Wednesday, December 06, 2006

She keeps growing and growing and growing! Geyl is now up to 538 stitches on the needle, and I still have 19 rows to go, 152 stitches to increase, sheesh!
As you can see I've started the X/O pattern border. I was originally going to do it in an olive color, but we decided that the olive was too grey. Now the olive is going to become gloves or gauntlets, and I switched up to a mustard color. If anyone out there is knitting Geyl, there is some errata.

First, the first chart is off a stitch - don't fear - it's just a typo - if you look at the chart, the black, marker stitch box needs to come before the marker, so it's yarnover, marker, knit one, marker, yarnover, pretty standard for increases in a square shawl. The second issue arises in the start of the XO chart. In the swatch of the chart, the repeat is incorrectly marked - it should be moved over one stitch to the left. The chart is right, the line designating the repeat is wrong. And, if you look at the written, line by line instructions, the repeat is correct. Then, it says to begin the XO pattern after completing row 6 of the ladder stitch chart - this didn't quite work out - you have to begin the XO chart after row 8. Luckily, I think since it's debut at Stitches, I'm the first person knitting Geyl to get to the edging, so hopefully everyone else should be ok.

Over my little mini-break, I knit Geyl mostly on the plane, it was too big to hide under my table at the conference. So, while everyone was getting high on weed, I was getting my high on Socks that Rock in the Bleeding Hearts colorway. Now, before anyone gets worried that I'm a little too obsessed with hearts a bleeding in the AK era, I started these socks the day I got back from Rhinebeck, or a little thereafter, and too me, Bleeding Hearts are a good thing, as in bleeding heart liberal, moi. This is just a baby cable a la Sensational Knitted Socks, and I love them.
Here is sock number one (with Dex waiting patiently in the background for his morning walk). Wait, don't look at the toe - it's a little messed up - you know how I love Kitchener. On the second sock, not pictured, I've rounded the heel, have finished the decreases, and am heading down the homestretch towards the toe. And unlike the gifted Feather and Fan socks, I'm keeping these, and they are mine mine mine!

Speaking of my bleeding heart - our office had an art show sponsored by the mural arts program last night, featuring works by our incarcerated clients. We all went, looking to buy, be supportive, etc., but the only pieces I liked weren't for sale - and they were really good - and, it turns out they were by one of my own clients. I've represented the guy on appeal for a year or so. I've met his family, read five boxes of material about his case, and have corresponded with him. But when I looked at his art, I realized as many pages as I've read, as many words as I've written, I don't know a thing about the kid. Convicted of 2d degree murder for something that happened when he was 17, he's doing life. Long after the trial, DNA testing done on genetic materials recovered from under the victim's fingernails seemed to exonerate him - but did not move his PCRA (post conviction relief act) judge - who determined that "people breath DNA" so the DNA was irrelevant to him, and denied his appeal. Other evidence I won't get into seems to point to his guilt, fairly strongly. Other evidence leads to other suspects that were never properly investigated. As I peered at his art, I wanted it to give me an answer - did you do it? That has never ever mattered to me, guilt has never been relevant. I don't know why I want to know the answer in this case. Maybe if I knew he really did it, I would sleep better at night, with his appeal hanging over my head, and his life in the balance. People always ask me, how can you represent people you know are guilty - that's the easy part of my job. It's those innocent ones that haunt you.

6 comments:

Wendy said...

I could never do what you do. I'd be haunted for sure.

Love the socks and Geyl seems to be moving along well. I just ordered Anne (in "buttercup") for Parthenope so as soon as that arrives, I'll get that on the sticks. Courtney ought to have a Smith Island getaway where we can all bring our Geyls and Parthenopes and Maudes and Beatrixes ...

Carol said...

Geyl looks great! Must have a look at those patterns when I hit Philly next week. Are they in stock at Rosie's?

Would definitely recommend River lace pattern from Rowan. Easy-peasy. But then I hate charts.

Good luck with your case - nothing is ever black and white. That's what makes the law so much fun.

Knittah said...

OMG - people breathe DNA? Well, I suppose that could be true if someone exhales a cell from the lining of the mouth, but jeez louiz. I would love to hear more about your work. Criminal law always interested me the most.

And remember, bleeding hearts is a lovely perennial flower that comes up in early spring. It's always the first flower in my garden (which is too shady for bulbs) and is the perfect shade of pink.

Theresa said...

You knit these shawls so quickly! In other news, I've been catching up on some of your old podcasts recently. When's a new one coming out?

Dorothy said...

Geyl is looking beautiful. The socks do too.

I don't think I could do your job. You must be a very strong person.

Merrill Mason said...

Oh Dexter.