Mail Call

I came home today and found that the ever growing collection of construction materials was still there. I'd rather that it was shrinking a little as stuff was installed in the house but, it did provide a good place to pose DQ's shawl. The blue tarp hides the drywall and cement board and that pile of boxes next to it hold the lovely tile that I chose. There is natural stone, glazed ceramic and some glass tiles that are unbelievably sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!
Back to the shawl... I think DQ will love it. It came out pretty well and, in an unusual turn of events for me, I have a bunch of yarn left over. Maybe she'll want fringe or something when she gets home from camp. Then again, maybe I'll just save it in case repairs are ever required. It's not the softest yarn or the best example of my spinning so I'm not sure that there are many other great applications for it. Maybe a bag. I could make a cute little pouch for her to carry when she wears the shawl. I could even felt it to even things out a little. I'll have to think about that.
As I said, the yarn in this shawl isn't my best effort but it's one of my first. I think it may actually be one of the first things I spun on Charlotte and working with it was a really good opportunity to think about the spinning. When I spin I have a tendency to fear thin-nesss. When the yarn starts getting thin I worry that it will break. This yarn had thick, underspun spots and really thin spots and they were all just fine. (I think that it's a credit to the pattern - the Flower Basket Shawl) that this inconsistency in the yarn produced a really lovely result.) Knitting with this yarn I also noted the many spots where Charlotte went wild and got away from me, producing corkscrewy curls of wickedly overspun yarn. I don't really get those much anymore so knitting with this yarn was nice because it showed me just how far I've come.
I can't really offer a photo shoot until I see DQ next month and she can model it with her blue dress. I really wish I could be there when she gets it but I can imagine her reaction and that will have to do. By the time she returns I should have my new blocking mats so I can block it a little harder before a real photo shoot. The more open this shawl gets, the better it looks.
Speaking of camp news - we're getting mail from my girls this year. That's a nice change because, in the past, DQ was not good at keeping in touch. This tear we're getting mail from both of them. Predictably, there are lots of requests. Please send more batteries, please send scrunchies, please send... whatever. I also got a thank you when DQ received HP7 earlier this week. I was hoping that she'd say something like "Mom You Rock" but a simple and timely thank you will work too.
I love sending letters and stuff to my girls at camp. It keeps them close somehow. We are having one small problem with the camp mail though. I can't read some of it. Ugh! The ones I have trouble with are fron Stinkerbelle and it has a lot to do with her learning disabilities. She is trying hard but she still uses a lot of what the teachers call "temporary spelling". I understand and I'm ok with that except for he fact that she's aking for stuff and I can't figure out what. I see the request for Webkinz. I know what they are too which is half the battle. The other notes from her are a mystery though. Any clues? It would also help a lot if she'd stop using Sharpies to write home. She is the Sharpie Queen.