Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Milkweed Shawl

We are house bound these days as our dear Simcha is recovering from a difficult neutering surgery that was aborted. The good news is that he's doing well and we are very pleased with his treatment course and the surgeon who will do his next surgery on November 5th.

At his last training session we were delighted to hear that he was 75% trained, until we got home and soberly reassessed the figure at 2%. Nevertheless, we do see strides forward.  And, at the very least, all the cuddling is wearing down his rough edges.  Steve and I have hardly a scar left from his teething phase!

In these photos I'm wearing my newly finished Milkweed Shawl that I knit for weekend wear as an alternative to pulling on a sweater.  Because I spend a great deal of time at home, I like to have things to wear that are fun yet practical and this shawl is perfect for when I take Simcha for a walk or hop on a bike for a quick ride. 

Knitting allows you to express your personal style whether around the house or around about town and is a great way to update your wardrobe by adding just one or two pieces as the seasons change.


 Particulars:  Milkweed Shawl by Laura Chau who blogs as Cosmicpluto Knits; 1 skein Sundara Sock Yarn (350 yards), Dahlia colorway; US4 needles; relaxed post blocking dimensions: 16" x 44" (along curved edge).  The only modification I made was to Chart F.  Beginning with Row 96 I continued the "yo" on both sides of the CDD.  Therefore, on all subsequent pattern rows I had 12 stitches within repeats instead of 11.  I made this modification as I felt a little more ease in the edging was warranted and I'm pleased with the result.  This modification did use more yarn than the original pattern, so take that into consideration.  I also used the yarn tail at the top of the shawl to make a single row of crochet to reinforce the top center (I added about 2 inches of crochet along the top center border).  Finally, for the BO I used the my favorite loose cast off (i.e. k2 (transfer those 2 stitches back onto the left needle and K2T (through the back loop), K1 and repeat).

P.S.  This is my last skein of yarn from Sundara's Petals Collection (each colorway was dedicated to a flower).  The blogs on the other colorways are Bird of Paradise (a "classic" Mr. Puffy post) and Lenten Rose (socks for Steve and, I feel compelled to note, he has yet to wear them).


On a closing note, thank you all for your kind wishes and empathy and I am clearly not alone with work stress.  I will share that there has been an unexpected turn of events and suddenly I have had a large weight lifted allowing my life to returned somewhat to normal.  And, as Fall has arrived early here in SoCal, I am busy knitting accessories and playing around with felting so new projects will be appearing here shortly!  Until next time, be well and love well and have fun making your Fall accessories!

30 comments:

Sue said...

Oh I hope Simcha's surgery goes well. Your Milkweed Shawl is just gorgeous too.

Allie said...

Oh precious Simcha - the poor boy! Give him kisses for me, will you? I had to laugh at your reassessment of his progress in training....
I love your shawl. I'm seriously re-considering knitting because of you. I love it so much but I need a serious knitter sitting beside me to teach me! I'll see if I can find any classes locally.

Willow said...

Lovley shawl and yes it's perfect for the weather we are having right now.

Here's hoping that soon there will be a report that 1. your sweet doggie is 98% trained and 2. life is calm and relaxing.

gMarie said...

Oh that shawl is lovely. I'm amazed how big Simcha is - he's easily more than half your size - however do you walk him? g

t does wool said...

beautiful shawl,Claudia...and I am glad to hear things are turning around...and that Simcha is healing~

Monika said...

Claudia, this is the loveliest photo of you and Simcha I've seen so far! He's giving kisses, how sweet! He's a big boy now, not even fully grown, and so beautiful! I wish him well for the upcoming surgery. Keep us posted!
Your shawl looks lovely too, beautiful photos.

Unknown said...

Oh my. Simcha is huge!

And I'm glad that things are easing up a bit for you. I look forward to seeing what you make next!

Mary said...

Your Milkweed Shawl is beautiful. I love the color. Glad things are better for you! :D

Tracy said...

Hi, Claudia! So sorry to hear what happened to sweet Simcha! Just very glad he is OK and that all will be well with a second surgery later. Not easy when your pet is not doing well, or having to make many trips to the vet. Such fun news to hear he makes strikes with the training. Just LOVE the photo of Simcha giving you a "kiss" ;o) The shawl is so scrumptious, Claudia! That color is like melted raspberry sherbert...mmm... Such a pretty go-with-many accessory. Thank you for sharing! Let us know how Simcha does later... Happy Days to you all :o) ((HUGS))

Larissa said...

So glad to hear Simcha is well. Being out of commission for a while may do some good with the training. When we brought Remmy, our shepherd, home from the pound he was ill behaved, jumped on everything and mounted our lab dog nonstop. Days later we discovered he had heartworm and began the grueling 8 week treatment. During this time he wasn't allowed much exercise (+ he was sick) so i took the time to train him and teach him the house rules. By the end of his heartworm treatment we had the perfect dog - really. It's been 3 years and he walks a mile with me everyday off leash and follows commands. He was 2 when we got him so no teething scars for us!

Love your milkweed! I knit one last year and wear it all the time. I need to write down your cast off method - i always forget it. Enjoy fall - your surroundings look amazing!

SissySees said...

I have to note that the shawl is quite lovely and groan with you about Steve's failure to wear the handknit socks before I swoon over that sweet photo of Simcha giving you a smooch!

Sissy is having a SERIOUS trip backwards right now too, and at 3 years, I have no good explanation. Fingers crossed that all goes well and the next surgery is successfully over before you know it.

Glad to hear that weight has been lifted!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful,illustrative photographs! So glad Simcha is better, and especially that weight has been lifted from your life.

Ursula

Kathleen said...

Your shawl is almost as beautiful as your baby puppy ;o)...it doesn't matter how big or how old they are, they are always 'baby puppies' to me. Just ask my 14 year old Lab Stella!

jillian said...

It's gorgeous!! Glad to hear Simcha is recovering :)

CelticCastOn said...

i'm so glad Simcha is recovering! He looks like he might be a mama's boy,no?
Tell Steve to get those socks on his feet, tut tut, all your hard work!

Kristen said...

Hi Claudia...I love the shawls you have been making. I have a few on the needles right now, some simple ones that go in my purse when I need a quick project to take. Simcha is looking so handsome, hope he recovers well and soon, and that training is right around the corner. BTW, fall looks beautiful around your house!

amanda said...

Beautiful shawl - love the colors.
Glad that Simcha is doing better . . . puppies and the patience they require!!!

Glad work is going better for you as well. Hopefully the change of season will bring a slower pace for you :)

Rebekah said...

Very beautiful, and the shawl is nice too.

I just can't believe what a gorgeous dog that is, he really is a show dog.

Rachel said...

I'm glad that Simcha is recovering from the incomplete surgery...hopefully the next one will go without a hitch.

Beautiful shawl...and I loved your sentiment regarding knitting and personal style...very well said.

So glad that the turn of events lifted a weight...it's so nice when stress is lifted. If only for a moment.

Z said...

Lovely shawl. I like the color.

raining sheep said...

Such a super cute shawl...I love shawls too. My office at work is so cold I practically live in them. Glad to see Simcha is on the mend and am hoping for the best for his surgery. Hmmm, 2% hey? Well, since I own Tencents I totally understand 2% training...cat's don't go above 2% I believe :)

Renee said...

You have such great style! Milkweed shawl looks tres chic for your walks and biking.

Sending hugs to Simcha, good that he's getting such great care from you, Steve and his new vet. Training is a lifetime... if he lives long - you'll get there! ;)

Thrilled to hear your work pressure is lifted!!

KnittySue said...

Beautiful shawl..love the color. Glad Simcha is Ok and recovering well.

Bubblesknits said...

I love that picture of Simcha giving you kisses. :D Gorgeous FO, too.

At Home Mommy Knits said...

Love the shawl!! A beautiful piece of color for your fall wardrobe. Hope Simcha's surgery goes well next month.

subliminalrabbit said...

oh, so sorry to hear about simcha's first surgery and hoping the second is successful!

lovely shawl!

Hilary said...

Oh, that is just gorgeous! I agree about having a few fun pieces to spruce up your wardrobe when the seasons change. Adding a cool new shawl (like your new Milkweed!) can make a staple outfit (for me it's jeans and a black turtleneck) feel completely different.

I am so happy to hear that you've had some of your work burden lifted -- hopefully that means you can enjoy the fall weather!

Feel better, Simcha!

Beverly said...

That's gorgeous! Love the color. You are ready for fall with Milkweed to wrap around your shoulders.

knittingdragonflies said...

The shawl is beautiful!
I'm glad Simcha is doing well. I can't believe how big he is!!
I'll be sending wet kisses to him and thinking of him during his next surgery!
I need to get something on the needles.
And I'm still watching Notre Dame and thinking they will get going soon.
Vicki

Anita said...

Beautiful shawl, beautiful Simcha, & beautiful photos of you! :)