Monday, July 23, 2007

One Last Look

Before this (my MS3 Stole at the end of Clue 1):

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became this (a pile of twisty, curly yarn needing to be re-knit):

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My confidence and comfort level, flying in the face of danger....LOL - knitting lace without a lifeline - and my mistakes became to numerous for even me to ignore! (Often, if it is a mistake here and there....I don't rip out or go back to find the mistake, just continue on) But in this case, I either got off track on a stitch count or on a row count, because I ended up being WAY off course. I let the piece of lace sit quietly in a knitting basket for nearly a week before I picked it up again and decided I couldn't live with it the way it was. So out she goes!

Now I will think for a few more days, deciding if I want to restart the project. For me, usually when these kinds of set backs occur, it is tainted for me and I don't care to pick it back up. We'll see. The yarn is so delicious, that I could happily knit several other things with it (I have no shortage of projects I would like to do ;) As well as other projects that need to be finished!) The pattern and the Knit A Long are also great!!! I especially want to say that my current dislike is in NO WAY a reflection of the MS3 pattern and project!!! It was 100% my mistakes, but I just know myself well enough to know that I may not have much enthusiasm for the same pattern if I have to start it over. So, like I said - we'll see.

How about if I end on a happier note? Would you like to see a very sweet picture of a very beautiful Corriedale ewe...one who contributed in part to the roving I was spinning for this project? Well, of course you do! Who doesn't love to see beautiful sheep (grin) Here is Abby (twin to Amanda, daughter of old Hannah), posing for the camera (okay, so she was really looking for cookies, but the effect is good)

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As I think I mentioned before, I took all of the "skirtings" of my very best white sheep and had them washed and carded into my current favorite roving, that which I was spinning for the MS3. Isn't she a beauty? Full of so much Corriedale breed character! You might notice that she is not wearing a coat...one of the chores that Alex and I had this past week was pulling coats off the girls and getting them all washed and repaired if they needed it. The ewes are all out on pasture (take a peek at the new photo across the top of this page for a picture in pasture taken the same night) and not receiving any hay, so their wool won't get full of chaff, though it will get a little dirty till we get the coats back on. You can see how clean she is across her back. Each adult sheep will usually go through three different sizes of coat in a years time, each one larger than the last as their fleece grows. I am so happy that my customers all seem to appreciate how much work it is to produce those nice, clean coated fleeces! I love them, too ;)

Anyway, that is my knitting update for today as well as a little sheep fleece management 101. Other good news? Second cutting hay is going into the big barn today and while not as plentiful as years past I am still happy and grateful and thankful for what we have!

9 comments:

Carissa said...

That's terrible about the MS3. Unless I love a pattern, I don't usually reknit it either. I hope that you make something that you enjoy with it! What a cute picture of Abby! And what good news about the hay. We could use rain here as we have had a very dry summer! And thanks for the Heavenly Blue morning glory comparison, it is just perfect!

Anonymous said...

Abby is certainly a cutie isn't she? What a shame about your MS3, but I'm sure you'll make something equally gorgeous with that luscious yarn.

Pamela

Theresa said...

Love the new pics. Sorry about the frogging. :o(

Anonymous said...

Sorry for your MS3 troubles. I am way behind with mine, and it may need to be dropped to the "someday" basket. It is lovely and wonderful, but I am having trouble developing a rhythm with it. I will let things develop in their own time.

I enjoy the sheepy talk. She is a cutie!

Anne P said...

I think there were quite a few folks (myself included!) who ripped back clue 1 - sometimes more than once. I really love the pattern, but find I cannot do anything else (including chatting) while I knit it. Just quiet, me and the charts - and how often does that happen??!

T. said...

I frogged twice - Yuck. But almost done clue 3 know before proceeding to extra long clue 4. I will perservere!!

Thanks for checking out our blog via the Hanami KAL. We always think we're the only 2 people who read it!

Unknown said...

Awww, Cary...I love your sheepies! They just look so happy to be with you :)

I feel for you about the frogging...brings me back to my horrible frogging experience when I was working on my mama's shawl...without a lifeline...of course ;)

xo

Unknown said...

Total distance from my "farm" to yours: 667.33 miles...

Drive time: 10 hours, 38 minutes...

Do-able!! :)

You never know :)

Cary ~ My Wool Mitten at Serenity Farms said...

And Brooke...there is a guest bed here at the farm!