For the last three days, I have failed to complete a Su Doku. Monday’s and Tuesday’s were only rated “moderate”. Yesterday’s was meant to be “tough”. I failed on all of them. And on Sunday, I messed up an IoS “difficult” – “messed up” means that something was wrong, I made a mistake somewhere. “Failed to complete” means just that – I got so far, and could get no further. Am I losing my faculties?

Two tidbits from Strathardle –

The gentlemen sheep have been separated from the ladies and returned to bachelor quarters, where they look pretty disgruntled.

I finished a ball of yarn (black Koigu). Given my current obsession with lace knitting, finishing a ball or skein becomes increasingly rare, and is always cause for rejoicing. I keep track on a spreadsheet of yarn-in and yarn-out for the year (except that in mid-’05, it got away from me). So the score for ’06 stands at: 20 in (the Rowan kit purchased on eBay), 1 out.

I had a good year in ’04 – the only way to achieve that is to give yarn away, in substantial quantity, at some point. Otherwise, the best I’ve ever done is to break even.

Shrugs

I’ve been studying the links Judith sent, and have also asked Rachel to have a look at some of them on behalf of her daughters, my stylish granddaughters. Without hauling the magazine out to check, I think that some shrugs are constructed more or less like the Round Trip Jacket which was such fun to knit (other shrugs are less fun, being simply knit from cuff to cuff). So I can have all the fun, and the Noro yarn if I want, and still knit a proper shrug.

I like the look of this one: http://bluealvarez.com/bluealva/patterns/hotlava.html, although I’d shorten the arms a bit. And this one http://www.thedietdiary.com/blog/lucia/329 is actually a shrug-generator.

Veil

Here are what will probably turn out to be the last progress-pictures. I did reach the second shoulder last night: two or three more sessions should do it. I also include an attempted close-up of the initials: RM for Rachel who will be making her First Holy Communion in April, KM for her little sister Kirsty.

Comments

I was sorry to learn yesterday that the tale of someone trying to copyright the phrase "Stitch and Bitch" is perfectly true. Incredible! And you'll be glad to hear that we enjoyed our haggis.