Shirt I

I finished one shirt today.

Back:

Front:

(I particularly like the caulk-stained shorts in that ensemble).  

The second shirt is just like the first, only in negative.  In other words, the lighter part is darker and the darker part is lighter.  I’ll show you when it’s finished.  Which may not be soon, because the sewing machine is making a startling noise.  

Stealth project the first is finished (hopefully I’ll show you a picture someday, because it’s hilarious silliness, but as it’s hilarious silliness meant as a surprise for someone and I don’t want to ruin the surprising silliness you can’t see it now), and I’m swatching (slowly, knitter’s wrist ya know) for Stealth project the second.  There was no swatch for the first thingy cuz it was felted and gauge was somewhat irrelevant, what with the shrinking of the wool in hot soapy water.  

I’ve taken to keeping my left hand dunked in the ice cream maker bucket filled with water.  Holding a cold bottle of beer in my left hand also helps.  As does the sipping of the beer.  Go figure.  

The Spirit of Sport

Ok, so Partner Sweater is finished as of about ten o’clock this morning.  [grand cheering fills the stadium]

Stealth Project Green is 70% finished (I told you, it’s small).  

As part of a greater project to move the garden beds in the back yard, Partner gathered the remaining onions and carrots from the back yard.  So I’ve been doing things like this:

And this:

These carrots look a little slimy, I know, but really they’re just wet.  And then I decided I needed one of these (because I am always ruining shirts by leaning against oily things on the edge of the counter.  This one is big enough for Partner as well, who is wearing it in this picture):

And I needed one of these (because the plastic bag I was using just wasn’t cutting it anymore):

These last two were made out of some fabric I inherited from a neighbor (and which was almost given away in the famous not-cleaning-out of my craft closet earlier this summer.  You might recall that I filled a trash bag with fabric I was sure I’d never use, and I was worried I’d not be able to get it out of the house.  And lo, here I am digging through the not-given-away fabric bag for something very handy.  Sort of implies that my efforts to get rid of the excess fabric are doomed to fail, huh?).  It reminds me of old-fashioned mattress ticking, and truth be told, I have enough of it to make a small mattress.  

In between all of this, we watched bits and bobs of the Olympic Opening Ceremonies which we recorded last night.  We haven’t made it all the way through yet, so there may be other moments worth comment.  The ceremony has been incredibly beautiful so far.  We really loved the boxes popping up and down, and just as the plum blossoms popped out and we were thinking, ‘what a cool computer/mechanical coordination,’ I got totally choked up when the People popped out from under the boxes.  People, who must have popped up and down about eight-hundred times in the beautifully choreographed presentation.  Amazing.  

The Sonars really loved the bit where people were walking around on the globe/lantern thing.  Oh, and the giant LED screen on the floor.  Very cool.   

But was anyone else totally creeped out, when the kids in ethnic costumes were carrying the Chinese flag across the stadium (which was very sweet), and then the Chinese soldiers goose-stepped in and took up the flag to put it up the pole?  The bobble-heads on the tv suggested that it symbolized the Chinese state’s ability to ensure the future of their children.  Sure.  

Progress at the Flame

At 7:00 a.m. GMT -5 (my local time), when the Olympic Opening Ceremonies began in Beijing, I was sleeping.  Partner Sweater had one completed sleeve and one 4-inch sleeve nubbin.  

At 6:30 pm. GMT -5, when the Olympic Opening Ceremonies began on our local NBC affiliate, that second sleeve was this long:

If you embiggen the photo, you’ll see that I’ve just a bit over 13 inches there.  I had to slow down today.  No more than 15 minutes of knitting at a stretch, with at least a half an hour rest in between.  I’m working to stave off long-term knitting injury here.  Liberal icing has also occurred.  

There will be more knitting tonight.  And there is the slimmest chance of finishing before I go to bed.  Maybe.  

Peeking out of the pocket is the next project.  Stealth Project I, a felted lovely made with one of my favorite stand-by yarns, Patons Classic Wool.  They call that color Leaf Green, but it looks a bit like overcooked pea soup to me.  

What day is it?

I’m feeling a little dizzy.  I think I’ll just go lie down.  

Sleeve 1?

… then “Work even in [stockinette stitch]  until sleeve meas[ures] 18”.  Work in k2p1 rib for 14 [rounds].  B[ind]O[ff] loosely in rib.”  

Do you think that pain at the base of my thumb is a bad thing?  

Hang on, I’m gonna go call Peyton Manning.  I have a question about Bursa Sacs.