Fleece Artist Goldiehair Shawl!

My latest FO, hot off the needles!!! And so easy you wouldn't believe it. I recommend this knit to anyone.

The pattern came with a skein of the Goldiehair (which is a luscious silk/mohair/nylon blend) and is all garter stitch. Excellent TV knitting - although actually I knitted all but 10 or so rows of this either on the subway or at a legal conference I attended earlier in the week. I'm such an outlaw...!

I decided to take the shawl out to the balcony to see how she deals with the snow and cold:

This reminds me of a fuzzy stained glass window (does that make any sense?)

I then brought her inside and decided to sew some beads on the few parts where colour had pooled:

The beads match the green colour in the shawl and there are some black opalescent ones as well, although the colours don't show so well in this picture.

I'm very happy with this piece... and I will certainly have to guard it with my beady little eyes when I wear it to work tomorrow.

Specs:

Yarn: Fleece Artist Goldiehair - Fruit Punch colourway (one skein - 125g=500m)
Needle size: 5.5 mm
Beads: from Arton in Toronto
Start date: 30 January 2008
Finish date: 6 February 2008

The recommended needle size was actually 6mm but I didn't have a set with a long enough cord. So I tried the 5.5mm and liked the fabric. I did bind off with my 6mm needles though, to avoid crinkling.

Anyway, I love it!

So now for a little rant about the evening news (because I couldn't leave you without at least one sourpuss thought. I am not Pollyanna, after all). I don't know why I bother to watch the news, by the way. All that is accomplished is that I get alternately infuriated and depressed.

Now for today's dose of what I consider to be rank governmental stupidity: the Ministry of Education has released a report recommending, among other things, that students not be penalised for turning in homework assignments late, nor given a mark of zero for the assignment if they don't turn it in at all. Students should be marked only on what they decide to turn in, apparently. This is to avoid students becoming stigmatised by low marks.

WHAT?!?!?! Man, I was born a generation too early!

Am I the only person who sees something wrong with this?!? I mean, I have a couple of work deadlines for Friday. I would LOVE to go to work on Friday and tell my boss "Sorry - I didn't feel like doing all that research. Now, where's my paycheque?".

What kind of lesson does this teach kids, anyway? (if I may be so bold as to venture any opinions about child education given that I am childfree, that is). I'm completely flabbergasted. Is it really true, like Pink Floyd said best, that we don't need no education?!?

The best that I could figure out from the little snippet was that the government feels this is necessary to address the fact that some kids present with learning disabilities and other kids have problems at home which might lead to issues with homework. In that event, what's wrong with hiring extra tutors and counsellors to find out how to support these kids?!?

Oh... oops, I forgot. That would cost money.

End of rant. And to finish off, here's my new shawl saying goodbye:

Bonus snap of JJ to the left, rivetted to the news and about five minutes before he threatened to throw his whisky glass at the screen because there was an inane news item about George Bush being gifted a hockey jersey. Sigh.

Oh - I'm making a bit of progress on the SOTSii - I haven't been able to do much all week, though:

This is through Row 140. So, I won't be done this clue by Friday. I'm amazed at how chilled out I am about that, given my type-A predilections. Maybe I'm getting more into the process than the product?

I guess there is light at the end of the tunnel:

If it ever stops #$%(*#@$&(@* snowing, that is.

Happy Thursday!