The name tag bag is essentially done. I still need something for that loop to fasten on to. Nothing in the button collection seems right. Maybe I'll knit a sort of bobble-ish thing.
In use it looks rather like a demented sporran, but cheerfully demented.
We had a wonderful trip to New Orleans.
Saturday was cool and rainy off and on.
We took the streetcar out to the art museum in City Park. When we came out again the sun had emerged.
Unfortunately, the St Charles streetcar line was having difficulties, so we never made it out to the Garden District. But that's OK. Just means we will need to take another trip down there.
That night we went to Donna's for jazz. Bad picture, but great music. The trumpeter on the left is Leroy Jones. The trombonist is Katja Toivola (splits her time between Helsinki and New Orleans). At one point they were joined on stage by a couple of young players from Japan.
Sunday was sunny and warm. There was a big marathon taking place.
No, that is not the war cry of a fiber purist, at least not in this case. I've finished the Rosebud shoulder shawl, and it definitely needs blocking.
But the yarn is acrylic. What to do? I've seen reference on the Ravelry forums to a blocking process called "killing" acrylic with a warm iron. I need to go back and try to find the details, but I think I'll try it on this. The whole project has been pretty much experimental, so what have I got to lose?
This will have to wait until we get back from the trip, though. I have other things that need to get done today, including a shift at work. And tomorrow we get up (in the middle of the night, really) to catch our plane.
To the Last Saturday knitting group, I really will miss being with you. I'll down an extra beignet in your honor.
The new Knit Picks catalog features four of the patterns from A Cuff Above. Whoo Hoo!
It is still always a thrill to see any of my patterns knit by someone else. Thanks Molly Beez for the heads up.
the "name bag" project got a lot more fun. I just stopped fretting about the level of technical skill displayed (not high) and enjoyed the process of improvisation.
Though the I-cord I'm working on now is a bit of a bore.
We're going to New Orleans at the end of the month - just a long weekend - and it's time for me to start figuring out what to take. I find myself stumped by the question "What do you wear in 60 degree weather?" It's been so long since we've had 60 degree weather that I've sort of forgotten. I expect the answer to this conundrum is "layers". And I think it will be safe to leave the long underwear at home.
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Thanks to all for the good and helpful comments/suggestion re: the nametag conundrum. I did start one attempt at double knitting my name and ended up ripping it out. I kept losing my place on the chart and having to tink back long rows and then ending up confused as to exactly where I was. Something to do with having sets of two stitches on the needle for every square on the chart, in two colors, made it much harder to "read" my knitting: that and the way the pattern color and background color change every row. I may try again with the letters arranged vertically, or I may go for another option all together.
In the meantime, being in an experimental mood, I deided to go on and try the same thing with stranded knitting, weaving in the floats on the back. And for the heck of it I decided that this was the time to learn "magic loop" instead of using my usual double pointed needles. And, oh yeah, I threw in some crossed stitches on some of the diagonal "serifs".
One result of all the simultaneous experimentation was some serious tension control issues. Ah well, when I'm done I'll have a funky little bag, which may prove Useful, or Amusing, or maybe just a good example of What Not to Do.
At least I took Laura's good advice and added in some extra height to the letters on the chart.
