alisonknits

So Much to Blog... so little time

I've been just a bit busy lately.  Recently I started a new job as a youth programs coordinator at another UU church (I already work part-time for one), and the start of the church year for religious professionals is a bit like the start of the school year for those in education.  My Sundays are now 12-hour days, and as I'm still teaching at the yarn shop in Newburyport, I now have three jobs in three towns (none of which is where I actually live.)

One of my goals for the year is also to pay close attention to self-care, making plenty of time for yoga, playing piano, and resting.  And knitting.

So the blog has fallen a bit by the wayside.  And it always seems like the longer I go without posting, the more there is to say, so then I put it off even more.  It's a viscious cycle.

Meanwhile, much knitting has occured since the last time I posted any photos, so I've taken a couple in the beautiful sunshine today.

Here is the fourth (of five) of the shawls for my sister's bridal party.  The wedding is less than three weeks away, and I finished knitting this one on Star Island a few weeks ago, finally blocking it yesterday.  The yarn, as for all of them, is Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, and this pattern is from Karabella Yarns.  I'd actually made this shawl in a lace weight cashmere/silk blend a few years ago, and really love the stitch pattern.  The only problem with it is it's very long - perhaps I should have had the foresight to try and alter the stitch pattern so that it would be shorter.  Ah well, I'll try to give this one to one of the taller girls. 

The final wedding shawl is Mirium Felton's Adamas, and I finished knitting it yesterday.  Hopefully I'll get to blocking it later this week.  I also want to add another pattern repeat to my Flower Basket shawl, the first one I completed, as it feels a little stingy to me.  This necessitates taking out the edge pattern, but hopefully won't take too long.

In other FO news, weeks ago, sometime in August, I finished Icarus (another wonderful Miriam Felton creation), and never got around to photographing it.  Until now.

I love this shawl.  The grey Skacel Merino Lace that I used goes with much of my wardrobe, and the pattern is just the right combination of simple and interesting.  It's getting plenty of wear in this transitional season.  Soon it will be too cold for a lace-weight shawl, but it's hard to believe as it's been around 80 degrees for the last several days.  Too bad we already closed the pool!

My Birthday Comes Early... and it doesn't

I've just returned from over a week in one of my favorite places in the whole world: Star Island, which is off the coast of NH.  Just before I left, I got an amazing birthday present from my husband & father...

This upright was purchased from Craigslist, and I'm very happy with it.  I took 12 years of lessons starting from age 6, but I haven't really been able to play regularly since college as it was nearly impossible to have a piano when I was living in NYC.  (Small apartments, coupled with our tendency to move every couple years, made it pretty unrealistic.)

I didn't have a chance to spend too much time on it before we left for Star, so I wore out my fingers last night when I finally had the opportunity.  I also have already purchased about $80 of sheet music, in spite of the fact that I have plenty of music to brush up on from all my years of lessons.  But my tastes have changed, and I'm now much more interested in playing show tunes, standards, and popular music than when I was a youth and my musical taste was dictated by my piano teacher.

My birthday isn't until the 19th, but since it's a milestone (I'll be 30) we wanted to make this one special.  The piano is certainly special enough, but there was also a plan to celebrate with friends, mostly from out of town, during Labor Day weekend.  Several of our close friends were with us on Star Island, and a few more were going to join us at the house for the weekend.  We were supposed to leave the island Saturday morning, but it turned out all the boats were cancelled due to weather.  My friend Sara, who was at BJ's purchasing $350 of groceries when I got this news, managed with the help of her brother Dave to return the groceries.  Folks not with us on the island were notified that we were stuck.

They had said that the weather was supposed to be even worse on Sunday, so we were expecting to be stuck there until Monday, but we managed to get off (albeit soaking wet) on Sunday afternoon.

Disappointed as I was to have my birthday party cancelled, I couldn't really get too upset at an extra day and a half on Star.  I'm not sure I can explain why the place is so special.  It's partly that on the island we have limited or no access to things like the internet and phones.  It's partly the lovely scenery.  And the traditions - so many traditions!  (Like lining up to get lanterns for evening chapel, the Grand March on our last night, sharing family style meals, etc.)  But mostly I think it's the community.  The week we go is a family conference, and I love seeing the children running around freely (and they are safe!), and talking with older people who have been visiting Star for 50 years, and going to open mic nights where I actually feel safe singinng in front of people. 

It's a magical place.  Time slows down and each day lasts much longer than it does on the mainland.  I experience there so many moments of perfect happiness.  I love my life, but some part of me wishes I could just stay on Star Island forever.