The Not So Thrilling Part. . . .

of making all this yarn stuff is that it needs care to be the best it can be. 

 And of course I am talking about the blocking part of the finishing process.  Last week there was lots of final finishing to be done.  It is rare that I steam block.  There is nothing wrong with steam.  Don't misunderstand my point of view.  A few weeks ago, I even taught someone how to use steam to make magic!

The problem with steam is that my fingers get in the way.  Steam is hot!  And so my finger once got too close and I try not to repeat that experience.

This is the shawl that turned out to be a runner for the buffet.  I loved crocheting the strips together.  That part was great fun.  The actual crocheting of 202 rows of itty bitty narrow stuff - - not so much.  The thought of making another two panels did not sit well with me, so I stopped and now the thing is not wide enough to be a shawl for wearing to Tea with the Queen.  However, it looks great in the dining room and will probably stay there throughout the autumn months.

The vacation crochet set came out great.  I made a collar to go with the mitts.  The collar is nothing unique.  It is just a v-stitch worked in the round with a jolt of color.  It flares due to increasing the number of chains between the double crochet of the v stitch.  This set will live permanently in my travel bag.  The next time my row mate on a flight opens up the air flow to "arctic" I'll just pull these out and have a warm neck and toasty hands. 

And thinking about my narrow tolerance zone for temperature fluctuations  - it is now September.  And there is hope in my heart that one day a cool breeze will waft by and Fall will arrive.  It is time to pull out the wool blends and freshen things up for those two hours in the evening when warmth might be  needed before I realize that it is only 68 degrees and I start stripping off the layers.