Two sure cures for the winter blahs! Number one – an FO! I’ve been so close, yet so far away on this one. You may remember the cashmere Faorese shawl I was working on. About one repeat short I ran out of yarn. So, I ordered another skein, but only one because it was so expensive. Imagine my heartbreak when I came this close and ran out again:
I just couldn’t see ordering another full skein when I only needed a few yards. So I emailed Laurel at handknitting.com and explained my dilemma. She offered to send me a few yards for just a small shipping and handling charge. When it arrived, I was overjoyed to find she had sent 10 yards! And I’m ever so glad she did, because I finished with barely a yard to spare: Behold:
Before:
After:
It’s not as wonky as it looks – I was trying to take a picture and get everything in without falling off the bed! Bill pointed out that this is probably the most expensive garment I own. He’s probably right! But I hope this will be handed down as an heirloom with stories of how great grandpa bought the yarn as a gift of love to great grandma, who made it with her own hands.
The other cure for winter blahs? Baby knitting:
Sorry for the truly horrible picture. The yarn is the most beautiful seafoam color. I’m using Encore – my favorite really washable worsted weight yarn for babies. The yarn shop has some beautiful baby yarn in a coordinating seafoam and yellow that I think I will get for the sweater set. Yes, I know a baby in Orlando may not need many sweaters, but this little guy/gal needs a set of his/her own to pass down.
And, oh yes – a third cure for the winter blahs – perfect scores on my last two essays for Psychology of Women and an invitation to join the newly established honor society for non-traditional students at Washington State University. Definitely an incentive to keep on keeping on.
missouristar 
Congratulations on your grades and on being in the honor society! You are one smart lady. I’ve never dealt with Handknitting.com but your experience shows that they know what good customer service is all about. Bask in the luxury of your cashmere shawl!
So pretty, and I can close my eyes and imagine how soft and wonderful that cashmere feels.
Congratulations on your honor student status. But you must qualify to be an regular honor student too – without the non-traditional tag?
Seems to me you will be graduating with all kinds of tassels hanging off your hat. Maybe even a special tassel for aceing satistics.
Wow. That shawl is beautiful. Is it one of Myrna Stahman’s designs?
I think there is something to being an older student. I was unorganized and unfocused when I was a student in my late teens and early 20s, but when I went back in my 30s to get a continuing education diploma, I was motivated and determined to do the best I could. Congratulations on your grades and honors.
The shawl looks great. And Congrats on the honor society!
Congratulations! Your shawl is lovely AND for the TWO perfect scores and invite!!
There was an audible gasp from me when I saw your first photo. That certainly was good customer service.
I’ve decided on the Fiddlesticks lattice lace stole for my Zephyr. I think I’ll make it a tad larger since it only calls for 850 yards. I was beginning to regret only getting two skeins, but they were the last two in the burgundyish mahogany colourway. I feel better now that I’ve found a pattern.
School sounds so rewarding. I’ve had a challenging week at work.
Li
Li
I’ve done that a couple of times recently – the double “Li.” Wonder what that’s about.
Congratulations, congratulations…on the shawl and the essays. By the way, did the essays mention anything about the psychological benefit of knitting for women?
Congratulations Dorothy! All the eye bleeding paid off 🙂
Your shawl is simply breathtaking and that adjective hardly does it justice. How’s about just WOW?
Congrats on the fab grades, and of course, the fab shawl.
Yeah! The shawl is beautiful; I’m so glad you got the little bit of yarn you needed. And congrats on the grades.
Congratulations on the honor society invitation!
And that shawl is simply lovely. I’m very glad to hear that handknitting.com’s customer service hasn’t declined since they changed hands.