Road to California

And Other Stuff

So, what have I been doing?

I won a blue ribbon in the Abstract Art Quilt category at Road to California for Grotto - yippeee!

(Always hard to believe I've really won until I see the ribbon.)

I read two books - Darcy's Story and The Other Boleyn Girl. Darcy's Story was OK. I read The Other Boleyn Girl for book club. (If anyone in my book club sees that I hope they haven't fallen over from shock. My rep is that I wait until 24 hours before the meeting, scramble to find the book, then read really fast. It works for me.) Normally I don't have much opportunity to spend large chunks of time reading, but I enjoyed the book enough to carve out some time for this one.

I've walked or used the elliptical trainer for 30 miles worth of exercise. I'm unofficially tagging along with the runagogo along.

I went on a big date with my husband to see Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? with Kathleen Turner and Bill Irwin at the Kennedy Center. My sister-in-law gave me tickets for Christmas and the seats were great. I haven't been to a grown up theater production in ages, and the performance was absolutely wonderful. Another enchanting part of the day was driving through Rock Creek Park on the way to the play just as the snow started to fall. The woods were stunning, and I wish I'd had my camera and time to take some pictures.


Knitting - almost none. Apparently knitting nearly non stop for over six hours in a hospital waiting room can dampen my enthusiasm. We did, however, have the photo shoot for my completed Ribby Cardi.


Specs:
Ribby Cardi designed by the lovely Bonne Marie Burns

Size 36/37 - I really should have gone with the next smaller size - the sweater is slightly boxy on me (but I still love it). This is the first sweater I started, nearly two years ago, and I didn't realize that if I knit the smaller size the ribbing would accommodate the difference between my waist and hips.

Yarn Elann's Peruvian Highland Wool . I found the yarn easy to work with, and slightly itchy when the sweater was complete. Washing the sweater with some (hair) conditioner in the water softened it right up, and I wear it all the time.

Started about February, 2005, knitting completed February, 2006 (with very long breaks), finishing done in December, 2006 with zipper inserted over Christmas. If I had knit continuously on it I'm sure I could've finished it within a month or so. Major props to Sarah - if I hadn't seen her seaming up her sister's Ribby I don't know that I would've gotten around to the finishing yet.

I think this is a great first sweater project, and, as everyone knows, Bonne Marie does a great job writing an easy to follow and accurate pattern. I wouldn't hesitate to make it again!