Computer is dead again. I’m really p***ed off. Have e-mailed computer parts supplier to let them know and ask them how I should proceed (thank goodness for insurance).
This is not the best way for me to start a week. I am, in fact, so annoyed I have an irrational urge to cry. Crying is pointless in this case, though, so I’ll go knit a strap for my Everlasting Bagstopper instead.

Grrr. Stupid technology.

I seem to have caught another cold from somewhere (complete with cotton-wool-head, dizziness, back ache and exhaustion) thus resulting in an afternoon spent at home (having survived in work for all of 2½ hours), drinking warm drinks and feeling sorry for myself. It has, however, given me time to tinker with the look of the blog as I was getting fed up with the black and blue colour scheme. I’ve been meaning to change the theme for a while but, with my computer pretty much dead for the past month and a half, I haven’t been able to sort it. The good news is that my computer is now back on its feet (thanks in no small part to Ali’s DH, Nick).

As promised, knitting has taken place during my cyber-absence. I have another pair of yummy socks to keep my ever chilled toes warm:

Pattern: Spring Forward by Linda Welch
Yarn: The Yard Yarn Toddy in Sea Breeze
Then, buoyed by the prettiness of my socks, I decided to tackle the dreaded project. Yes, it was the basket case lace again. I was determined to finish it as it had been on my ‘to do’ list for a good long while. For some reason, maybe because I’ve done so much small-scale lace work on socks, I felt more confident about getting on a knitting it. In the latter stages, I rarely needed to use the chart because I could see how the pattern was forming and could, thus, tell where I was likely to have made a mistake on any given row, which was heartening! There was only one hairy point, where I had to frog three chart repeats, when I worried I would have to completely frog it again but after that point it all went pretty smoothly. Admittedly at that point I started to employ the use of lifelines which are a complete godsend – it made something as terrifying as frogging a repeat seem no problem at all because I knew I wouldn’t drop any stitches under the lifeline.

I actually began to enjoy knitting the lace and spent 3½ hours knitting, yo-ing, psso-ing and purling to my heart’s content at the Lower Shaw Farm knitting circle night on Monday. Another couple of hours’ work on Tuesday and I finally cast off. I still have to sew in the ends, wash and block it (task for the weekend) but even as it is, the shawl looks gorgeous and I’m so looking forward to seeing it in its beautiful blocked state. 

Image: Unblocked detail from Flower Basket Lace Shawl.

One stipulation of making the shawl was that I could not knit something else until I had finished it (just to make sure I didn’t get distracted by other patterns). With the knitting part of the shawl production done, I can now move onto a project I’ve been meaning to do for over a year:

I’m making an Everlasting Bagstopper which I can keep in my car or my bag so I don’t forget it when I go shopping. I got the hemp yarn as a birthday/Christmas present in 2007 so it was definitely far up on my list of things to do. 

Image: Start of the base of the Everlasting Bagstopper 

Oh, and I promised pictures of pre-computer death knitting, didn’t I. Here are pictures of the beret and the mittens I mentioned:

Pattern: Peekaboo Mittens (Ravelry Link) by Pensive Frog
Yarn: Dream in Color Classy – Cinnamon Girl

Pattern: Star Crossed Slouchy Beret (Ravelry Link) by Natalie Larson.
Yarn: Mirasol Yarns Miski in 103 colourway
I was also lucky enough to head up to Wales in April to browse through the stalls at Wonderwool (and add to my stash), but I think that deserves a post all in itself and can wait until next time. Until then, adios!