Galaxy Shawl and other news...

This morning we had a blocking party, where I blocked the Galaxy Shawl amongst other things.
This is the shawl during blocking where the flash lets you see the design very easily. I blocked it on a bed sheet on the floor of my knitting room.

Yarn: Fleece Artist Country Kid
Pattern: Octogonal Spiral Shawl, from Interweave Knits, Summer 1998

I'm very pleased with the end result, particularly the edging, since I swapped in my own. The original can be seen here. I chose this edging because it reminds me of the spiral's arms and I wanted to continue that swooping feeling to the pattern. I think this will make a lovely little shawl for the winter. It fits nicely too.


My children took these two shots. Though they aren't the best, I like the soft haze that is around me in them. The dark corner of the following picture will give you a good idea of the real color of this shawl.

This weekend was very successful for me because aside from the yarn sale, and finishing the Galaxy Shawl, I also finished the last of the goldfish mittens so now I'm all set for the Western Fair. I'm entering the fish mittens, both sets will be displayed but only one judged. I'm picking the prototype for judging since it's got more technical details in it. The goldfish ones were simplified a bit for the pattern I was writing. I'm also entering the Rose Leaf Lace Vest and a pair of Latvian socks. I hope I win at least one ribbon!

So all this while I've been mulling over my scarf for the Funky Scarf Swap. I've had many, many ideas fly through my head, all to be discarded for one reason or another. My parents came over for supper and I went through all my ideas with my mother and she and I came up with an entirely new direction. Then last night, at knit night, the gang proposed a second, entirely new direction. So I'm down to two ideas and I still don't know which I prefer.

If all of this sounds very vague, please bear with me. I may have done a stupid thing and accidentally revealed myself. (After just commenting to Scout that people should Read the Flippin' Manual!) Anyway, I hope my pal missed my slip-up, but I'm not counting on it and therefore the entire scarf thing is going to be kept under a veil, or scarf, thing.... Ya know what I mean!

On Thursday and Friday of this week I will be staying with my mother-in-law as she recuperates from some non-serious day surgery. She'll likely be wanting to sleep a lot so I will be left to my own devices quite a bit. A knitting holiday! After all the finishing I did this weekend, and the trouble with the scarf, I don't really have a big project on the needles. I did start a sock:

This is Regia Mega Boots Stretch, and I'm knitting it up in a chevron pattern from Sensational Socks. I think the stretchy yarn will help to give the chevrons some extra needed give. The photo was taken in my car on the way home from work because I liked the light so much. Yep, I carry knitting and a camera in my purse at all times. I call it dedicated. You can call it obsession if it makes you happy.

So I think the big project I will bring with me to my mother-in-law is the Fair Isle Vest for my father. I'm thinking I'll just pack the book, all the yarn, and my Boye needlemaster set. That way I can swatch and switch up needles if I need to. Of course the sock comes too. It sounds like a fun sort of holiday, doesn't it? Well, for a knitter at least.