Monday, August 16, 2010

Traveling Woman, and how!

52.26: Moving Day
This post brought to you by the power of sheer determination. Since we last spoke I have put the finishing touches on two small yet unbelievably demanding manuscripts, sorted through 40+ years worth of Consumer Reports magazines and then threw them in a dumpster, packed up my family home, moved my mom from the comfortable environs of Minneapolis *sniff* to the unfamiliar wilds of Central PA. (where, just to review, they serve French fries on salads, address you if you're more than one as
yinz, eat large quantities of scrapple as if it's an accepted social practice and ask you if your car needs fixed. Somewhat of a hard sell at times, I know, but the place does have its charms). Whew!

traveling woman-3
Somehow in this maelstrom of activity I was able to knit---wait for it--one thing! Yes, I have a project to show you...

The Specs:
Traveling Woman by Feministy
Yarn: STR Mediumweight in 'Lodestar'
Needles: size 6
Mods: I knit the middle size for the stockinette portion and then did 3 lace repeats. This made for a nice, medium size wrap.

more traveling womanc
This pattern was a true joy to work on. First and foremost I love that the pattern is flexible enough to allow you to size as you see fit--I played it safe and shot my arrow straight down the middle and did three repeats. Bull's eye! The shawl was not too big, not too small (because GOD how I hate a too small shawl). The lace pattern and border are also intuitive as all get out and completely easy to follow. Lastly I am loving this pattern because I made it for one of my oldest friends on the books. Elizabeth and I shared a cradle together! We had every holiday together from the 70s to the 00s! Our parents were 60s people together and sometime in the 70s we almost all moved in together commune-style (yeah, SO relieved that one never happened because, hello, how do you explain that particular freak flag at your Episcopal day school?)! And we have remained good friends, so it was a joy to be able to attend her wedding on our last day ever in Mpls *sniff* and welcome her husband into the fold.

traveling woman-2
I gave this shawl to her at the reception and there was just enough of a nip in the air to make it appropriate. The shimmery light blue of the STR sort of screams 'summer special occasion', if that is possible. All told, this pattern was a breeze to make and a joy to give away.

traveling woman

Thank you so much for the deluge of nice comments and sweet messages you have been leaving me over the summer--I have read each one with gratitude and delight. We sort of have a special thing going on here, this whole fiber community thing, right? Knitters FTW!

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad you're "back". Uprooting a parental home is tough.
You have a great smile.
MargieinMaryland

lauren said...

I will never understand how you managed to knit during all this! You amaze me, woman.

NessaKnits said...

I have a link to your page on my blog and for a while you sat there at the bottom of the list of my "blogs I read" and everyday, I hoped you would come back and post. So glad that you have. What a lovely shawl, and a very lucky recipient!

And what it a picatin? Word verification words are very funny.

knithound brooklyn said...

Hey....you're back! I was so happy to see a post come up in my blog feeder! Nice shawl, too!

Amy said...

So glad to see you back here, and that things will be more stable for awhile now. Even if it's in PA. :)

Sonya said...

You have had one helluva summer! I'm knitting traveling woman at the moment and I agree that it's totally intuitive. I love the colorway you used. Perfect for the occasion.

Sarah said...

Great to "see" you back on the blog. I'm sure that pack up and move was a challenge, so I hope you're taking a good long rest now.

The shawl is beautiful -- clearly your friend must be very special for you to give it away.

Unknown said...

Glad to have you back! Sounds like Pennsylvania could my kind of place... And TWO manuscripts?? You are one busy girl.

Brendaknits said...

I am just back from vacation and catching up on my blog reading. I am so sorry to hear about your Dad and hope all goes well with the transition for your Mom. The shawl you knit for your friend is lovely. Being petite, i prefer the small shawls.

caro said...

Dude, you've done SO MUCH this summer. I'm shocked you had time to knit anything, let alone finish something. Your mom will settle in just fine, spesh with you close by. That's the key thing.

Mandy said...

FRIES ON SALAD?!?! Can I visit?

Chelsea said...

Wish you all the best for the rest of the summer. I hope you can your family can take some time now to spend together and relax.
Beautiful wedding gift.

regina said...

So nice to see a post from you! You've been on my mind a lot. Moving your mom has to have been traumatic for all of you. I've tried with my 88 year old widowed father for many years (he's been on his own since my mom died 22 years ago), but he won't hear of it. It's tough. The shawl is typical of the beautiful garments you keep turning out. What a wonderful gift! Be well, and hopefully I'll see you at Rhinebeck again.

Anonymous said...

I have enjoyed your Tweets all summer. Welcome back to the blog world!

Meredith C. said...

I really missed your posts, as I'm not a tweetee. Glad you're posting again! Thanks for sharing.

janjan said...

I haven't been reading this blog for too long, but I have been really touched by your last couple of posts. Thanks for posting, and I'm so glad you have such a good lifelong friend.

Caffeine Girl said...

It was so nice to have a post from you! Congratulations on closing up a house and getting your mom moved. These are not easy tasks.

I used to live in Pittsburgh, where they loved to hear the way I pronounce "roof" and "Wisconsin." Yeah, they talk funny, but I loved living there!

The Traveling Woman is beautiful. What a perfect wedding gift.

Emily Spence said...

I'm from Pittsburgh. We put french fries on sandwiches as well!

I guess it's what you're used to! Hope you learn to love it as much as I did!

choo choo knits said...

girl, you're amazing *mwah*

btw - we might be out near Hershey the last week of August - you near there? DM me through rav or email

Two Cables and a Frapp said...

French fries on a salad !? Okay... The shawl is beautiful !

Beth said...

What a wonderful gift to your friend.
I'm sure your great sense of humor helped you get through the magazines, the move and everything else.
Thanks for posting!

kaetrn said...

youre back! glad to see you are here again and knitting too! french fries ON salads? hmmm...not sure...

a friend to knit with said...

hi you!
sure hope your mom is doing well in her new environment! (gotta love the 'burgh)
i also really love that you made your friend the shall for a special day!
cheers to your peeps and their new lives!

Lisa said...

I refused to give up checking and was so pleased and happy for you to see a post! Beautiful shawl, thank you for sharing it.

Kathy said...

I'm so glad that you're back. It looks like an appropriate knit to get back in the groove. Something for a dear friend and an appropriate name for all the traveling you've been doing. Hope you are healing.

margreet said...

Welcome back. It is heartbreking to loose your father as it is just a little less t move from a house that was your home for so many years, as your mum had to do after loosing her husband. There is a song with the title : It takes time to learn to say goodbye. It is about losing a wife, but it goes for you and your mother and yes, even for leaving a loved home. Do not hurry, if you do it will catch up with you and feel much worse then it does now. Don't ask how I know. Just wish you and your mother to get used to your new lives. And hey, it takes only two seconds to throw the french fries next to the salad/ take the different manners with a laugh and cook from time to time like your mum is used to. How you resembled your father facewise, don't you think that is a bonus?

Anonymous said...

Wow! Good to hear from you! That's quite a summer, and yet you were able to complete a shawl. Good for you. Nice choice and it looks so pretty on the bride.

Knittymuggins said...

What a beautiful project and SO glad to see you are knitting & blogging again :) I know we all missed you! Hope you are doing well and you and your family are taking good care of yourselves :)

knittymuggins

Michelle said...

I have been a big fan of you and your lovely blog for quite some time. I kept checking back to see if you'd posted something new. I'm glad your back :) I'm sending your family lots of positive energy!

Courtney said...

Did you go to an episcopal day school in the Twin Cities? I did, too. I wonder if we went to the same episcopal day school.

Courtney said...

Breck Class of '93! I recently made the connection that a woman in my knitting group here in Big Texas was class of '98.

kim said...

Welcome back after what must have been an exhausting Summer. I hope your mom is settling in. I had no idea there was even such a word as "Yinz" - the things you learn on the internets.

Jude McIntyre said...

Yay, you're back! Your shawl is beautiful - a gorgeous gift. Well done on all the gut-wrenching things you have had to do over the summer.
Jude x

Yarnhog said...

I'm so, so glad you posted! I've been checking your blog every couple of days, hoping you'd be back. Life is a constant series of transitions, isn't it? Congratulations on weathering the latest transition in your life.

What's scrapple?

Stephanie said...

Technically "yinz" may be single or plural but "yinzers" is always plural.

Scrapple is everything from a pig but the squeal.