Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Woe is Me. And Knitting too.

Oh friends... I have been having quite the pity party. My dear, dear friend Julie left with her family this morning for a move across the country. She is my local knitting buddy and constant source of strength and encouragement. I will miss her dearly.

I'm not much of a party person, but I must admit, I throw one heck of a pity party as evidenced by the piles of laundry surrounding me and my overflowing e-mail inbox. I have excelled at neglect and getting absolutely nothing done for several days and now I'm just partied out. So I'll move onto the good stuff...

I'll start with this yarn...

Hand Maiden Mini Maiden

Handmaiden Mini Maiden in "Cedar". This is exactly what I was hoping for colorwise when I ordered this yarn some time ago.

Silken

I am absolutely smitten by this yarn and ordered it for a very special project. After months of longing, I finally ordered this (Ken, look! A rattlesnake behind you) ridiculously expensive book.

P9060005

I ordered this book, because it became increasingly apparent that I wasn't going to be able to live a full, contented life until I was able to knit this shawl...

P9060001

Hyrna Herborgar by Sigridur Halldorsdottir.

(Yes, I do already have the makings for a Finnish shawl, but of course you must know that receiving 2 packages in the mail far outweighs the excitement of having one bag in the stash.)

So great was my excitement when I received everything last week that I couldn't wait to cast on. However, since I have just a few larger projects on the needles right now it seemed prudent to wait until I had finished one of those before I started.

So I cast on for 2 socks instead.

Socks

Firestarters with Wollmeise in the very appropriate "Campari Orange" and Hedgerows with ShiBui Knits fingering. I absolutely adore the Wollmeise. It is just as nice to knit with as it is to look at. (Maria - I will be getting your Wollmeise out to you ASAP. I should've warned you that the post office is very far away from me... mentally, not physically. For some reason, going to the PO is a bit of a challenge for me.)

However, as I wrap up my pity party, I really think that starting a new lace project will do wonders for my distracted brain. So, should I persevere with the dozen projects I already have going? Or comfort myself with Handmaiden and Hyrna Herborgar?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

duh... start the shawl, of course!

I'm excited for Julie and her family, but know you'll miss her terribly :o(

Sarah said...

I'm an enabler. I say go for the new lace project.
Sorry you are losing a friend to hang out with!!

Maria said...

Oh! Sorry that your friend is moving. We just moved, too, but it was "back" to somewhere we love! It is still very hard to part with friends. Love the socks! Love that Campari Orange...might have to copy you!! ;)

Charity said...

Sorry to hear your friend is moving, it's hard to say goodbye to someone we love.

km said...

Oh...comfort yourself with the shawl. The year Rachel was 1, 3 of my close friends moved out of state. It's hard...but email helps. Any buy yourself a plane ticket to go see her. It will make you feel better to know there's a day you'll see her.

Anonymous said...

Waaaaaa!!! Good friends are a treasure. I think it's easier for the friend that is moving, because there's a whole new pool to choose from.

I'm supposed to be sending some yarn to someone right now too, and I haven't done it. What goes around, comes around. Why do we hate the post office so much?

Mack said...

Tammy - I'm glad you're back posting, I missed you! You are such a bright spot. I say pick whichever one you want, I am still inspired by your swallowtail so i guess I'm leaning a little toward the lace project. . .so sorry about your friend moving away, that is never easy. Hang in there.

Mack said...

I love sea silk! I may have told you (or not) that my swallowtail is out of it. I love working with it for lace and of course the colors are oh so fabulous. Your cedar is lovely lovely lovely.

Yarnhog said...

Oh, I'm so sorry about your friend moving. One of the few times I ever cried in my adult life was when I dropped my best friend off at the airport so she could move to Africa.

Of course you're entitled to cast on a new shawl!

Anonymous said...

Cast on!!!!!!

Tammy said...

Ohhhh, the shawl! THE SHAWL! Go for it! And be sure to post pictures when you are finished, okay?

Blessings,
Tammy ~@~

Donna Boucher said...

You are an amazing knitter.

I love that sock with the cable. So cool!

I'm glad you are partied out.
It is no fun.
But I completely understand.
Life is not fair.

But it's also beautiful and full of wonderful things to knit.

Knit away, Tammy.

Laura said...

Oh, the yarn and shawl are beautiful! I love the socks, too, though.

You are such an amazing knitter - I love seeing all the projects you're working on!

Anonymous said...

You've definitely soothed yourself with some gorgeous yarn, but since you'll be missing your friend, cast on for the shawl. Whatever it takes to soothe you.

Stefaneener said...

Ohmy gosh. No. Immediately, immediately cast on for the new shawl. Then go back and forth from that one to the in progress one and the socks. Use that amazing yarn as a pick me up when you miss your friend.

I think friends should only be able to move *to* you. Sigh.