Back rub dates and ergonomics

It's the last week of school and my back has been developing knots for a long time. The gift certificate for a 30 minute massage was intended for today, but it was calling my name Tuesday. I couldn't see the reason in making my poor back wait any longer.

30 minutes of heaven and I signed myself up for another massage next Tuesday. The giant knot in the middle of my back is still present. It's like a tickle button. Hit, press, or touch the spot and my whole back spasms like I'm being tickled. Jen the masseuse wants to work on it again ... And I am happy to let her.

In celebration of a happier neck and shoulders I've concocted my very own ergonomic chair at work.

I have the least ergonomic work space. I am the receptionist and tech specialist at a small school. My desk is a countertop that was set at the height for someone 6" taller than I. The chair is armless, which is a plus, but it leans back instead of being straight. I've put a box under the desk on which to rest my feet so they don't dangle. Today, I finally put a rolled up sweatshirt behind my back, tied it to the chair ... And now have a cushion that curves with my lower back. It is incredibly comfortable.

Carson would be proud. If you ever get the chance to take an ergonomics class with Carson, he was at Yarnover this year, take the class!

I hope this is the road to a little bit longer knitting time.

In designing news, I'm ripping back the final section of another shawl. I don't like how it's turning out ...and luckily I added that lifeline a few days ago. Crossing my fingers that this new idea feels right!

 

Knitting with life lines gets you extra lives...

I admit I have been wrong. I eschewed cable needles, stitch markers, needle tips and life lines when I began knitting. The projects almost always worked without these tools ... And many lessons were learned. It's a great skill to knit a two stitch right crossing cable without using a third needle or cable tool. But great skills aren't useful for every single project. Sometimes a cable needle is highly useful.

I am a more humble knitter in many respects. I am also wiser. A 4 stitch cable doesn't always require a cable needle. But a 6 stitch cable is far easier with that needle. Needle tips aren't necessary for the beginnings of a shawl on 32" circulars. But it is vital when there are 300+ stitches on those circulars for an intricate lacework shawl. That lesson was learned the very very hard way many times.

I also respect life lines. The technique of inserting a length of scrap yarn through live stitches once a row has been finished ... This was lost on me. Until I started designing. Until I lived through Flores Gloria and had to restart 4 times. It felt like 12. This lesson hurt. I would make a mistake and only discover the mistake 4 rows later. 4 rows later after completing lace stitches on the RS and WS. This means k2tog, ssk, P2TOG and SSP ... With YO2!!! If I messed up the whole flower thing turned into a rendition of compost and I had to rip back. But ripping back was hard. There were lace stitches on both sides. No purl row existed for the first 32-40 rows of this pattern. Sigh. 12 rows ripped to ensure that all stitches were saved. I'm a better knitter now. But not that much better. The lesson was learned.

Now when I design, and I'm not exactly sure of my numbers or if the motif will stay in the pattern ... Now I use a life line. And stitch markers. I love my tools.

That blue line in the yellow knitting ... that is my lifeline. I now have extra lives for this project. And today, I'm proud of what I've learned.

 

Power-Up +5

Another goal complete. My third published shawl, Incan Lily, is available in my Ravelry Store! I'm pleased with myself and the rhythm which occurred the design design process. It may look intense, but this was by far the smoothest design, writing, and testing experience so far! Here are the steps in the design:

Step 1: cruise the knitting swatch books for an idea + 10 experience
Step 2: swatch chosen stitch patterns to determine construction and design flow + 30 experience
Step 3: Swatch again to determine any variations and increase method. +30 experience
Step 4: Rip out steps 2 & 3 because a slightly different direction has been chosen. +1 experience
Step 5: Cast on trial version in remnant yarn from other projects. +20 experience
Step 6: Leave step 5, pick nicer yarn and start definitive cast on. + 100 experience
Step 7: create charts for entirety of pattern. + 150 experience
Step 8: Rewrite each chart at least once, sometimes up to 4. + 100 experience
Step 9: Keep rewriting charts as first sample is created. +50 experience
Step 10: Finish first sample. Do another edit to charts. +100 experience
Step 11: Knit a second sample using final charts. + 200
Step 12: Write up Pattern, submit to testers. +100
Step 13: Edit pattern as corrections come in from testers. +50
Step 14: Do final look through of pattern. +9
Step 15: Publish pattern to Ravelry. +100

+ 1000 Experience points = LEVEL UP!

This is what my level up looks like:

Of course whilst testing was in progress I started another design. Not one of the many that I have planned or sketches for - but a new one based on a wonderful hiking trail on the National Superior Hiking Traing in northern Minnesota. I'm thinking of naming it Tettegouche (tet-e-goosh). It  is such an awesome name and is a Park on the National Superior Hiking Trail. Right now I'm in step ... 6? But haven't finished all the charts yet. They are completing themselves as I finish a section and decide the direction of the next. Right now it is being done in a buttery yellow cascade heritage quatro ... I'm saving the lovely Arauncania Huasco for the final sample knit. Now if only I could reverse engineer an asymmetrical crescent shaped shawl? Using increases and not short rows? Possible .., maybe not.

Yarn sample: