I May Never Purl Again

Julia requested some blog entries from those of us who are not cavorting with sheep at Maryland this weekend, and I am happy to oblige. While a part of me does wish that I could be fondling roving and hanging with the harlot-eers, another part is glad that my allergy-whipped body is able to just plunk itself down in front of the computer and read blogs in a medicated haze. Besides, I have the MA wool festival coming up, and I'll be seeing Stephanie at a book-reading on Tuesday. AND I had a fabulous time at my knitting group last night. How much fiber does one woman need? (That's a rhetorical question, of course.)

So far, my day sounds a lot like Kay's. I love slothful Saturdays. My kids are (finally) dressed, I've had lots of coffee, and I haven't really accomplished anything yet. But I'm a little afraid to face the piles of laundry upstairs. So, instead, I took a picture of my new project!

Yep, it's the ubiquitous Ruffles scarf from Scarf Style,* and I am having a great time working on it. This pattern requires a lot of short-rowing, which means wrapping stitches and turning your work every few stitches. Normally this would make me crazy. However, this week I learned to knit backwards, which I am absolutely loving, and which makes this pattern much more enjoyable. As a continental knitter I often find purling to be onerous, but I am just grooving to the rhythm of this backwards thing. Unfortunately, DH doesn't seem to truly appreciate the joy and pride resulting from this new skill. (In fairness, he might just be afraid of the pointy sticks that wave wildly about when I am twirling with glee.)

You might ask why I am starting a scarf in worsted weight wool in May while I have two almost completed spring/summer items lying abandoned in a heap. Maybe it's the lure of new love, new yarn, new beginnings, as of yet unsullied by the dramas and disappointments of daily life. Or maybe it's ADHD. Or my fear of finishing. Or PMS. You tell me.

*The yarn--of course--is Noro Kureyon. Not a bit cuddly, but I love watching the color progression come out in this pattern. For those who care, I did alter the pattern a bit. Initially I cast on the required number of stitches, but I found that this made a scarf that was too wide for my liking. So I started over with four fewer stitches, and I skip the first row of each pattern repeat. Makes for fewer short rows and speedy progress.