Walking with elves

43.05 miles down on the journey to Rivendell and I'm at the mark where Frodo and company meet up with the elves!!! I'm more than half-way to Buckleberry now. The gf thinks I should commission a "Buckleberry or Bust" bumpersticker. I'm liking this, but "Walking with Elves" is pretty tempting too. It's probably completely my imagination, but I think the shirt I wore yesterday actually fit a bit better. Wishful thinking is the best kind in my book!
Oh, 4 rows away from end of chart 2 on Aquila. With any luck it will be done next week. The same cannot be said for either of the two talks I'm working on, nor the chapter I'm writing. But....BSG 4.5 in mail soon!!!! Priorities, after all.

Aquila in progress

I thought you might like to see some quick pics of the shawl in progress...

The pattern is here, but it's not translated.

The designer does provide charts, however, and they are really easy to follow if you’ve ever done a lace triangle from charts before. I cast on three stitches and built from there rather than the garter stitch tab method. The symbols follow the standardized system, so / is k2tog (or however you do a right-leaning decrease..I’m a combo knitter so mine are different from most folks) and \ is ssk (or left-leaning decrease) /\ is s1 k2tog bring slipped stitch over the k2tog. I like the look of that better than k3 tog, it has more of a pyramid appearance. I interpreted the * at the beginning as knit every row so it has a 2 stitch garter border. Purl on even numbered rows. I did 15 repeats of chart 1, since my needle size is probably smaller than the pattern calls for; then single repeats of the other charts.

Can’t remember name of yarn but it’s soooo gorgeous and a cross between mulberry and amethyst in color. 50/50 merino/silk…lustrous with just a little halo. perfect.
Thanks for the fantastic pattern Sari!!!

Woody End to the River--1st shield!

I'm wending my merry way along. As of today, the "road zig-zigs to top of a steep bank and goes down for the last time. Can see across Woody End to the River" 29.9 miles walked. And I did two more rows on Aquila. I've finished the repeats for chart 1 and have moved to the chevrons of chart 2...the end, she is far distant. But celebrate my mileage with me...you know you want to...just a little happy dance, or maybe knit another row, but as the hobbits began to sing at this point, I think raising our voices is warranted.

'ta!

Not as close as you might think

When I originally checked the mileage charts for the journey from Bag End to Rivendell, I saw "Buckleberry Ferry" and thought that...for no reason I can now fathom...that it was 18 miles from Bag End to the Ferry. I chuckle at my poor map reading and distance calculation skills. Chuckle with despair. 18 miles was what Frodo and Sam covered in their first DAY. It has taken me a week to walk what they did before they had even warmed up. I am humbled. And daunted. Just a bit though mind you. I have now made it a grand total of 21.25 miles...the road is dipping up and down and I'm still 48.75 miles out from the ferry. Just the ferry. I still have 437 miles to go to see Eldrond. But that's motivation enough.

Walking to Rivendell

My welcome back from Chicago present from the gf was a treadmill. My dream workout in a foldable little package. perfection. I am such a joiner. I have decided to follow my favorite author in her walk to Rivendell and beyond. So far I am three miles out from Buckleberry Ferry. My geektastic knows no bounds. But it's fantastic incentive. You can log on daily to record your mileage, and there are support groups, etc. if you need them. I'm just in it for the mileage calculator...Right now I have reached Stock road and am about to break into song. I LOVE this. and my new toy. I'm averaging 3 miles per day in under an hour per day, which, given that I haven't worked out regularly in nearly a year, is a pretty good thing. I've been walking daily since I got back and I'm already noticing differences in my general happiness. *love*

oh, I have actually been knitting. really. Since I've last checked in with you, I have completed my brown cotton sweater (my own design...images soon), half a pair of socks, and am a good 2/3 of the way through the aquila shawl in my reward yarn...gorgeous 50/50 wool/silk laceweight purchased at Loopy Yarns in Chicago. Greatest yarn store (outside of my wonderful LYS Stitches with Style in Newark, DE) I have ever visited. Truth be told I have not yet been to Mecca (ie WEBS) as yet, so I may be lacking in perspective, but they were lovely people and their stock is every bit as good as Franklin says it is. This pattern is available only in Finnish, but there are charts, so it's totally possible. And gorgeous. The photos I took in my rental apt. in Chicago last week do not do it justice. Right now I'm 2 repeats away from chart #2. I can't wait to see this shawl blocked. I won't jinx it by saying any more.
And I got great material in Chicago....chapter 1 is golden now!

blogclog now cleared, back to regularly scheduled nattering

So the article is about to come out. I gave the second paper. We are going to move soon, I still have research trips to complete, continue to insert fun yet time consuming projects here.... oh, and I've finished a couple of things. One of which I'm very proud of. I don't have much time to blog anymore, but I still love it and wanted to share...so here goes, in no particular order:
Surface by the fabulous Norah Gaughan, knitty winter 2008. Yarn: berroco ultra alpaca lite. Needles: 5

love x 1,000,000,000. I have received so many compliments on this sweater already it's ridonkulous. and I adore it. I can't stop petting it. I find myself preening when I walk by mirrors. Which is exactly what clothing should do for us. Make us proud, happy, confident beings. Thanks Norah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next up: another pair of Monkeys, but rehabbed yarn from the forest canopy shoulderette I finished last year and never wore. This is much better. Yarn: Plymouth Happy Feet. Needles: 0

I'm also working on several projects, most of which are so boring to photograph you might cry. But here's a taste of a pair of plain socks I'm working on for the gf, who has demanded them. She should get them sometime in June....perfect weather for wool...I call them "Urban Camo"
Yarn: Auracania. Needles: 0
Doesn't it look like the stitch marker is a little tongue? I love this photo.

Solstice quickies

The article is almost finished. I'm working on the last little details and then it will be done!!!! To celebrate, here are two little knits I've finished recently. Silly, fun things. The first is a rip-off of the meathead pattern that's been making the rounds on ravelry. I loved it but didn't want to buy the book, so I figured it out on my own. I added the leaves and a cork button and extended the Icord at the top to make it even elfier:yarn: freshwater fibers bulky, bought in Eugene, OR. Needles: 10.5. The dye job was lovely for color but kept coming off on my hands, needles, etc.

Second, Norah Gaughan's Sunflower Tam, yarn: Terra Acorn. Needles: 7. I love everything about this pattern. I had to add a drawcord because I cannot seem to knit tight 1x1 ribbing. I actually like the effect though.

I've also been spinning the silk/merino blend and started Ice Queen (without the beads). Pics later. I'm hating feather and fan but love the idea of a wimple. Ok, off to finish book reviews and other fun things. Like cleaning the house for our Solstice celebration next week. You would not believe the cobwebs!