My Esteemed Associates

I am trudging through a particularly dull patch of black stockinette.  This would be the third incarnation of the Frog Prince sleeve, whose glamour is well and truly off, at the moment.  It's one of those stretches whose progress is both slow and invisible; measurable only by the intensity of the cramp forming in my brain. 

Slow doesn't begin to describe it. 

Glacial. 

Snailworthy.

I looked across my desk for validation, if not inspiration, from Clementine.  She reminded me that the new pet I got her, Gary, could probably feel my pain.

Gary, as you can see, is an actual snail.  I got him as a present for Clementine, to keep her company, and to clean up around the place (not much of a housekeeper, my fish).  So far Gary does a bang-up job in both respects.  But he does neither job quickly, nor would Clementine expect him to.

And then, clever beast that I am, I made the connection:  The issue is not that my sleeve is slow to progress; it's that my perception of how long a sleeve should take is wrong.  It's wrong because I have started the sleeve three times, which cumulatively should add up to at least one finished sleeve, even though it hasn't.  Ever sit in traffic for a really long time and think "I could have driven to Fargo North Dakota by now"?  That's this sleeve.  I could have been to Fargo, but I haven't even gotten across town.

None of this would bother Gary.  His pace is exactly as it should be, which is Snailworthy.  No amount of fretting or flagellation is going to increase the acreage he covers.

Humans should be so patient.  That's what we get for coming out of our shells.

I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

We spent the weekend at the beach, as is our custom at this time of year.  Right before school starts, all our best friends, their children and their dogs converge at Devil's Lake.  The lake is just inland from the mighty Pacific Ocean, where big fun was had by all:

Smallies in their native habitat: Wet and Sandy.

Phillip got a Karate lesson.  He should be out of traction by spring.

Paisley made a new friend.

And I knitted this

This is the way the Frog Prince begins.  I made three panels (two side fronts and a back) with steeks in between them, knitted in a tube.  Here you can see the two fronts, with their steek between.  Tonight I will cut them apart and block them, and then the real mischief begins.  The cunning plan is to join them at the shoulders, then pick up and knit the sides of the body and the sleeves sideways.  It's gonna be wicked cool.  I know because I'm still at the point in the project where nothing has been jacked up yet (that I have noticed), and the plan is self-concocting flawlessly in my head.  This is in many ways the best part of designing - I only have to think stuff up and make it be knitted.  It's communicating coherently to others how they can do it too that gives me trouble. 

Which brings me to a question I have for you, dear blog:  Would you rather not hear/see any of the Frog Prince process until it's all finished and available for you to make your own?  Or would it be useful/amusing to see the process step by step as I create the pattern? Kindly weigh in, dear readers, via comments.

I really wailed on the knitting this weekend, and I even managed to relax with my friends and family.  I brought along the copy of my book and tortured my poor indulgent friends into looking at it.  These are the very same suspects who were forced to watch me knit at every social event for a year so that the book could be written in the first place.  It was nice to be able to hold and point to the physical manifestation of all that.  None of these people are knitters, so a willingness to flip through the pages is more than I had a right to expect.  Lucky for me they are loving and supportive, so it doesn't matter to them whether I write about knitting, or Kung Fu, or cellular mitosis.

And I may also have made a sock, but I plan to deny it.

Bad To The Bone

Is it hot out here, or is it just us?  Susie's in front, I'm in back.  Photo by Patricia Duff.

One of the delights of my vacation last week was being interviewed by Patricia Duff of the South Whidbey Record.  Susie and I saddled up the ponies to meet Patricia and took her for a wee joy ride, Dreadful Damsel-style. 

It seems that there aren't too many women motorcyclists living on the south end of Whidbey Island, WA, so intrepid reporter Patricia set out to meet us and find out what makes us tick.  Slow news day not withstanding, we had a lot of fun telling her stories of how we learned to ride, and how forming our own motorcycle gang changed all the other parts of our lives.

The best part of the interview was when Patricia learned that I'm a knitter and designer: Watching her try to square that image (and the piece of knitting I brought out to show her) with the woman in front of her in the very tall boots was a scream.  Books and their Covers, man - don't try to judge!

The weather was breathtaking, and Patricia was a great sport, blithely hopping onto Susie's passenger seat for a trip to the beach and back.  While we were stopped at the beach, Patricia took a turn in the drivers' seat, where she learned to balance the bike and understand its mass (this is the first lesson in MSF training).  I'm pretty sure we recruited her for future Damselhood.

In other news, I am pleased to report (and maybe even a little smug) that I've been on a Finishing Jag.  In addition to the Red Faery, I completed my secret Winter Retreat project for Madrona 2010, and (get this!) TWO WHOLE SOCKS.  I know.  Blows the mind.  I might even consider retiring as a knitter, just because for once I could actually say I quit while I was ahead.  I credit my success to being on vacay, and to my bangin' new Signature DPNs.  Those babies can really move some yarn.  Of course, if I did retire, people waiting in lines with me might be in real danger, and you might never get the Frog Prince pattern.  I have a feeling that one or two of you might come looking for me if I don't make good on that promise...

Ready, Set, time to Rock the Frog Prince!