Monday, December 20, 2021

Shawl Number 3

Well, I guess the third time is the charm. I ripped out the latest shawl attempt, rewound the yarn, and lucked into another shawl pattern that is way more my speed. It uses the thin, DK weight yarn but on size US9 needles so it goes faster (Yay!) and makes a softer, drapey fabric. I cast on and got started after supper.



The sun shone for an hour or so this morning and while the sun was shining the Cardinal came to the feeder. It's amazing how different it looks, how much brighter it looks when it perches in the sunlight than when it's here in the drear and overcast. It was just warm enough today that the thin snow coating on the patio evaporated, not melted but evaporated.


B is for blah. That's how I'm feeling lately and I don't know why but I started drawing the B figures today. He starts the chapter with the five different styles of lettering and then segues into drawing crazy cartoon figures. The first one was Banana Boy which was fun to draw. There are more cartoon critters coming up.

 


Two of the three buds on the Christmas cactus are swelling. The third bud is just sitting there doing nothing. I think it has lost the will to blossom. 



When the sun went away this morning I opened On Demand on the TV and found the Yule Log with holiday music to watch and listen to. It doesn't add any warmth but it sounds nice although I wish there was a crackle that went with the music and flickering flames. Maybe Netflix has a log fire that crackles.



After supper I finished the crown decreases of the Charisma 2 Hour hat, which took me way longer than two hours. I'm a slow knitter and I was using less bulky yarn and smaller needles than the pattern calls for so that's my excuse. I like the way it turned out, I'll probably use the same pattern again but maybe do a ribbed brim instead of the garter ridge brim. Ribbed looks more masculine, I think.



Today's toss was a bendy Santa figure that used to live in the Christmas card basket but now is homeless.

I didn't do the prompt again today (blahs) but I did manage to eke out three pages of novel writing. What was once a spate dwindled to a trickle and is now a dribble but I'm still writing every few days so I'm taking it as a win.

--Barbara

2 comments:

Aunt B said...

Maybe that third bud on your Christmas cactus has the blahs too. I know the feeling. Sometimes you just can't bloom! Like your banana boy -- he does have appeal!!

Sharon said...

I like your idea of using the tv as a fireplace. Understand the blahs! Do you know the Red Oak Writing in Milwaukee has zoom writing classes available for anyone? For the last year I've been participating in "Time to Write" which is a weekly class held every Thursday from 10:00 to 11:30. Kim Suhr leads the class, which are paid for in groups of six. The next class starts Jan 6. Kim gives the group a prompt, then we write for a set time, then we talk about what we wrote. It is not a critique group and if a prompt doesn't work for you, you don't have to talk. It is a great group of people. And, Kim is a fabulous teacher. You can find the information on the Red Oak website. It would be great if you could join us!