The Little Voice said Rippit

I never posted last week for Ginny's Yarn Along. I didn't post, because I had ripped out the shawl I was knitting. It just wasn't right, and I knew it. Of course, I kept ignoring the little voice in my head. I forged ahead. I kept telling myself I could block it, and the fabric would be fine. The voice said I should change to a bigger needle; I didn't listen. I didn't want to stop. I didn't want to frog the shawl. It wasn't until my friend felt the shawl. She immediately told me the fabric was stiff. Drat. She was right. I could ignore the voices in my head, but I couldn't ignore her. So, while sitting at the park, I ripped back my shawl. I think she felt bad, but truly she was just echoing my inner thoughts.

So, I moved up a needle size and cast-on again last Tuesday. Changing to larger needles has really helped the feel of the shawl. I am currently knitting the back, which means I am further than when I ripped it out. Woo Hoo! It is a simple shawl reminiscent of the one worn in the new Jane Eyre film. The pattern is easy, and I should have it done by next week. Of course, a shawl in Arizona during the summer is not truly necessary. I will probably use it when confronted with the frigid air-conditioning found in most places or wait until winter (which is many months away!).

To Eyre Shawl 

I finished a quick read that a friend gave me entitled Body Surfing by Anita Shreve. The book follows a woman and her involvement with multiple members of a family. It was an interesting exploration of a family dynamic and the psychology of marriage. Since it was a quick read, I finished after a few days and was able to start Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. I have had this book on hold at the library several times. Each time previously I was already reading something when it was available for pickup. This time I was ready for it. I will have more to share about it next week.