Progress

On Saturday we started the box kit! It makes a much smaller box than I thought- only about 5 x 3.I believe that Todd and I successfully made it through step 3. Step 4 requires the router table to cut a teeny tiny rabbet. This is something that we have not done, have not used the router table at all in fact. We called Sean for help. IDK. We don’t have a rabbet bit. He thinks that we can use a larger straight bit by taking a piece of wood and hacking it into an additional fence, one that has a cut out so that only “exactly 1/8” is protruding from the fence. I understand that this is possible, but I don’t feel comfortable jerry rigging something when I don’t even really know how it works. I ordered the correct rabbet bits. Now I’ll need to get the gumption up again to give it another go. Sean said, you’ve bought a very specific solution to solve a singular problem, you could have used what you had. So is life.

I have a good bit of knitting that needs to be done prior to Shetland. I’n thinking that I may need to start day-knitting. For starters, I need to finish THE shetland cap that we will all be wearing. I started this a week or so ago and I’m on the crown decreases, so should be done soon. I also have a pair of socks that I really only work on when I’m not home. The more arduous task is the completion of Elizabeth’s dragon boat sweater. This is another task that I’m leary to jump right into. I’m such a scaredy cat.

This sweater was designed and charted by my dear friend Elizabeth Howard. She was knitting it with the Jamieson and Smith Supreme- all the natural shades. The body is done. The sleeves were not started or charted. Elizabeth died a little more than 4 years ago. There is still a very big hole in the world, (in case you’re wondering what is off-kilter). She had not charted the sleeves. I got the sweater and yarn shortly after she died. It was probably another 6 monthes before I located her notebook (magic book) for this project. I’m working on the sleeves to match the body. I’m about 1/3 of the way down on one sleeve. Once they are done, I’ll still need to cut the front steek and put on the button and neck bands. She left the buttons for me :)

When this Shetland Trip was confirmed last fall, I felt that I should get this project going. Elizabeth’s sweater should really go to Shetland. Then came all the christmas knitting and life. So here I sit just a few months out and a whole lot to do.