In Which I Uncover the Ravelry Curse

I think I have discovered something truly evil.

In the last couple of days, brung low with yukky cold germs from hell, I have been attempting to start my first lace shawl. Yes, I realise a cold-addled head is perhaps not the best thing to bring to a lace-knitting party, but I figured if I take it slow, it would take my mind off it.

So I pulled out some vintage Falcon DK, with which I had attempted the Woodland Shawl some time ago. No fault to the pattern, I had moved house and lost my place, so I'd pulled out the needles and left it. I decided to try the Heartland Shawl instead. Lovely and simple design by Evelyn Clark, who knows a thing or three about lace. OK.

I duly cast on, knit the funny tab to start, and got stuck in. After a bit, I put it down and went to see what was happening on Ravelry. After a little pointless and arbitrary posting, I popped by my projects and added the shawl.

I went back to the shawl, and discovered it looked like ass. I'd made a honking error, and the cast-on looked pants. Rip rip rip. Start again. Knit knit knit. OK. looking good. Breaktime. Back on Rav.

Back to shawl. Knit knit knit. Hang on. Again, something had gone awry, and I realised the yarn just blew goats in this pattern. Buggrit. Rip rip rip, put yarn away. Stomped over to Rav and deleted the project.

I shopped the stash. Jaeger Matchmaker 4-ply in a soft grey called to me, so I scooped it up, stopped by Rav and pattern-surfed until I came up with one from Elann - the Luna Moth. Yep. Likes that. Not too sure about the moth reference, but we'll go with it.

Cast on, knit knit knit. Looking very nice. Liking the yarn lots. Knit knit knit bed.
Got up, knit knit knit. Count count count. All good. Yay me.

Stopped by Rav and loaded in the project. Knit knit knit. Count count oh. I've got the wrong number of stitches. Study knitting carefully. Count again. Yep. I'm one short on one side, and something's way wrong on the other. Tink tink tink. Pick up, count. Count again. Crochet hook comes out. Count. Correct. Finally. Continue.

So. Why is it as soon as I put a project into Ravelry it goes tits-up? I think we should be told. This is also I suppose karmic vengeance for laughing so hard at the Yarn Harlot's escapades with her Estonian shawl. Karma can be such a bitch sometimes, especially when it's delayed.

In other news, I haz some sewing books, and I have set up a sewing corner upstairs in the spare bedroom. I'd show you a picture but, as usual when I am being creative, it is an utter tip and totally embarrassing. Also I am full of cold and do not want to trek up the stairs. I have even sewn something. A sweater (shop-bought, don't get excited) was far too big for me. So, in a spirit of "what the hell" I took the seam ripper to it. Out came the sleeves and I stitched up each side taking about 2" off the width. I deliberately stitched on the right side so I got raw edges. I now have a close-fitting sleeveless top to wear! It's actually not too bad, I want to wash it to bed in the sewing then there may be a modelled picture. I have now realised what I really need is a pincushion or two, so that will probably be the next project while I save up for some skirt fabric and some more fat quarters for the quilt I'm plotting.

By the way, have you all seen what Google have added to their maps? You can now "walk around" a load of British cities, including Edinburgh and Glasgow. I have spent a few happy, if snotty, hours strolling virtually around Edinburgh this afternoon. I should really get out more I think.

Right, I am going to go and look for cute pincushion patterns. Later folks.

Aaachoo!

~*~