Wednesday, September 29, 2010

When shakuhachi needs help, knitters knit




To the many nice people who wished us well over the dental adventure, and to those who hope it's all over by now, surely you jest! Or, as Click and Clack would have it, Shirley Hugest.

At this point five days in, I have received a call yesterday from the dentist scheduling lady, a very nice person, who explained she was sorry she was out of the office a couple of days and was seizing a day when nobody was there to catch up on a mountain of messages. I explained yet again what we are hoping for, and she agreed to talk with The Dentist today, and get back to me at the end of the day, latest, with an appointment.

The day has come and gone, and I have not received a call. Which could mean any number of things, which I decline to go into at this time...but which do involve bitter thoughts about whether the dentist was out on the golf course instead of working, it being a nice day and a Wednesday, to boot.

Anyway, the shakuhachi method having helped a bit, but with nerves like a fraying knot of old wires, I decided that knitting was the meditative next step.

I finished a nice lambswool scarf and presented it to the person I'd made it for, who was quite unaware that a present was on its way to her, and was very happy about it. Lovely pale green, the scarf, I mean, laceweight, with a bit of lace design at each end. Which I did wrong initially, then liked the mistake so much I was careful to duplicate it at the other end. I didn't picture it in here, since I thought possibly the recipient reads in here and I didn't want to spoil the surprise.

And I started a new thing, a belt, which is simple enough to do in this frame of mind and actually very pretty.

So I thought I'd share it with you. The complete instructions are as follows: take a pair of size 7 US needles, or thereabouts, cast on 9 stitches, knit six, yarn forward, slip the last three stitches purlwise. That's IT. You can make a belt -- this size slips through belt loops nicely, or a guitar strap, or very very narrow bellpull, no end to your choices. It forms a kind of I cord at each edge.

Repeat the line until you go barking mad or get a call from the dentist, whichever happens first. I ran out of the first yarn I had lying around, so I continued in a related sort of color. I started on regular length needles, duh, and realized only a little while later, bit slow around here, that I could have used nice compact dpns in the same size. Only 9 stitches, hardly a long row.

And with only a minor shakuhachi, when Marigold the Burmese leapt on my lap, whipping the stitches off the needle and pulling several of them down as she got free, it's progressing pretty well. She got a free flying lesson out of it.

And there's no chance of a call this evening, so I may as well just enjoy watching Ken Burns' baseball program, while knitting.

2 comments:

  1. Sorry the dentist dude-ess didn't do her job as promised. Even a call telling a white lie about her boss would be better than leaving you hanging.

    Nice greens in the knitting. I'm glad you are at least able to do something to help the frayed nerves while you wait.

    Fingers stilled crossed that you get through this quickly for both your sakes.

    Minimiss

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  2. So difficult with people who don't return calls - thoughtless really really. Vibes going over and down to you. Still haven't touched my grey sweater coat...wonder if I'll ever get back to it. Maybe come winter if there is something I really want to hear on tv and just look up at now and then. I'm not that good a knitter, even doing just plain stuff that I don't have to keep an eye on my work. This yarn isn't as soft as I like, maybe that's why I'm procrastinating. After all, I've done the sweater once awready!

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