OUT to Lunch for 264 hours
at least…

a favorite cafe in 12e

NOT Chicago:
– almost non-existent sidewalks
– narrow, narrow streets that CURVE
– cars driving real fast almost in your lap!
– Bonne urbain

Shoes, check. Lipstick, check. Passport, check…

YARN? OMG!!! What the heck should I bring with me? This is harder than trying to get my passport renewed at the last second because I’d LET IT EXPIRE!!! (God bless those folks down at City Hall for helping me out…)

I am smack dab in the middle of two projects that don’t want to leave home!

What’s a person to do?

Start a N-E-W Project!

New yarn (after several projects with either recycled or re-purposed yarn – break open the GGH Java in a color they call “Adobe” which is a warm taupe)!

New pattern (a sexy little shell called *Bisect*)!

New ideas (should be fun to finagle some new angle moves while on the run)!

I am hoping to start and finish this while I’m on the road. Is this realistic? Probably – maybe – I think so?! Will I be too distracted to knit? Too jet lagged to purl? The adventure begins!

what’s more holiday than Holiday?

that would be, in the
Greater Chicagoland Area, a V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!!!

And if you think my DNA gets all wiggly in a new clothes knitting tither over one day, think of how spazzed I might get over a WHOLE WEEK?!!

Given there was only a weekend to rock around this concept, I wasted no time. I’ve had this yarn forever – Cleckheaton Tencel Wool (but of course, discontinued). This fiber was actually a souvenir from another vacation I took a few years ago when I was traveling in Traverse City, Michigan and stumbled into Baa Baa Black Sheep yarns out on 8th St.

In it’s first incarnation, (and it seems for the last few projects I’ve made I’ve used re-cycled project yarn exclusively), this was going to be a stole. This idea was ditched because I DIDN’T REALLY READ THE BALL BAND! A lace project usually needs to be extremely blocked and Tencel? Not really a candidate for the way I wanted to steam and shape…

So it was FROGGED and washed and lay waiting for its Special Day(s).

And that was the Weekend. I’d actually gotten a head start on this design a few weeks ago – I’d seen shrugs and boleros everywhere – but none of them were going to fit me the way I wanted. My problem with the Shrug? I love the way they look on everyone else; I can’t abide the way they make me look (from behind).

In fact this whole Shrug episode made me question some fundamental realities that exist for all of us.

For instance, questions for all eternity: why am I so concerned with my appearance when all I can really *see* of my body (in a standing position) is only about 15% of its mass. For 100% of the time, why will I NEVER see myself 100% from behind. (Mirrors LIE LIE lie…) Why is it we are facing forwards? Wouldn’t it be fine to really understand how your toe-to-top stylings were workin’ the room?

Maybe not. For me, anyway, I just have a *feeling* a shrug would do me wrong.

Enter the Cutaway! This is a shorter sweater with a curved front and almost wrist length sleeves. It has a high V-neck, buttoning right on the start of what would be my cleavage, if I had one…

I have a jacket that does this and love the way it looks. And this design version has all the curves and sassy fit (not a lot of ease – to fit over just light T’s and tanks) of those other toppers without my *problem*…

Enter the Tencel Wool! I’m hoping it will be a great travel companion – it washes like a dream, has wonderful drape, and just a little cozy warmth from that wool for the cooler Spring temps…

Now if I would just get in gear and PACK!

Cutaway
Design: Bonne Marie Burns
Yarn: Cleckheaton *Tencel Wool*
Color: #2059 Black
Gauge: 22sts / 30rows over 4″
Needles: #3 & #5