Dear Diary,

There is a story of a shawl. I started it near to the beginning of my knitting career, then frogged it in dissatisfaction at my meager skills. The yarn waited. Time passed. The recipient mentioned owning a notable lack of items I'd created with my fiber art. I looked at the yarn. I did not use it. Then, the holiday approached and I had the skills, the time, the art, and the beginnings of the yarn. The shawl was re-born. I worked diligently, choosing the right yarns, the right stitch and pattern and gauge for each yarn. I built the stripes. The holiday closed in and I worked harder and faster. I knit like a madwoman. Then my elbow started to holler, and finally gave out when my shoulder joined in. I had injured myself knitting.


I tried to finish, but gave up completely, and built a cute little certificate on the computer, printed on velum. I shopped for the just-right pin to hold the shawl in place on the wearer, and presented it and clippings of the various yarns I'd used for the shawl as the Christmas gift, enclosed with the certificate.

I worked on it again today, having done no knitting except on Saturdays with the group since my shoulder and elbow gave way. The pain persists. I decided the assembly order and began the assembly. I used lots of diaper pins to hold the pieces together. This shawl will be very, very large. I'm entertaining the suggestion from one of the girls to leave the stripes detached at the bottom of the shawl. I like the suggestion better each time I think of it. Hopefully I will finish this shawl before next Christmas. It does not look like it will be useful again until those chilly summer days of rain we get in August.

It's Bubble Bath day. It is unquestionable how one should be celebrating this odd holiday. My bath will include Epsom salts for my arm, and I only wish my bathtub were bigger so my knees didn't have to stick out while I soaked my shoulder.