The worst 4 rounds, the 1,000 stitch
ones, are done! There are still another dozen rounds to chart 3—and
a hundred more in chart 4—but the worst is over for now! The next
dozen (25 really, what with plain rounds between the charted ones)
are rounds with net decreases every round. What's more, they are so
much fun – as each round makes the feather shape clearer.
These past few rounds where tedious for
a second reason--(who needs a second reason when the first is 1,000+
stitches?)--the sheer quantity of the stitches made it hard to move
the work round the needle.
The shawl looks like a giants mob
cap—It's impossible to see more than a small wedge of work at a
time, or to see the pattern in its entirety—I am already looking
forward to that! (And wondering where I will block it! I have
stryrene foam (think of coffee cups) blocking panels—each 16 inches
wide—4 across are 64 inches—Will that be enough? I am thinking it
will have to be—even it it means a not too hard a blocking. Each
panel is just 48 inches long—but I have 6 so I can build a 64 inch
square. (4 across and one crosswise)-- Unstretched the shawl is about
a 40 inch circle already!
I got some more sewing done too. I
know, I know, I keep saying I am done, and then something I like
presents itself, and by golly, it would be so easy to alter... and so
a denim jumper/dress was ripped apart, shortened (from the shoulder
and from the hem) and taken in 7 inches! It's not snug, but it is
now the trimmest fitting of my clothes. (Stuff I took in a month ago,
is already getting baggy) and finally, the scale is doing it's
thing—It's only showing a half pound loss—but so much better that
just loitering at the same number for ever!
Now I want the sun to come out so I can
head back to the pool and continue to work out (and in!) and get
thinner and trimmer still. I had hoped to have made more progress
losing weight by now—I started with such enthusiasm—but I am
looking better, and feeling better, and now have a renewed drive.
