Look. I’m not a doctor. I don’t even pretend to play one on this blog. And I don’t know anything about tinctures or mother’s with warts or garden remedies and such stuff like some people. All I know is that since Wednesday, when my wrist/hand was hurting really bad, I’ve eaten no less that three boxes of Junior Caramels. And today, well, today my wrist/arm feels good as new!!! I’m not saying that Junior Caramels are a miracle cure or anything. Maybe it was the box of Skittles gum I ate like candy because hello if it has the same consistency as regular Skittles how can you call it gum? It could have been the Twizzlers chews or the Entemman’s Brownie things (can you say PMS?) but I’m sticking with the Junior Caramels. I believe! I believe!

So, yeah. I don’t know what to think. Saturday I was all set to call the doctor and make an appointment for MRIs and stuff. A little bit of Advil. A little bit of Aspercreme. Some icing. And by yesterday afternoon I barely felt a thing. The last couple of nights I didn’t sleep with the brace and today it feels no better or no worse than my right hand. Which is good. (Not great, but good.)

I did knit this weekend. Whatever. I did what I had to do. I finished the sleeve on the Almost Everyday Cardigan, as well as the neckline (twice) and the buttonband (four times.) I’m not entirely happy with it. I think it’s got too much of a Nehru look to it. If I were to do it again (which I’m NOT) I would make the neckline a bit deeper. I also bought buttons, but I’m not sure about them either. After two hours at Tender Buttons on Saturday basically feeling like I’d never knit again, I left with some buttons. I started out with all these red buttons and then I asked the store clerk for advice and she told me absolutely not, stay away from red. So I went with a distressed brown black button. Opinions please. Just don’t tell me the buttonband looks like it’s all wrong. I started out with 74 stitches and ended up with 106. I have 143 rows to deal with – I may be one or two stitches short, but I used a calculator and I think it works now. Please, please don’t tell me it doesn’t.

I’m thinking it’s not so boxy on. Opinions welcome. Honesty appreciated. The bloom’s off the rose, so to speak.

BUT, there are better projects on the horizon!

Triangles. Two. Blue.

You may remember I ordered a bunch of Oat Couture blanket patterns after seeing Grumperina‘s Curlicue Blanket in action. Well, they came in the mail two weeks ago and when I saw the Prairie Blanket it was epiphany time. As some of you know, my good friend Jen is having a baby, a boy, around Thanksgiving. I’ve been thinking on what to do/get for her. We met on a fertility site, but our friendship quickly turned to knitting. So I wanted to do something knitterly for her. Or I could take pictures of her baby. But I figured I was probably going to do that anyway. And then I saw the pattern and I knew. It would be done in Zara. Of that I was certain. And I wouldn’t tell her about it. It would be a secret!

I order the yarn (color #1481 – a denim heather) and I wait. I tell a couple of people about it, but I say nothing to Jen. I’m so excited. It’s going to be perfect and she’s going to love it.

And then she comes over to knit. She calls me to tell me she’s coming and before we get off the phone she says, “Hey. Did you ever get those blanket patterns?” I panic. I’m an AWFUL liar. I stammer out a no, sure she knows. I rush around, hiding the patterns. I can’t tell her. I’ll ruin the surprise.

She walks in the door and even before she’s through I’m saying, I lied, I lied, I have the patterns, but you can’t use it because I’m surprising you! I am SO PATHETIC. She laughed of course and was very appreciative and the best part is that I can now blog about it.

How freaking beautiful is that? Such a wonderful pattern. I just started the center section so it’s just knit knit knit on from here. I made another baby blanket with Zara and I’ve forgotten how completely luxurious this yarn is. I NEED to make a garment with it. I want to wrap myself in it and go to sleep. I hope you love it Jen! Mwah!

What’s the second blue triangle you ask? Well, I started another shawl as well. I started this a couple of weeks ago and I’m up to row 34. There are 198 rows. I’m not rushing. 😉 But I like it!

The first picture shows the color better, the second shows the pattern better. This is Robert Powell’s “Knitted Triangular Lace Shawl with Undulating Edgings Design 106,” available as a kit from Catherine Knits. (Fabulous pattern title, don’t you think? I’m calling it Powell 106 for the intrigue factor.) I’m using some more Twinkletoes Yarn (in Denim Multi) instead of the Jamieson & Smith that came in th
e kit. So far so good. It’s a garter stitch shawl (knit the odd rows) which I’m a little unsure about, but I like the pattern. It looks really nice all stretched out. I haven’t gotten to the big diamonds yet.

LOTS and lots of cleaning. And maybe a buttonhole band on the AEC. Anyone have any favorite buttonholes? Now’s your chance to pipe in. Oh and I’m not promising anything, but today could very well be the day that I hit a nice big round number in my comments. A prize, a special prize from Rhinebeck, to the person who hits that number.