Is April Fools Day Over Yet? Well for all of us at the shop it's been more like the movie Ground Hog Day with Bill Murray. In case you haven't experienced it yet Downtown Plainfield is under going a face lift. Currently, the main drag is down to one lane going east, with the other side of the road blocked off by lovely and decorative pylons. As I drove to the shop on Monday, I was greeted by several of these pylons placed strategically to block our driveway. This is not a good sign at the beginning of the week. I just survived my twelve year old's birthday sleep over only to be denied access to my only safe zone "the knitting shop". For those of you who know me and even those of you who don't yet, I promptly stopped traffic by putting my car into park, got out, and kicked the Sh@#! out of the pylon as it rolled down the street, got back into my car and pulled into the drive. As I was walking back out to the street to place the pylon in the correct position, I noticed that the gentlemen that had been putting them out must have witnessed my confrontation with his pylon and decided to keep moving down the street. I will say however, that I have been able to access our driveway during the week without any further issues. I am assuming that my message was heard loud and clear. Like the movie the day only proceeded to get better.

As our morning appointment was leaving he mentioned that we seemed to have a sink hole in the drive way. How could that be we just had a load of gravel delivered to fill in the hole in the middle of the driveway. Oh! but it's not in the driveway it is where the city just drug the 6 foot deep trench to replace the aging water lines. Ok, Ok, it not that bad it's just about the size of a small plate. By the time Monday nights group had arrived it had taken on a life of it's own, it was big enough to hold several small dogs or a child or two. I just keep telling myself that it is all a dream.....

I can't even find satisfaction in Knitting. You ask why? As I have said in the past "I have issues". Early in March my daughter and I were looking back through some family photos when we ran across the pictures from her christening. And of course being the good knitting mother that I am, I knitted my daughters christening dress. This is how it all started....the next words out of her mouth were "will you knit my first communion dress"? Need I tell you what my answer was "Sure Honey"! After, selecting the Merry Maiden Dress from one of the Knitter's Magazine patterns I started off to customize it. That was my first mistake. I strung 320 white seed beads, and started knitting the bodice only to absolutely hate it after it was completed. Then I tossed it to the side and regrouped. Meg and I found enough white Patina Yarn from Classic Elite in my stash to use and thought we would use crystals this time. After purchasing a lot......of 6mm crystals, I discovered that 6mm seed bead centers are not the same as 6mm crystal centers. Once the crystal crisis was resolved I was able to get started. I finished the bodice with a minor stitch pattern adjust and it was time to start the skirt. This one is for all of you out there who have started patterns, thought that you have read them thoroughly, only to discover you can't read. The skirt has two charts, one for the cable panel, and one for the lace panel. It is usually not my style to actually read a pattern before I dive in. I usually like to go with the flow. I placed my markers and off I went. After a lot of frogging, I was about to loose my mind. Well, what is left anyway. So, I set it aside and picked up my socks and knitted on them for a few days. Since, this dress has to be completed prior to May 3rd, I had to pick it back up relatively quickly. Once again, I read through the pattern, only to discover a section that said "increase round". In this little section it mentioned an increase round that needed to take place every other round that was not charted. As the saying goes; "open the door and the light goes on". Of, course it makes total sense to me now. When I included the increase stitches to the lace pattern everything knitted into place. It looks like Meg will have her dress in time. The moral of this story is to always have another project on the needles to go to and when the knitting gets tough, walk away, regroup and look at it with fresh eyes.