FO Friday 78: Buses

What with not having finished anything and the swap, it seems like ages since I've done a FO Friday - and in fact, it is: the last proper one was FO Friday 67; and there was that in-between Wednesday one. Of course, now it looks as if I have been stockpiling against some kind of craft zombie apocalypse.

You remember that Uber-Cool Brother confessed to losing the 2nd scarf I made him ? Well, the third time is the charm, so he has now received the scarf made from 2 skeins of scrumptious Drops Alpaca (such brilliant prices, very reasonable, purchased from Garn Studio with the aid of my friend Miss.Mags) in the colorway '6834 Dark Petrol'  using the 'Flemish Block' stitch pattern; unfortunately, I  cannot get the color right in any of the photos - it is really a navy blue shot through with turquoise/teal, not the flat charcoal back color presented here:

Then Mini Diva's birthday approached, which meant a slight hiatus from knitting that resulted in this:

And I have also completed my 2nd Lady Bertram, using Crazy Zauberball in 'Indian Red', destined for my Auntie Hazel:

I wanted more shawl body than edging, compared to last time, so I kept increasing the stockinette section until I had 122 stitches on each side of the 2 spine stitches; I completed the first set of charts, then repeated charts B and A once more, which left me with a mere 10 or 15 yards of yarn left after binding off.

So now I must focus on Chrissy's Lily's Slice of Pi KAL, and the other VIP (Very Important Project) that has a fast-approaching deadline ....both laceweight on skinny needles, both moving as dispiritingly slowly as the most turgid of molasses ....

Pop on over to Tami's Amis to see things finished more regularly and in a timely manner.

Late to the Table

Today is the official beginning of the Lily's Slice of Pi KAL (you can find Chrissy's blog here) and, at one stage, I thought I would be starting it today along with everyone else who is taking part. I have the yarn, the needles, and have downloaded the pattern. What could possibly go wrong ?

However. Circumstances have conspired to thwart me - at least for today, it seems.

Firstly, the yarn: you may remember I took pretty pictures of it in its skeined form:

And having splurged £15 (approx.$24) or so on a ballwinder a couple of months ago, I remembered to try it out while DH was at home so that I had a huge banana fingers on handsome gorilla hands available to act as a swift. And also just in case the technical issues were more challenging than I had anticipated (they weren't, you'll be glad to know) so that after a mere 25 minutes - yes ! I know ! the marvels of the modern age never cease to amaze and delight ! - all 1000 metres of the Yarn Addict Silk Lace in 'Jewel' was beautifully and efficiently wound into a pretty cake:

Tick one box on the checklist. Next - print out the pattern. Usually not a problem as I have an Epson that is not prone to trouble. Unless it has been switched off because Moonheart, Mini Diva's cat, (cue Villain Music) has been walking across the top of it and the 'print' button in particular, and therefore printing random pages of stuff from the interwebz. 

When I switched it back on it told me it had no magenta ink left (but it LIED - I shook the cartridge and sprayed the miscreant cat with it) and it will not work even to just print black if one of the colors is missing. Unionization and solidarity in the printer world. Who knew. But one phone call, and that was sorted - someone kindly offered to print it for me, and drop it off today. They didn't even crack a grin when I said a knitting pattern was urgent, bless their cotton socks.

OK, two down, one to go: the needles. Lovely 3.75mm Addi Turbo circulars, exactly what the pattern calls for. Except. This is what they look like at the moment:

They are 6 rows in, out of 8 in the second repeat of Chart B of the Lady Bertram Shawl. Which I should have been able to complete last night - plus another repeat of Chart A, I think. But no. It was not to be. But - 'let me tell someting to joo': I shall complete the 2nd Lady Bertram tonight and tomorrow. 

Identify the quote for Kudos points ...