Safety First!

Don't drink and drive. Don't run with scissors. Don't attempt break dancing while holding a baby. All good rules to live by. A safe Sheep is a happy Sheep. That's always been my motto.

I've found a new one to add to the list. I may even have it tattooed on my forehead. What do you think of this? "Don't attempt to knit the front part of your Fountain Lace Vest while taking cold medications." I think it could catch on.

Now, I know I've mentioned before that lace is not something that I ever, ever do. Lace gives me the stress. But, I was looking for a project worthy of my handspun Finn. I knew I had enough for a vest and I puttered about looking at different patterns, all of which seemed well within my skills. And yet they were so very plain. And I felt that the yarn deserved better. Besides, how challenging could a single panel of lace be? It's not like I was thinking about a whole shawl or anything crazy like that.

And, I must admit, I was flush with the success of my Chevron Stripes Towel. That has pattern repeats. I got overconfident.

I was close, I'll give myself that much. But the one little error was glaring enough that I felt ripping back and starting over was the best option. The yarn deserved it, after all. The benefit of being slightly loopy from the cold medicine was that I wasn't really feeling any highs or lows of any kind. My reaction to ripping out four inches of vest was akin to clipping a hangnail. I seem to recall saying something like, "gruffle-flump" but that was the extent of my commentary on the subject.

I next attempted to cast on again in order that I might start over. I then learned that, somewhere between, "I sure hope this cold medicine works" and "gruffle-flump" I had lost the ability to count to 64. The project was set aside for the night. I was still feeling little in the way of human emotion, but it seemed best not to push it. A tantrum could be just around the corner. I was able to successfully cast on when I got home this afternoon and things seem to be back on track.

Life has not been all knitting mishaps and medication hazes, though. I got the word from Trek today that I am the winner of her blog subscription contest! She was most eager to tell me of my prize and I, being an accommodating Sheep, allowed her to spill the beans. But I will wait until it's arrival to share with the blogging-world-at-large. Suffice it to say, I was a very happy Sheep. That high has even withstood the last dose of cold medication!

But I'm not risking the vest tonight. Better safe than sorry!

SA