Arsenic and Lace?

Being ill hasn't been all bad. I finally started my "Oak Leaf & Acorn Scarf" using the Windy Valley Muskox Qiviuk" that I bought about 18 months ago.



This is the first time that I have knitted lace and the learning curve has been huge. Despite knitting for decades, I found it hard to keep up with the pattern. I probably have frogged this back about 10 times.



But now the pattern actually has a rhythm and I have been able to knit 80 rows with little problem.



The biggest issue I had at first was what to do when I got lost on the row. Since I hadn't yet "felt" the pattern, the only thing I could do when the stitch count was off was to tear it out and start over. Lace is not one of those projects that I am going to be able to knit and have any distractions



The yarn is so soft and feels good in my hand. And is a joy to knit with even through two earthquakes tonight (3.4 and a 3.5). This is certainly turning out to be a unique vacation - if one can call it that.



So while I am recovering and my husband suffers in bed, I will continue to knit this scarf.





Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Vacation?

My husband and I flew to Hawaii on Sunday for a two week vacation :). By Monday night I was feeling just horrible with stomach issues (need I say more?). Anyway, things progressed and I spent Thursday in the emergency room. I am feeling so much better today (Friday) but now my husband is sick with probably the same thing. This isn't turning into much of a vacation. The weather is so sunny and here we are indoors, staying close to the bathroom. Not sure if this is a horrible vacation or a terrible nightmare.

One good thing out of the experience is we met one of our neighbors as she works at the hospital.

Thanks for letting me share (just words, nothing else honest).

Another Monmouth Cap

Finished work on another Monmouth Cap. I like the top of this one much better than the last.

I believe my husband has figured out what the button on top of the cap would have been used for. You would use the button to take the cap off. This could be for two reasons. One, you don't want to stretch out your perfectly fitted cap when taking it off or two, you don't want to get the cap dirty when you take it off using your grimy (or otherwise dirty) hands. Brilliant!

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Monmouth Cap Deconstructed

I was sent a photo of an actual Monmouth Cap from the 1500's. Here is what it looked like:






You'll notice that there is a loop on the back that I believe would have been used to pin your cap to your shirt so that you don't lose your cap when it is taken off one's head (purposely or otherwise).

There is also what looks like a chain on the bottom edge of the cap. While working on imitating the cap, I believe I have figured out what that "chain" was for - to keep the bottom from stretching out too much. Remember, they were not using ribbing for that purpose until probably the late 1800's.

I have been told that there is a button on the top of the original cap. I added one but for the life of me, I can't figure out for what purpose they would add that button. I doubt it was for fashion. Perhaps it was to keep the end of the hat pulled tight. Not sure.

So here is my "deconstructed" Monmouth Cap:






I am totally happy with all I have learned about the original. I am not pleased with the excessive bunching near the top of the cap. I've got to think of how to handle decreasing the stitches in a different way without changing the rest of the cap.

I've got one more day off from work to keep fiddling with it.

The Continental Line Annual Meeting

We are attending The Continental Line annual meeting on Saturday in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania near Valley Forge. I personally have never been to Valley Forge and we are hoping to walk through on Sunday.

The other hope I have is to sell the few items I am bringing with me - a Liberty or Death Cap (I still need to add the tassel), 3 Monmouth Caps (2 using my new pattern which I really like), and four pair of stockings (3 pair with my new "hand-knit style" heel and one using hand-dyed cochineal wool).

Wish me luck!

Vacation

I just spent four days at my girlfriend's house in Cleveland. Boy was it cold. Of course, it wasn't cold for Cleveland but it was for me. And believe it or not, I didn't take a single picture the whole time I was there.

When we got home, I fixed stir-fry. Gwen seemed to like it immensely. But that may be because she had to stay home while we were gone and she was trying to be one of the flock again.

I am now busily knitting stockings to show (possibly sell?) at the Continental Line annual meeting this coming weekend. Pictures later.