Metalouse Shawl from Knit Nirvana - Day 6

Grumbles, grace and gadgets...

This is what I dislike about top down shawls.  The final section feels like it will never end.  Every row takes ten minutes to finish, and there are days where I can’t find enough time to finish even two rows, much less the ten or so I have to go.  Yes, this one’s going to have to go to a seventh installment.  I’m trying to remember that deadlines are how I make my living, so I should be comfortable with them by now.  Deadlines in knitting, however, especially at the end of an enjoyable (if challenging project) just seem all wrong.  It sucks all the fun out of it.

Speaking of fun, STITCHES MIDWEST was a whole lot of fun.  Giving away my books is about as entertaining as it gets, and I love hoping I’ve met some new reader friends in the process.  Knitters were delighted to discover that my books contain knitting characters and that the prayer shawl ministry is featured in the plot.  Really, who doesn’t like a free book with knitters in it? My thanks to the folks at Mia Bella who hosted my appearance.

The other high for me was meeting the man whose pattern I’m currently knitting.  Stephen West was bubbly and charming as I explained my Metalouse mayhem and asked for a photograph.  How often  do you get to apologize for cheating on a designer's knitting pattern right to his face?  He was very gracious—what a nice guy!

I always try to grab one one new gadget at every STITCHES, and this year was no different.  Even though I own a gazillion row counters, I was drawn in by the thoughtful design of the Sirka Counter.  It’s watch-like multi-hand mechanism allows you to count on multiple levels, like when you are increasing every eight rows, but you need to do that increase twelve times.  I always end up covering my pattern in hash marks, but this gizmo would take care of that.  You can be keeping tracks of three different paths of progress simultaneously—how ingenious is that?  I can’t wait to try it out.  Plus, it’s pretty.  I like pretty things in my knitting bag.

It is my dearest hope that the next installment will feature the completed Metalouse.  Hang in there with me!