Tuesday, August 07, 2007

The Blob

Remember that campy movie from the '50's? I remember going to see it when I was a kid, then watching the 70's remake. I also remember being really, really grossed out, yet too fascinated by it all to not look.
Sorta like this.


This would be Kiri. I decided to get her done once and for all, seeing how I'm 4 rows (ok, 8 with the wrong sides too) to completion. I'm totally bummed about it too - I'm pretty sure it's going to come out all wonky and lopsided, mainly because KSH doesn't behave for me. That's right. It doesn't.

But, I am nevertheless proud off having at least finished a lace project, regardless of how it turns out. My new knitting buddy, the Serta Counting Sheep I've christened Luna, is helping me to show off the rumpled blob that is Kiri so far. I had to fire my last assistant (Gandalf), as he tended to get distracted by the fuzziness of KSH and wouldn't stop trying to gnaw on it.

I am so going to hug my wool stash after I'm done.

So, it's been a bit longer than I would have liked since my last post. Mainly because of the heat, and let's face it - I really, really don't like the heat. I tend to not want to do anything, least of all park myself in front of a computer generating tons of heat. But, I did knit. (Like heat's gonna stop me.) Mermaid? Heh, coming along quite nicely. I'm really enjoying this - much, much easier to knit than Diva was. This one has few surprises, and as long as you pay attention and follow the directions closely, you'll be fine. This isn't a pattern open to interpretation. And, I'm loving the effect of the apple green and turquoise together.

And, I finally got my hands on a copy of J. Starmore's "Sand Dollar", from Pacific Coast Highway. I have a ton of Scottish Fleet in my stash that I had intended to use for "Fulmar", but it's in ivory, and I really have my heart set on making Fulmar in pink. I've toyed with the idea of selling the Scottish Fleet, but finally decided to pull out this pattern, and put it to good use instead.

Did you know that you start off with casting on 540 stitches? And did you know that you work the first 26 rounds of Sand Dollar with every one of those 540 stitches, before decreasing to a more reasonable 504 stitches?

Well, you do now.

However! It will not deter me! It's still the pattern of choice for the Scottish Fleet, although I'm pretty sure I'll need a few more balls of it.

So, let's see... Mermaid. Delores. Persian Tiles. Arangenser. Western Seas. Amphora's done. Kiri's almost done. Um, that can't be all? Oh yeah, Gingko Leaf, but I figure I have another 2 years to finish that. It's only been 3 years on the needles, and the guilt has long since dissipated.

OK. Not bad... I'm hoping the bulk of Mermaid will be done by the time I'm at my sis and SIL's for my birthday in early September.

"Wow Mom, you should have seen it! That blue blobby thing you're working on? It just flew to the ground! All by itself! Weird or what? And I tried to stop it - "stop it I says"! But it just flew to the ground! You should have seen it..."



My big help. I really hope blocking will fix those little KSH "design features" Gandalf has left behind.

Despite being such a good little kitty for his auntie Lorraine and new bestest buddy Laura (Lorraine's DD) this past Friday, he has been a little weenie of late. His latest endearing habit? Chasing kibble around the floor. WOW! Talk about ANNOYING. Hard cat food on a ceramic floor. I must have a meal's worth under the fridge and storage shelf in the kitchen by now.

And it doesn't just annoy me.



"Lemme go!"

"NO."

"Lemme GO!"

"No."

"Lemme...go...MOM!!!"

Atticus has pretty much had it with all the precious food going under the fridge. There was a bit of a kitty smack-down where he let Gandalf know he'd pretty much had it, and then plopped himself down in front of it to prove his point. On Gandalf's legs. Although he has managed to squirm one of them out by the time I snapped this.


So - next post - Mermaid pics! And hopefully a finished Kiri. Hopefully.

15 comments:

miyamojo said...

I want to make Fulmar one day too.
Having color issues - need more choices than green, navy and ivory!
I like how Atticus doesn't need to use his tail to block the fridge! LOL! Maybe Gandalf is storing for the winter. :)
Kiri will block beautifully!
I love the 'wow' factor of blocking lace. You might get hooked like me. m :)

Nicole said...

I will one day make Kiri, if for no other reason than to try my hand at KSH. Yours looks great, though I know what you mean about kitty-added design features. Not usually the nicest of things on a hand-knit.

Gandalf and Peekaboo would get along marvelously. Peek loves playing food soccer too - though he's more fond of catching and eating pieces that my parents throw for him. He doesn't intentionally chuck them under the fridge, though plenty of food has ended up there.

Hey! An idea - maybe the cats are trying to entice mice to come and be toys by hiding cat food under the fridge?

Marina said...

What are you going about? Kiri looks great and it will only improve with good, wet blocking! Gets rid of all the kitty spit ;-)

Good luck with Sand Dollar! At least there are more interesting bits than Western Seas but all those stitches on a 3.00mm needle?! I'm glad I'm not you!

Anonymous said...

I hear tell that wet blocking does wonders for the nasty blobby noodleness that is freshly knit lace.

Lorraine said...

Brigitte- Kiri will transform with blocking. I have a love/hate relationship with KSH- at the moment I hate it.

Man, Gandalf is lucky his head is still on, after being whacked by Atticus. Glad I wasn't on the receiving end.

BTW- I want to tell you that it took me a year to finish Eriskay.

Anonymous said...

Atticus is rightly shocked by such a specious treatment of good food! Unbelievable. Kids these days. That's hilarious.

Heat sucks. It was 36 on Saturday but a lovely 23 since. I had to find the wool blankets at night. (It was colder than 23 at night!)

Kiri is going to look fabulous. All lace looks like ass before it's blocked. (I'm quoting! But it's true.)

barbp said...

I loved The Blob, if I'm not mistaken it met it's demise, or did it?, on a hockey sheet of ice!! Kiri looks like it will be terrific. A kitty smackdown LMAO.

knitseashore said...

Kiri does look great, and the blocking will make it even better!

I'm cracking up at the kitty smackdown - too funny. I guess the heat doesn't bother them as much as it does us?

Anonymous said...

Radical thought here, why not dye the ivory Fleet pink, then you can do Fulmar. After you do one project with Fleet, you might not want to do another one (thinking of the gauge issues?)

Carrie said...

Yay that Kiri is almost done! Huzzah! I'll be keeping my fingerse crossed for you that it doesn't block out lopsided. I can't wait to see!

Lorraine said...

Brigitte- Anne is brilliant! Why don't you dye it that pale pink? The original Fleet is really hard to get ahold of.

Have you thought of using the Knit Signal?

My Little Room In The Corner said...

I started Eriskay once. Don't know where it is. Probably back in the stash closet with all my other WIPs.
Kiri will be lovely one blocked.
Luv he kitty argument. Did you intervene?

Sachi said...

I swear I need to knit this shawl.

Marji said...

oh gosh, so many things to say - first, I'm sure that kiri is going to block out beautifully and you'll have that same lace experience all lace knitters have (so I've heard) ;)
of the joy of the product emerging from the blob.
Next, I'm just drooling. Mermaid...Sanddollar, Fulmar...drool all over the keyboard.

and last but not least, I'm meeting Lorraine and Jewel in 30 minutes :))

Brenda said...

I bet Kiri will block out wonderfully! You'll just have to make sure Gandalf can't get near it while it's blocking.

Sand Dollar is so beautiful! The 540-st CO sounds like a nightmare though.

Looking forward to seeing Mermaid!