In the fiber world a UFO is an Un Finished Object, or unfinished project. This cowl has been on the needle since last Fall when I started it, set it aside, and promptly forgot about it. It’s an easy knit, ninety stitches on a 16″ size 4 needle using fingering yarn. It’s a perfect project to work on while reading and I just happen to have the latest Mitch Rapp novel, pre-ordered, and now downloaded on my Kobo reader. I ordered a hardback copy for Brad that should be at the post office tomorrow.
I picked up the cowl yesterday and starting knitting from where I left off, but the more I worked on it, after about two inches, I didn’t like the obvious line I was seeing from where the stitches had been on the needle so long. I’ve misplaced the label that came with this set of mini skeins but I believe this yarn has a bit of silk in it and it didn’t like being abandoned on the needle for months.
So, last night I decided to start with rewinding the ball which meant breaking the yarn since I wanted to rewind from the outside of the hand wound ball. I had used a nostepinne to wind the mini skeins into one large, center pull ball and I wasn’t thrilled with my large, egg-shaped ball of yarn. After I rewound it so that the working end was on the outside I tied the two broken ends of the yarn together, slipped the needle out of my knitting, and kept winding until I was past where the line in my knitting had been.
The stitches are back on the needle and I’m ready to get back to work on this project. When I reach the break in the yarn I’ll do a spit-splice and it won’t even show. In fact, I plan on using a spit-splice to join the end of each mini skein to the beginning of the next mini skein. I had done a simple overhand knot to connect them while winding the first time.
Brad has errands to run this morning beginning with a trip to the farm to be on hand when the neighbor comes to pick up his stray bull. Again. This is the same neighbor who gave us grief over Grover getting out and onto his property and breeding his heifers…when he hadn’t done anything about mending the fence OR notifying us that he had heifers. So, Grover went walkabout and ‘liked’ the heifers as the grandkids put it.
The fence was mended by the neighbor, but apparently not well enough to contain the bull he bought to put in with his already bred heifers. (Picture me sitting here shaking my head in frustration.) Grover has had no urge to revisit the ladies next door so all is well on that front. His job was done and done well. He is not at all happy with the little Red Angus bull being back in HIS pasture though.
Grover looks like a monster compared to the little red bull. My concern is if the neighbor can’t contain his own bull the poor little guy is going to run afoul of Audrey’s huge Charolais bull and be badly hurt. Grover is very protective of his ladies and his calves. I’d hate for something bad to happen. Audrey has done wonders with Grover and he is pretty much her baby now. He pouts when he thinks he’s not getting enough attention from her.
As far as my knitting projects go I’ll continue to swap off with the different pairs of socks until they are all finished. One pair only lacks a couple of inches of cuff ribbing. I’ll keep the cowl for mindless knitting while I read and the Hitchhiker Shawl will be a good take-along project when I’m away from home. I probably won’t have to take out any rows on the Hitchhiker since it’s a garter stitch pattern and I don’t think it will make a difference the way it does with stocking stitch. It’s been in UFO status for months as well.
It’s time to stop talking about knitting and actually work on my knitting. That’s about all I’ll get accomplished today since now I am running a low grade fever with my allergy crud. I’ve got homeopathics to counteract the achy feeling and should start feeling better soon. And another cup of coffee wouldn’t hurt either. Have a blessed Monday, ya’ll.
Rural Texas Knitter 