Free to Knit

Everyone in the US will do their own personal homage to Independence today.  We're free to do that, to speak and write as we please, even if sometimes our words and pictures offend.

Everyone in the US will have some sort of celebration, probably including food.  We're free to feed the hungry when our own abundance overflows -- and when it doesn't, we still are free to feed the hungry.

Everyone in the US will go about their daily life without restrictions.  We're free to do that, to drive (within the framework of the rules of the road) and to visit and to convene.

But perhaps, just perhaps, all of us here do not recognize that we are also free to do the right thing, not just the thing we think best for us.

Perhaps, just perhaps, this 4th of July will be a reminder that it's not all about me.  There are others who are celebrating, crying, laughing, sharing, and worrying.  We are free to be part of their lives and to lift them up.

We are free to think about others and their needs.

+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - +

Finished the Arimono Shawl, while on WRT (Waiting Room Time, first cousin to HT, Hospital Time.)

During the last week of finishing, Megan Goodacre of Tricksy Knitter announced the release of another wonderful pattern in hand-painted yarn from SweaterMaker Yarns.  Fledge Shawl in Romance  Great customer service.  Megan emailed me when she realized her pic of the yarn was mis-named.  She held two colors for me until I decided which I preferred.

I'll wind the yarn and cast on for this one.  I promised myself a new something when I reached 2 minutes on bridge/plank.  Done!  and done more than once.  Getting stronger.  Better for knitting.  Core strength helps with everything you know.

+ - + - + - + - + - + - + - + - +

We US Catholics are finishing a Fortnight of Freedom.  I am celebrating the freedom I have to be a professed Roman Catholic, to take this belief and faith into my daily life, to worship, to give, to share, to be joyful in Christ.

Happy Freedom Day to each of my US followers and readers.  

Oh, but tis soft . .

Cashmere.  And the combination with silk is unbelievable.

I've often thought that technology has yet another leap to make -- we've gotten to video sharing with Skype and FaceTime, but still there are a few things missing.

• We can't smell the food that looks so delicious on the plate.
• We can't have our thirst quenched by the bubbly drink offered in the ad.
• We can't shake the hand of a new friend.
• We can't touch the soft yarn in the picture.

Maybe someday.

Meanwhile I'm knitting the Arimono Shawl by Megan Goodacre of Tricksy Knitter.  This is my second Goodacre pattern -- both are grand, error free, easy to follow, include both charts and words for lace patterns, and they make me happy while I'm knitting.  You'll want to check each pattern.  I've already got my eyes on a third one to add to my Goodacre collection.

The kit from Tricksy Knitter was my Mother's Day gift.
Pattern and yarn are both still available.
Megan's most recent email said they had just restocked the
wonderful yarn.

I bot Pansies at Dusk -- don't you love the name!  It's from Sweatermaker Yarns, and uses both cashmere (30%) and silk (70%).  Pattern for Arimono Shawl comes in the kit, though you can also download it to your pdf reader after purchase.

Yarn and pattern -- 

Fabulous skein wrapper with the illuminated "S".  The yarn is
hand-painted and did I mention that it is glorious!?

Enjoying this one a lot.  Glad to have some relaxing lace to knit in between other projects.

Speaking of other projects -- that experiment with the Mitered Crosses?  I frogged it.  Addey used the best word to describe what I had tried to do -- it was 'fiddly.'  I knew I wouldn't knit another and didn't really wanna spend the extra time weaving in the ends for this one.  I do think the afghan would be lovely in just the yarn the designer suggested -- a variegated Noro, on US#6.  I used a cotton on US#8.  

Bottom line -- it didn't scale well to bigger yarn OR bigger needles.  It happens.

Sure am glad there's no fee in this establishment for re-stashing.