Finally getting back into the swing!

Well, finally something to post! This is my Pratchghan square. It is my first Intarsia design based on the cover of Small Gods (the blue cover) by Terry Pratchett. The Ankh-Morpork Knitter's Guild on Ravelry is putting together a quilt to send to Pterry & this is my square. Having seen many of the other squares, I'm feeling pretty intimidated. Some of those people have some serious skillzz. LOL Still, I tried to get fancy, and the result was pretty unimpressive, unfortunately. This is only my 2nd attempt at Intarsia, however, so even though it isn't as WOW as some of the other squares, it is a big leap for me. I should cut myself some slack. Right?

My leg is healing nicely. I am up to the walking boot, no crutches except late at night after I'm in bed. I get to split my walking time between the boot and a regular shoe with an ankle brace, and I'm making some progress. It is slow, but I can see improvement. Today, however, it hurts. I don't know if it is due to the great success of walking around without pain yesterday (and maybe I did too much of that) or if it is the serious cold & snow we have today. Maybe it will be a weather leg now. Not sure that is something to look forward to.

In addition to the square above, I labored intensely over a 2nd square option. I'm still debating that one. It is a blue square with a crossstitched horseshoe in the Nightlights glow-in-the-dark yarn. I thought it would be doubly significant. A horseshoe for good luck and a glow-in-the-dark hoofprint for Binky, Death's horse. Sadly, however, the Nightlights doesn't crossstitch so well on the square. It looks a bit stiff and inelegant. I'm trying to decide if the inherent coolness of glowing-in-the-dark outweighs the amateur looking crossstitch. I can probably spend about a week deciding before I have to send it on to be sewn up into the quilt. It is going to England, so I want to make sure it gets there in plenty of time.

I've also spent some serious time working on that darned 2nd sock. I'm making really good progress, finally, and I've got about an inch or and inch and a half before I'll be at the heel. It really doesn't take long to get anywhere with socks, I've just let it be such a filler project that it has taken a rediculous amount of time. Hopefully I've learned my lesson and I'll treat socks a little better in the future. We'll see how that goes.

Lastly, I'm doing a gauge swatch for a sweater for Himself. The one I'd planned to do, about two years ago, no longer suits either of us. So I ordered Men In Knits and he picked out a couple of sweaters that he liked. I'm planning to do the cover sweater first. I was hoping to find something that would use the yarn I already had for the sweater we no longer wanted, but no. That is not to be. Then again, this sweater knits up with a bulky yarn, so it should go faster. I'm looking at using Bernat Natural Blend Alpaca in Wheat. This stuff is soft, though it sheds like crazy, and will be easy to care for, once the shedding stops. LOL I'm all about the easy care right now.

Of course, I've got 8 or 10 skeins of Silky Wool to repurpose now.

Happy birthday to me!

Wow. You know my favorite thing about my birthday? I get to go to work! (Yes, that is a joke.) My birthday always coincides with the beginning of the term at school. Such fun!

I'm sorry, it isn't really that bad, it just seems like a lame present, doesn't it? OTOH, there was a little snow this morning during my commute. That was nice. (since it didn't mess up traffic!) I like watching it snow & I had my peppermint hot chocolate with me. YUM!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas & Happy New Year. My family had a pleasant time together and we avoided any drama. Well, as much as we can with the 5 & 7 year olds in the house.

My leg continues to mend nicely (as far as I can tell) and I am now able to put my full weight on it when I walk. I'm still using crutches with it, but it is much easier now. There's still swelling when I remove the boot, but it is usually gone by morning. The most painful thing about my leg is the stiffness from lack of movement. I'm doing my exercises, like writing the alphabet with my big toe, and it is slowly getting better. I was a bit surprised how much the Primitive Brain influences behavior. When I could increase the weight I could put on my foot, my body pretty much refused to go there. It has taken some intense deliberate thought to get it going, but I'm making progress. Slowly. The patience & tolerance I think I've had through this deal is starting to fade. I hoping I am nearing the end of the bigger boot/cast thing & that I will soon just be back to my own naked leg, as it were.

I've gotten some knitting done over the holidays. I finished the hat/scarf for DD#2 and I designed and knit an Intarsia square for a Pratchghan. The Pratchett group on Ravelry is knitting up squares for an afghan to send Pterry. This is my 2nd Intarsia attempt, and after ripping it 4 or 5 times, I'm pleased with the result. Except, I have come up with another idea for a square. So I may just finish this one off, just in case, then try my hand at the other design, if I can work out the details, and then decide which square to send. I have until the end of January to get it done. It is due Feb 29th, but it is going to England, so I figure I need to allow the postal service plenty of time to get it there.

Still, just one example of how Ravelry isn't just about eating up my computer time. It is about pushing me to try something new! LOL That's what I keep telling myself anyway.

It is good to be back. I'll make with the photos when time permits.