Yesterday, I was sitting in my Maine office. Working. I was the only one here (well, the dogs were here) as N. had gone sailing. It was easy to imagine that I was the only person living on the lake … with the exception of a couple of boaters who were likely not lake dwellers (at least not in my imagination.) Oddly enough, he was thinking the same sort of thoughts out on the lake in his boat …

After the “season” ends, the lake changes. It’s so quiet that you can hear the rain showers coming down the lake or over the house. When was the last time you could actually hear the rain falling? I heard it yesterday.

I finished the hats that I was knitting. All of them. You’ll not see a photo of the hat sent to Stockings for Soldiers because I forgot to take one before it was packed up and shipped off. Suffice it to say that their pattern was VERY basic (translated in Queen Bee language, it was boring!) BUT it will keep a soldier’s head warm. I used Plymouth Yarn’s Galway worsted in  color 10 (navy blue.) I like this wool and have used it before. The price is moderate and it’s soft and good to work with. I included a note to the soldier (I hope they’ll send it along) thanking him or her for serving our country, etc.

New on my needles is the Cambridge Shawl. I’m using Cascade Yarns Cascade 220 Heathers in color 2450 (a medium purple.) I’ve already been challenged by this patter more than once:

Provisional Cast On - Right Side

Provisional Cast On - Wrong Side

Challenge #1 – Provisional Cast On. I am not sure that I’ve ever succeeded in using a provisional cast on. Probably because I don’t know how to crochet. BUT with a bit of tutoring on the internet, I’ve learned a single crochet which was enough to finish the baby hat edge and make a 25 or so stitch chain to use to provisionally cast on 22 stitches.

I’m thrilled and amazed to see that when you get it right, there is a right side and a wrong side just as they say in the directions. Phew!

Challenge #2 – Short Rows. I’ve done short rows before with the wrap and turn method. I figured that I could use the same method here but the pattern suggests using a different method with yarn overs. I knitted the first 18 (or so) rows and was pleased to see that the ruffles were starting to look like ruffles and upon admiring my work, I realized that there, in the middle of the ruffle on one side, was a HUGE mistake … I had totally done the wrong row somewhere. So, what’s a knitter to do? I frogged it and started over again. This time, I’m slipping the first stitch of each row so that edges look a little bit prettier… but I managed to get back to the point where I was forced to frog.

What I frogged.

I’m happy to still know that I don’t know it all yet. I like learning new things and I know it’s good for my brain to be challenged by the counting and reasoning. While I don’t always get it right the first time, I am happy to know that I can get it eventually.

Gone knitting!