Gotta love ABBA, don't you?! (Well, perhaps you don't - but I do! Except that now I can't get this tune out of my brain...)
Nina, pretty ballerina
Now she is the queen of the dancing floor
This is the moment she's waited for
Just like Cinderella...
...(just like Cinderella!)OK, OK - so I never actually did take ballet classes, as you might have guessed from the imperfect pose above. I was too busy going to $#^&$*@#^&$&*@#^$ Greek school, deprived child that I was!
However, I've made up for it by making myself a Nina Shawl fit for a princess! Or even a ballerina...oh no, here it comes again...
Nina, pretty ballerina Who would ever think she could be this way?
This is the part that she likes to play She would like to play it every day(Help!!! I need to get this tune out of my brain!! Bjorn and Benny have a lot to answer for...
But don't the girls look fab in their silver boots? I want me a pair of those! And I'm jealous of their straight hair too...)But, as ever, I digress.
Here are my specs/notes on the shawl:
Specs:
Pattern: Nina Shawl by Phyllis Howe (in the Mason-Dixon Knitting book)
Finished size: 22" wide by 60" long (almost as tall as me!)
Yarn: Kerzner Super 10 (mercerised cotton): 2 skeins #3944 (deep purple), one skein each of #3871 (lapis), #3407 (paprika), #3724 (lime), and pewter (lost the label so don't know the #) Needles: 3.75 mm Addi Turbos
Started: 7 January 2008
Finished: 13 January 2008
Notes:
- I have loved this pattern since first I saw it when I bought the book in summer 2006, and had already doubled the pattern (minus the ruffle and plus i-cord edging) to make a blanket for my mother for Christmas 2006.
- Having said that, it seemed harder going this time around. I was not convinced of the colours shortly into knitting the project, which didn't help. It seemed to take forever to finish this time - ironically far longer than it had to finish the blanket.
- Because my row gauge was shorter than that called for, I added a sequence in the middle of the blanket: 4 paprika rows, 24 pewter rows, 6 purple rows, 10 lime rows, 6 purple rows, 4 paprika rows:
- I was very upset with the ruffle pre-washing/blocking but now I think it worked out just fine:
- I would recommend this as a very good TV knit for others, and I do love the Super 10 yarn as ever! The colour sequence in the original is quite fabulous and in retrospect I wish I had gone with that, though.
The yarn is Rowan Handknit Cotton which I got in a swap. So far, so good!Then, hungry after all my labours, I hit the chip cupboard:
Eeek!!! Holiday supplies are fast dwindling!! Who has been raiding all my chips?! I'll blame JJ...and it's a good thing I stopped on the way home for emergency provisions:
This purchase resulted in the following conversation:JJ: Hey! You telt me to tell yew if you came in with any more crisps in the next month that I should confiscate them immediately and tek them to work wi'me!!! Gi'us the crisps!!Indeed. I immediately ran and hid the rest of the after work purchases (which, I hasten to say, are not chips either!)
KB: (holding up bag and pointing at the label indignantly) They're NOT CHIPS!!!
JJ: (after a pregnant pause) Bloody lawyers.
I need an ABBA exorcism!!! SIGH. Any suggestions, anyone?
Not the girl you'd remember but she's still something special
If you knew her I am sure you'd agree
'Cause I know she's got a little secret
Friday evening she turns out to be...
(chorus) Nina, pretty ballerina...
Time to sign off, I think. There is still some dancing to be done, apparently.
Cheers,
Kristina
PS. Hey! Just realised it's PayDay! Uh-oh...
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