finally some knitting content

There has been so little knitting content around here for some time now that I fear all my knitting readers have long gone. But I did finish this Odessa hat a while ago, using the Fleece Artist Camelspin (gorgeous blend of 70% silk, 30% camelhair) in the Sangria colourway. This yarn is a laceweight/2-ply and as such, a bit light for Grumperina’s swirling pattern. But it seems to work either for a cool-ish early spring day or perhaps an early fall one.
You can see the spirals working their way out of the ribbing here — it’s a satisfying pattern! And the high silk content in the yarn, I think, will mean less hat-head problems. Let’s test that theory . . .
See? Not too bad.

Looking at these photos on the full screen after uploading them to my computer, I can’t help but notice the less-than-polished nature of my “mature” skin. Clearly, I could use a facial, a brow treatment (I’ve only ever had this once, and I try to maintain the general shape established then, but obviously don’t put too much effort into that maintenance), and a corrector-and-foundation lesson to get me evening out that skin tone. A better moisturizer and perhaps a filler to minimize the wrinkles. Over at The Thoughtful Dresser recently are makeup tips from a top makeup artist with recommendations of effective products and many of my blogging companions also post helpful tips regularly. I’m not averse to these and there’s nothing like buying a new lipstick to brighten a dull day (altho’ shopping the stationery stores can have the same effect for me), but I don’t hold high hopes for makeup, and I tend to do my shopping at the drugstore. Marcelle tinted moisturizer, warm neutrals for eyeshadow, a brownish-black mascara, some cream blush, lipstick, and I’m done — I got a makeover/consult about 10 years ago and keep thinking of getting another one as an update, but I feel pretty comfortable with this routine (which also includes night cream, eye cream, and a day cream with SPF under the tinted moisturizer, also SPF-ed). I tend to skip the passages devoted to new beauty routines and techniques in the magazines I read except for skimming to see if there are any useful products I might incorporate — and then I’m generally just looking for the cheap finds.

But surprisingly, looking at my face with all its flaws exposed by the spring sun, photographed by me aiming the camera back at me, I find I like what I see. I’m not sure why this is so right now; certainly, there are many times when it’s not the case. But for now, I like who I see, and I’m going to enjoy the moment. It makes me think of the lines from Derek Walcott’s poem, “Love after Love”: “The time will come / when, with elation, / you will greet yourself arriving / at your own door, in your own mirror, / and each will smile at the other’s welcome.” (My copy of this poem is from Derek Walcott: Collected Poems, 1948-1984, p. 328)

If any of you knitters have persisted thus far (I’ll bet most of you are gone now, rolling your eyes at the shameless mis-match between what the title of this post promises and what actually got delivered), let me say that I’m also knitting a pair of Serpentine mitts from the rest of the Camelspin — one’s almost done. These Sangria knits were all part of my Project Spectrum: Fire participation, and since Fire yielded to Earth at the beginning of April, I’m trying to get them done soon. But I’m also working again on my Dollar and a Half cardigan, with over two inches of the ribbing done on both sleeves right now. So coming down to the finish line on that project — conveniently the sweater’s green so I’ll have my first Earth project done fairly soon (that is, if I have enough of the Silke-Tweed; I’m getting a bit nervous). In other words, there will be more knitting FOs soon. Promise.

And just one last note — today would have been my dad’s 81st birthday — miss you, Dad! Thanks for all the love.