I'm joining Kat and the Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday, with two sleeves. (Please insert "ta-da" and its appropriate sound effect here).
I had an appointment to get my covid booster shot on Monday evening, so I cast on for the body of the sweater on Monday afternoon. It was 219 stitches, so I counted multiple times, and when I kept getting different results, I separated the stitches into groups of 10 and counted several more times. My dryer had also died Monday afternoon, so I didn't get a chance to actually start knitting since I was busy at the laundromat. I had a pounding headache, fever, and chills after my second shot, so I'm not going to actually start knitting the ribbing until I know I feel well enough not to make stupid mistakes.
I have finally finished Matrix (and am looking forward to our discussion on January 11) and also finished Small Pleasures. It was on the Women's Prize for Fiction 2021 Longlist, so I had slightly higher expectations, but I thought the author tried to combine two different storyline ideas that never should have been combined in the same novel. I am currently reading and thoroughly enjoying Immune (and its terrific illustrations and endpapers).
I would love fabric like those endpapers so I could make some interesting immune project bags!
What are you making and reading this week?
Hooray for two sleeves! I hope that you didn't have a bad reaction to your booster and have been able to start the body ribbing (with the correct number of stitches, of course). I agree that the endpaper design would make some excellent fabric -- perfect for masks, too!
ReplyDeleteI am working on my daughter's hat, socks for my brother, and a charity hat -- all while ignoring my Shifty sweater -- and trying to get through the last 200 pages of Great Circle. Work is not cooperating this week.
Good for you on your speedy departure from the Sleeve Island Archipelago! But boo!! for bad booster reactions! And a bigger BOO!!! for broken dryers!
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree... that end paper would make the most glorious fabric! I am also imagining an Immunity Apron which would help avoid all kitchen-type disasters! (Imagine... perfectly cooked steaks and never burning anything! lol)
I want some of that immune fabric, too!!! (And immunity from all the the things would be nice . . .) I'm sorry about your booster reaction(I had similar.. . ), but happy to see two glorious sleeves! That color is just wonderful, Bonny. :-) While I didn't read Small Pleasures, I did read several books from the Women's Prize longlist this year . . . that can only be described as Real Clunkers. Not sure what was up with their long list this year, but it made me decide to wait for the short list from now on! XO
ReplyDeleteHooray for finished sleeves! You will not be stranded on sleeve island with this project. I, too, had a bad reaction to every Covid vaccine shot I got, so you have my complete sympathy. My bad reactions were totally gone in 48 hours, but they were a bit miserable. I hope you feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteAppliance hell is terrible, especially now. I am having appliance problems, but I am trying to put off dealing with them, which is not a good approach, I know. It's a bitch to try to decide what to replace them with these days. Good luck!
I love those end papers! It's not usual to find lovely books these days.
On another note, I stumbled across several articles just this morning which I think may explain your library survey story. I certainly understand now why libraries are fighting back these days, and as with so many things, it is very disturbing to me as a book lover. Here is the article, and I highly recommend it when you are feeling better.
https://19thnews.org/2021/11/school-librarians-resisting-censorship/?utm_source=Poynter+Institute&utm_campaign=3c378b9f80-11172021+-+The+Poynter+Report&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_26742a15dc-3c378b9f80-390885248
BTW, if you are off a stitch on your cast on, no one will ever notice if you increase or decrease a stitch somewhere to make it right. It all comes right in the end, one way or another. Do not stress!
I use that stitch marker method for any cast on over 100 stitches. And, I bet there is some fabric out there that looks like that endpaper. I am amazed at all the themed fabrics available.
ReplyDeletemy second shot and my booster shot were BRUTAL! ugh. lovely lovely sweater progress!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh! I hope your booster shot was ok and no bad reactions. I felt run down for several days, but that was it. YAY for the finished sleeves. I hope you've been able to cast on the correct number of stitches and are underway with the ribbing. The end paper in Immunity is beautiful. I think we all want fabric like that for any number of immune projects!
ReplyDeleteSLEEVES!! So exciting! I am on the last few rows of my own sweater. It's been a slog somedays, but I knew the day would come when I would be able to wear it. Blocking and the I'll have a big TA DA! Drats on the dryer and I hope its an easy fix. I had to take a nap after my booster, but it wasn't as bad as the second shot. I'm just thrilled to be immunized! I hope you find some fabric like the end papers!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got boosted although I'm sorry it made you feel lousy. Having those sleeves done is a very good thing!
ReplyDeleteSorry your felt poorly, but you are boosted! And you might consider Spoonflower https://www.spoonflower.com/en/home?msclkid=30319d2733801d02bb8efcb251152e63&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=BG+%7C+Spoonflower+%7C+Branded+%7C+US&utm_term=spoonflower&utm_content=Branded+%7C+Spoonflower+%7C+EM
ReplyDeleteThey print wallpaper and fabric with 'your' patterns. You might have to get permission to use the endpaper pattern, but if you really want it, it might be worth pursuing.
I can't really complain, as I'm glad to have the opportunity to get the booster. My fever, headache, and tiredness are slowly improving. I did think about Spoonflower, but assumed the designs are copyrighted. I'm not much of a sewist, so maybe I'll just appreciate the book, its illustrations, and endpapers.
DeleteI'm sorry you had a bad reaction to your booster. I was very lucky to only have a headache and sore arm. I hope you begin to feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteI've put that book on my TBR list. I took immunology back in the 1970s and took a continuing ed. course around 1990 so I could be an HIV counselor. I am sure so much has changed and look forward to reading about it.
Your sweater is coming right along. When I cast on that many stitches in the round I always use markers every 10 stitches because even when I'm awake and alert I mess up my stitch count!
Thanks, Debbie! I'm glad I got the booster, and I am starting to feel better now. My fever and headache woke me up last night, but hopefully I'll get a good night's sleep tonight.
DeleteMy immunology experience was much the same as yours - undergrad in the 70s and then a graduate course in 1989. So I definitely needed a review, and a lot has changed and there is much more known now. I found it quite interesting and hope you enjoy it.
I made sure to cast on when I was somewhat alert, but it took using the markers every 10 stitches for me to finally get an accurate count. That worked and I'm on my way with the ribbing!
I hope by now you are feeling better. And Ta-Da! on two sleeves. Take it easy this week.
ReplyDeleteAfter having absolutely no ill effects from the first and second shots, we both fell down hard after the booster. We got it late morning on Wednesday, went to bed early, and slept until 4pm on Thursday. I also had the mother of all headaches, so bad I took 2 of Smokey's hydrocodone at 5am and two more at noon. By Friday I felt better, but I didn't get dressed until Saturday afternoon. Gee, I guess the booster is working, huh!
ReplyDeleteMatrix is waiting for me at the library, and -- you made me break my resolution not to request any more books from the library until I have finished many of the books on my shelf -- I just requested Immune. Elder Son has a master's in epidemiology, so I hope I can follow along when he explains epi things to me. I was a CPA, so I know lots about business and finance and darned little about immunology.