite enough to knit a Damson.  I suspected as much and the proof was in the knitting.  Rather than go out and buy a second skein for one inch of knitting, I used some black Silkience I had in my stash. The effect is lovely.

It's not quite dry yet.  More photos are forthcoming after the pins come out.

Still Knitting

It's just that I've had a little bit of startitis.  So, while I'm knitting a lot, there are no finished objects to show for it.  Damson the Second is getting there and I'm almost at the end of a new first sock.  The Rose sweater continues to inch along.  The stocking stitch cotton/linen pullover is going to be gorgeous but knitting it is so boring. 
Soon my pretties, very soon.

Labour Day Retreat

In my case the need was to retreat from the labour of being me on a daily basis.  When nothing is going your way, as a friend says, "Get out of Dodge for a few days."  So off I flew to BC to be in the presence of someone who loves me.  How remarkable and healing it is to be reminded that I don't suck.

Of course there was yarn shopping.  What's a trip without a wee bit of stash enhancement?  I was looking specifically for sock yarns.  At the lovely Button & Needlework Boutique, I picked up a skein of Estelle Arequipa on sale (possibly my favourite words).  Then I went to Beehive and there found some pretty pink ONline Supersocke which is fast becoming another pair of Broadripple. 

CNE

Every year is pretty much the same as the last.  Still we keep returning.  Is it the pretty lights or the abundance of food?  I've been twice this summer, taking advantage of the new $5 after five policy.  Saw a couple of good shows and ate a whole bunch.  Where else can you get veggie burgers, tabouli, bubble tea and cabbage rolls all under the same roof?  Mostly though, as every year, we just marvelled at the glory and tawdriness that is the midway at night.