January 2, 2008
The joys of working retail
Most people look forward to the holidays. I’m just glad they’re over. I don’t normally work on the sales floor much but when the holiday crunch starts anyone can be drafted into floor duty. Since I’m the resident computer geek I’ve got a pretty good handle on how to run the (computerized) registers, so… I also know how to run the registers at my LYS and helped out a bit there when things got crazy.
Normally I enjoy the small bits of customer contact that I get – I wouldn’t enjoy it as a full time thing but a few hours a week is okay. The trouble is that the holidays seem to bring out all the crazies (or perhaps they just inspire craziness in otherwise normal folks).
Anyway… That’s all over now and it’s on to a new year. Hooray!
Now I may not have been blogging much in December but I was still knitting and I’ve got proof!
I finally got a picture of my Oblique. I’m loving the way the different stitch patterns play with the self-striping yarn. I think I’m going to wear this cardigan a lot. I haven’t made too much progress on it yet (just past the waist increases on the back) because it’s been my commute knitting and my commute is short and the bus stops are dark. Lacy patterns with a dark, variegated yarn under a single, yellow streetlamp – not a recipe for great progress. Plus it’s been cold and my hands wanted to hide up my sleeves not wave yarn around cold metal sticks. It’s been at or below freezing most days. Oddly, for this area, it’s actually been colder at sunset most days than it was at sunrise. Weird weather.
So, my non commute knitting? It’s another shop sample. The Fyne vest from Rowan #42
This is proving to be a quick knit. The stranding pattern is pretty simple and the yarn (Rowan Felted Tweed) is a light DK yarn so I’m US5 needles. I did the two waist ribbings one week (mostly because I wasn’t going straight home and didn’t want to take all the yarn with me). The back (which is nearly complete in the picture) was finished the weekend before Christmas. The front is done now too and I picked up for the neck ribbing last night. I should have the whole thing finished by this weekend.
I had so much fun with the Fyne vest that I’ve decided to do a cardigan version for myself. I changed the colors a bit since all that gold and green wouldn’t do me any favors. Mine will be more pink, lavender and blue with a touch of brown as well. I think it’ll be pretty. I’m debating working it in the round with steeks. I think I will because most of the color changes crop up on odd rows leaving you with a lot of ends to bury.
Speaking of finishing things, the final word on the Christmas projects.
Elijah went off to my mother bearing gifts of jewelry:
My brother’s socks got finished in time (and stuffed with coal – that’s what’s in the ziplocks in the picture). I’ve heard back from him and they fit perfectly which is a big relief.
My sister-in-law wants to hang the Swan Lake Stole on the wall which is a pretty good reaction.
Speaking of the stole, I remember I promised blocking photos so here they are.
Before:
During:
After:
I think that catches me up for now, though I probably forgot something. Oh well, something to blog about next time (sooner hopefully).
Oh wait! I did remember something. Death by Socks is starting another round. The sign-ups for the round close on the 5th and the game starts on the 15th. Go sign up! It’s fun.
ADKD 