The Boucle Egg and I

    Last week I was at knitting class...  Oh, you didn't know I was taking a knitting class?  Well, I've been taking a knitting class at this wonderful new shop in Chillicothe called Unwind A Bit.  It's on Paint Street right down from Lloyd's Candy Shop (Yum - but a different story).  Anway, after the class, Jo (the lovely shop owner) opened up her "sale closet" and my mouth dropped to the floor.  It was dark out, but the sun suddenly came out and rays of light danced around in there...landing on the very top shelf where there was what I can only describe as a big egg...a boucle egg.  Now if you don't know what boucle yarn is, it's a yarn that has anywhere from little curls to big loops in it depending on what kind you're using.  This one has little curls.  Boucle can be very fun to use. One of these days I'll learn to spin boucle, but in the meantime, I'll take my boucle where I can get it...which in this case was in Jo's closet.  
    I grabbed that boucle and held on to it with the delicate nature of a football player on game day.  No one was going to come between me, the boucle egg, and it's accompanying pattern for a totally cool looking wrap type scarf thingy.  If more people were standing around the sale closet I would have to have told them, "Back away from the egg...it's all mine!"  Yes, I can be posessive at times.
    The great thing is Jo sold me that egg and it's accompanying cool looking wrap type scarf thingy pattern and I've been busy at work on it.  Truth be told, I should be working on our class project, which is a pretty kimono sweater, but I'm kimono'd out.  It's a big project and I'm a little project woman.  I hope to have the kimono sweater done by winter...2015.  As soon as I got home I made sure to take a picture of my boucle egg to show you how major cool it is.  Even measured it for you so you could drool and then grab a tissue to wipe off the keyboard.  It's a good 12" long and 8" from side to side.  Yowza!
    Here's the thing...I've been grappling with that boucle egg for days.  I had to cast on 148 stitches to get it going.  Ok, I can count to 148.  I did teach kindergarten after all.  Problem is keeping it at 148.  I think all the cute little curls are swaying me into adding more stitches.  I've completely taken the wrap type scarf thingy apart twice and am now on my third go of it.  I'm determined to get it right!
    This  morning I had a lovely time outside.  Because of the total lack of rain and deadening grass I took the sheep and horses out to the field we never did finish as a riding ring, which is right next to the garden.  I did this very early, as the sun came up, before it got too hot.  They have to walk through the garden area, which I cordoned off with rope, to get to the grassy weedy stuff.  I sat in my little chair, gently laid my boucle egg on my lap, and proceeded to knit.  Then Z decided the rope is only a guideline and got into the garden.  Took me a good 15 minutes to get her to realize the error of her ways.  After that I sat back down and began to knit.  Next Lucy and her lamb ignored my protests and hopped the rope and went into the garden.  I put my knitting down and went on about coaxing them out.  Next it was Little Man and Badge.  Do you see a pattern here?  As the animals made their way back to a cooler area when it started heating up more I found I had no idea where I was at with my boucle egg and the wrap type scarf thingy.  Before I sealed up their eating area for the hot part of the day I counted my stitches.  Some how I am now at 155 stitches instead of 148.  I am bound and determined to crack this boucle egg and make a cool looking wrap type scarf thingy before the week is out.  If not, I won't be able to get back to the kimono sweater because the boucle will continuously be on my mind.  When I finish my wrapy type scarf thingy I'll make sure to post a picture of it...and the kimono sweater even if it is 2015.  Smiling & Waving, Sharon

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