WIP Wednesday 122: Just the One

Crystal Visions Tarot

A week and a half left to go, and I am just beginning to allow myself to contemplate the idea that all the last-minute Xmas knitting might just maybe possibly get done in time for the last mail. Unless I sit here tempting Providence again by even permitting the germ of that thought to enter my head.

I am being very disciplined, and really truly have only 1 WIP on my needles - Susie Rogers' Reading Mitts:

As you can see, I am well on my way to not just mastering, but thoroughly trouncing the Magic Loop technique for small diameter knitting; and I am still loving the James C.Brett Aria yarn.

No, I am not listening. I cannot see you gesticulating. I refuse to hear your sneaky whispers of sock passion.

I will confess instead that to make the above mitts, I need a pair of 3.75mm circular needles; I found the empty packet, so I knew they must be lying around somewhere. The somewhere turned out to be in another long-term WIP, Lily's Slice of Pi Shawl, which I started on the 6th March this year (oh the shame) and has been hibernating for a while. So I signed the 'fession and admit to us both that this will not get made, in this yarn anyway, and pulled the needles out to use for the mitts.

I can almost see a New Year's resolution taking shape as I type ....

Pop on over to Tami's Amis to see how everyone else is faring ...

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 ...