happiness is.....

- an old (not-so) favorite sweater turned into a new (really) favorite sweater
- knowing that a cuticle is also called a eponychium (I've seen this question, in many forms, three times now...)
- strong, hot tea with honey and lemon
- waking up calm
- being warm and dry inside while the rain falls (and falls and falls) outside


In April of this year I finished Haiku (with cascade 220 quatro) and started on the striped cotton fleece number; to help everyone out, this is what Haiku looked like:


Haiku flat on the wood floors (I do miss those floors...)



(Haiku on, and the neckline yanked up so it'd stay there for the picture. I do miss that appartment...)

I was not so impressed.

It got mushed in with my other sweaters and packed away, was moved from that apartment to this house and reappeared a few days ago. I’m not a superstitious person (black cats? let me pet them. Ladders? I’ll go under them. Cracks on sidewalks? my mom’s back isn’t broken….) but this round of exams is taking me to a new level of ritual. The sweaters I started last April were knit in class, and often it was joked that I was knitting all the knowledge I’d need for them into the design and I’d found a new way to pass things. That being said, I’ve been hellbent on wearing as many hand-knit things as I can, and aside from socks there isn’t a whole lot to choose from.

Knowing full well that I’d never wear Haiku as it was and after deciding I had nothing to loose, I threw it into the wash (in a pillow protector case) with some towels. (I needed to do laundry anyway, and I was in the next room studying.) The first time through was with cold water and after a quick look at the results I did what needed to be done and ran it through again with warm water.

The result? I still hated the neckline. That led to playing with the design, which led to a change of buttons and resulted in this:


the new Haiku - and my feet (for Mim!)




A sweater I’ll wear during the first day of the test. I still don’t love the neckline, but it feels good on and I will only realize how silly the wide scoop neck looks when I look in the mirror. It’s not as felted as it could be, but works for me. It’s warm, cozy and has a lot of knowledge knit into it. (the “oh no! a loose thread” shot was the best one, believe it or not.)



Sometime yesterday (or was it the day before?) I finished the second sleeve on the cotton fleece sweater. They aren’t the same size but I’m letting go of whatever perfectionism I had (and truth be told it wasn’t as much as some) and was hoping to get the sleeves seamed and the edging finished for day two of the test. I’m not sure it’ll happen (I have to look at my hands when seaming whereas I can knit with occasional glances) but either way I’ll have it finished by the time The Yarn Harlot is at Willows. (which sweater will make the trip?) If I were going to Rhinebeck I'd bring both of them but that trip just isn't going to happen this year. (thank you to the one who offered her guest room though - I can't seem to find your email to let you know!)


two sleeves, in the process of being seamed. (the one on the righ is almost done)



a close-up and fairly close picture of the striped sweater colors.

Thank you for all of your kind words and thoughts for my dear family friend; she’s enjoying a weekend with her family and was having better luck staying on top of the pain the last time I heard from my mom. I am looking forward to catching up with her again next week, after all of the test craziness is over.

Studying is still an exercise in distraction management though; Friday afternoon, after a trip to the bathroom, I heard my cell phone beeping that there was a voicemail. I checked it and heard my youngest brothers soccer coach (he’s a senior in high school and a captain of the varsity soccer team) telling me that I needed to get ahold of my parents because T was “okay” but needed stitches in his forehead. I called the number she left but didn’t get an answer and then started calling all available numbers for my parents. On the second try I got my mom on the phone and then let her pick up the virtual baton in the telephone tag relay, and then went back to the books with images of my brother needing a million stitches all over his head. (there is a point at which it’s not good to know too much in the medical field) Eventually everything was worked out and 11 stitches above his right eyebrow later he’s doing okay. I’m still learning how to focus on the task at hand while keeping other thought simmering on the back burner. I can't wait till Wednesday is over.....