the quacking fiber addict

I dread success. To have succeeded is to have finished one's business on earth, like the male spider, who is killed by the female the moment he has succeeded in his courtship. I like a state of continual becoming with a goal in front and not behind.
George Bernard Shaw

I can honestly say that I always have several projects going at once (I lie on the sidebar, I admit it - only half of my WIPs are actually listed).

Knitting, sewing, spinning, it doesn't matter. I am never, and have never been, in a state that involved no further work. It was with that in mind as I thought about my mother's birthday shawl (now 3 months late) this afternoon. While I accept that some projects take longer than others, there is generally a limit one must place in respect to the project's goals, effort, and desirability.

Thus, today I spoke with my mother and informed her that if she continued to wish me to knit on the border she had chosen (of which we shall never speak of again after this post), I would continue battling it (and it's bloody, infuriating, triple yarn overs) until such a time as I: a) finished it, b) paid someone else to finish it, or c) left it unfinished for so long that everyone forgot it ever existed (tempting though that might be, it belittles both my honour and ego). I even informed her that I should be willing to pack it with me to Sub-Saharan Africa (should the Peace Corps deem to accept me) and work on it there.

She replied, "I don't care what you put on the edge, so long as you finish it! I just want to wear it."

Alrighty, then. That makes my life much easier. I pulled out Knitting On The Edge and showed her what edgings I could manage to finish in a week, possibly even less. These patterns would look lovely and be much easier on me. She immediately chose the very same pattern I had picked, and I decided that I would need to block the shawl in order to match up the border evenly (I'll steam them both once grafted).

And, Thus: The Great Accord Was Reached.

And not a moment too soon. So, here's Mum's shawl being blocked, awaiting it's new best friend:


So. Hm, today. Unbelievably, today we had the strangest weather I've seen this year. Bright, sunny, and raining. Only in Eugene, I swear. That nixed the long walk idea, as one feels like a bit of an idiot walking around in the sunlight with an umbrella or raincoat.

We ended up at the library, which is one of my favourite places on earth - because they have the complete Barbara Walker collection, among others. I took out several books, including: Unexpected Knitting (very cool), The Bible According to Mark Twain (ohmy), and Zen and Knitting (which jumped from the shelf at me, and I didn't want to hurt its feelings by putting it back - hey, in Zen all things are sentient, right?). I still haven't finished No Idle Hands yet, but it's a very thick book and I'm pleased to admit that I am as far as the Great Depression in American knitting history.

A major accomplishment, considering I couldn't stand to read anything for a while there.

I think that's everything of consequence. In passing, I shall note that I cast on for the second, ah, half of my super secret knitting project. Incorrectly, I might add. Bugger all. But, I made up for this episode of Uber Dorkdom by knitting 2 flawless repeats of snowdrops on my La Privamera stole. I even measured stuff for Crimson's veryvery late (wince) Holiday gifts, and shall hopefully finish them before the New Year. Oy. It's a shame I can't pack a sewing machine with me... I'd be done in a snap.

Oh, and I must report that black tea with raspberries and quince is yuuuuummy.

Labels: idiocy