Kill. Me. Now.

The suicide ruffle is aptly named. It is that damned row that you start on Monday and knit all week. And still don't finish the row.

I am nearly finished with my first ball of yarn, and I am on row 6.

It was likely a wise move to order three balls for the ruffle. I honestly thought I would only need two, but I wanted a spare.

Meanwhile, the weather is turning warmer, and I have missed another deadline. For those who can't remember that far back, the first deadline was September 15th, the cruelly-imposed deadline for the Knit-along. The second deadline was Christmas (Ok, by this time I knew it was unlikely, but a girl can dream?) The third was less definite, but around the start of spring.

I have been working on this bloody British knockoff shawl for nine months. That is just insane. The monogomy requirement is long since past, but I still find myself obsessively devoted to the shawl. It is a matter of principal.

I will not let this ruffle defeat me.

Today, it is all about the obsession.

Circulars are Double Points too

First, the obvious question: "Did you finish the Duchess Shawl?" Um, no, I ran out of yarn.

I did finish the body. The decreases finally reached the magic number of 7. Seven the favorite number of prime afficionados, Harry Potterites, and Duchess Shawl knitters everywhere. So I dutifully started picking up stiches. On. All. Three. Sides.

About a half million stiches later, I realized that there was no way I was going to fit all these stiches on one circular needle, especially since I was only about halfway around. So I found another needle, and kept going. Three million stitches later, I had worked my way around, and realized again that while all the stiches squished onto two needles just barely fit.

Row 2: increase by one stitch on every stitch. (Translation for the non-knitting muggles: double the stitches.)

So I bought two more needles. I had to go to three stores to do it. Apparently there is some sort of run on size 5 circular needles in Lafayette.

I finished Row 2, so now there are approximately 100 million stitches on four circular needles, strung together like giant double points. And that is when I ran out of yarn. And realized that I need yet another needle, to have the "working" needle.

I can buy the fifth needle when the yarn arrives.

Today, it is all about Ruffle insanity

P.S. For those who prefer their math exaggeration free, I have not actually counted the stitches, but I estmate 1200 stitches picked up, so 2400 stitches after the increase row. If I ever get bored, or find that the curiosity is driving me crazy, I will count.

Tip to Tip

We are really down to the wire for the Duchess Shawl. Which is good, since I have been ignoring the chorus of "Aren't you on the ruffle yet?" wherever I go.

A mere twentysomething stitches across, decreasing 4 stitches every repeat, down to 7 stitches wide. I only have a few repeats to go. If I really buckle down, I may start the ruffle tonight. Ok, Ok, so I have thought that every night this week. Tonight I have a couple child-free hours, so as long as I don't get distracted by the Superbowl, I have a shot. I am straightening the ruffle needle cable, just in case.

The really annoying part is that I know that I am not going to have enough yarn. I need at least one more skein, maybe two. Maybe three. I have not ordered the new yarn yet, but there is a method to my procrastination. I surely have enough for at least one row of the ruffle, maybe two. So once I start the ruffle, I will have a better estimation how much yarn I need.

Today, it is all about the tips.

Sprinting to the Finish

The Duchess Shawl is finally getting close. It is only 60 stitches wide now, so each row only takes a few minutes. Plus the excitement is bulding. I am making the 60 stitch dash to the end of a Triathlon.

Except that my ride has forgotten about me and I have to walk home.

How many more metaphors can I come up with for the ruffle?

Judicial Notice

"Counsel, aren't you finished with that YET?"

I was knitting on the Duchess Shawl in a courtroom this morning, waiting on the other attorney. It was a slow morning, so the judge didn't have his usual line of people waiting to approach the bench during Motion Hour. And apparently not only did he notice what I was knitting, he remembered that he had seen it several times before.

I am not certain if that is a testiment that I have been knitting way too often in his courtroom, or to his memory.

I would say that I am *almost* finished with the shawl, except the ruffle looms far and large in my future. The ever-decreasing and acceleration factor of the body is cool comfort, so to speak.

Today, it is all about the notice.

New deadlines

The original deadline for the Duchess Shawl was September 15th, the end of the Knit-along. Passed. The original deadline for the Hunting Covertible Mittens was November 15th, opening day of hunting season: deer (rifle) season. Passed. The second was opening day of hunting season: deer (muzzleloader). Passed.

I obviously need some new deadlines.

I have been working on Duchess shawl. I am on the downward side, decreasing a stitch every four rows. Sounds like slow progress, but each row is already down to four minutes.

But the suicide ruffle looming at the final edge. It is like making it up and down a mountain, then taking a lap around the base as soon as you get to the bottom.

Today, it is all about the milage.

Looming deadlines

For a knitter that doesn't usually have knitting deadlines, I have had a lot of them lately. The Duchess Shawl fell short. And yet, I immediately jumped into another one with the Hunting Convertible mittens. Then, just for giggles, I threw in another one in the middle of things.

I decided that Bugaboo would make a perfect Harry Potter for Halloween, and you can't have that without a Gyffindor scarf, of course. At least I was smart enough not to do it in fingering.

I was sewing the cloak and finishing the fringe on the night before, but I got it done in time.

So now I am back to the Hunting mittens. I have just started on the thumb increases

Today, it is all about the deadlines.