There has been a little knitting going on the past couple of weeks. Usually in the evening, as a way to unwind and transition to sleep. Sometimes the transition is so quick, I fall asleep with my knitting needles in my hands.
They are pointy. I should probably stop doing that.
Anyway, the actual knitting has been interesting and educational. I'm using a beautiful stranded/Fair Isle pattern, free on ravelry: SpillyJane's Sea Mineral Mittens
This is a big step up for my knitting skills.
And the knitting part is going surprisingly well,
but the color selection and combining is not.
These two swatches are the same pattern in different colors.
I'm not happy with either combination, so more experimentation will come. Stay tuned. Or better yet, send advice!
Before tackling a third version of the mittens (each of those samples meant several hours of knitting), I took a break from tiny needles and cast on a very different project: Simmer Dim, by Gudrun Johnston. It's a scarf/shawl-type item, using traditional Shetland "hap" structure. (I know very little about this but lots of people do, so if you are interested and google "Shetland hap" you'll probably find loads of information.)
This project has been going swimmingly!
Like the stranded mittens, this is also different from anything I've made before, so it's great fun to knit. And I'm using yarn sent from Shetland, which makes every stitch a special pleasure! I'm trying to finish it in time for a "hap-a-long" that ends on the 12th. And last night, when I put my knitting down three seconds before I fell asleep, I thought,
"I might finish this in just a couple more days!"
This morning, chores took longer than usual because I was feeling a little shaky after a 3-day migraine (very rare, thank goodness!). When I was finishing up the feeding, I hurriedly (cue foreboding music here) reached for a nearby bow saw to cut the twine on a bale of hay. I broke my pocketknife a couple of weeks ago, and have been using all sorts of inappropriate tools to cut baling twine ever since...a coping saw, bolt cutters, hoof trimmers...Because They Are There.
As are the Shouty Goats.
"Staaaaaarving! We are Staaaaarving! Hurry up with the haaaay!"
Well, this morning the baling twine was resisting the big teeth of the bow saw, so I forcefully brought the saw sweeping down like a mad cellist - whack! - across the twine. Unfortunately...my thumb was awfully close to that twine.
WOW did that hurt. But...why was there only a little smear of blood?
Because a blade point had come down hard on the nail. Blood was seeping through a tiny jagged-edged hole punched right through the center of my thumbnail. I performed this act of incredible stupidity about ten hours ago and my left hand still feels like a truck is parked on it.
So...it is possible the hap will not be finished in a couple of days.
But the goats got their hay, and I still have a thumb, so there's that!
Have a wonderful weekend, my bloggy friends.
And be careful out there!
~~~~~
Oh no - a 3 day migraine - I feel your pain. That is horrible, and I hope you get back to normal soon. And then the saw. Oh Quinn - I sure hope your thumb heals fast and doesn't keep hurting too much.
ReplyDeleteThanks, KB. I am astonished at how much my hand hurts, but at least the headache finally let up!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness - that's a scary thing you did and hopefully it doesn't hurt for very long. Three day migraines are not fun either. Do take care of you!
ReplyDeletePrayers your hand heals well, and the migraine headache doesn't return. Pressure under a fingernail can be brutal.
ReplyDeleteI find that every time I am rushing through something or not doing things properly, there is bound to be some sort of accident. Ouch! You are lucky it wasn't worse. I do hope it will heal quickly. Please go out and buy a new pocketknife! :) I can't imagine spending hours knitting swatches. I actually like both color versions but if you want to keep it simple, then maybe stick with the second one. Good luck with getting the shawl type thing done, maybe, hopefully. Best wishes, Tammy
ReplyDeleteOuch - sounds nasty... :( Hope it heals soon.
ReplyDeleteLove the lacy look of the Simmer Dim that you're knitting.
Ouch, that has got to hurt. Please be careful and get a new pocket knife!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about the migraine and the weird accident. Yes, I know about using the wrong tool and regretting it. Maybe a backup penknife is in order. As long as it doesn't hide with your cellphone!
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile great adventures in knitting in your future.
Ouch. Nail injuries always hurt for so long. Get well.
ReplyDeleteOwww. I thought it was bad when I punched the needle of a sewing machine straight through the middle of my thumbnail; but at least it was one which had just come out of a (clean) packet! Hope you feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteYEOUCH on the thumb...soak it in Epsom salts and that'll help take the sting and soreness out. Quinn, I do like the first color combo...it has zing. I'm glad the migraine is over...lasted way too long for comfort!
ReplyDeleteEeeek! Me and pointy objects should come with a warning label - don't go near her when pointy objects are in her hands because she is a Klutz!!! Are you sure you don't need to go to the "dreaded word here - doctor"? Sorry that you might not finish your project in time!
ReplyDeleteAs to the first photo of the mittens to be... I rather like the first set of colors... I've never worked in Fair Isle yet but my two cents worth is to pick one favorite color and then pick an opposite of that color and then several adjacent colors to the first main color and see how that works. Putting the balls of yarn all next to one another in the order they occur in a few of the first rows should give you some idea if you like the way they look. You probably have already done this so I am probably not being much help... but I am encouraging you to "Carry On"! :D I really do like the first ones though :D Yuck, migranes really shall I say, SUCK!!! I'm glad yours is over!
Hugs and hope your finger heals really quick
Oo-er, not funny really, an injury like that. I hope it heals fast x
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