Sunday, July 23, 2006

Upcoming Lace Project

Along with the needles, my last order from Knit Picks included some new yarn... Shimmer lace- weight in Turquoise Splendor. My intention is to make the Candle Flame Shawl as a present, maybe for Mom. Now I haven't done too much with lace yet, but I have tried this pattern out with a sock weight yarn and it looked pretty good. So I think I'll practice some more with that before tackling the real thing.

Not a whole lot to update on the other knitting. Ruth-Anne and I did meet on Thursday though and I got most of the left-side panel for the head on the bear rug completed. I also got a few more rows into the clogs, but haven't really found the time to sit and concentrate on that as needed. The last half of the second sock seems to be on the back burner for whatever reason, but I'll get back to it eventually.


Today is going to be a lot of puttering around the house. Which, being the homebody that I am, I rather like! So hopefully in between the cleaning, laundry and cooking I can find a little time to knit. We'll see...

LISTENING TO: MEAT BEAT MANIFESTO - "99%" This album, years ahead of it's time when it came out in 1990, still sounds as fresh and important to the electronic scene today as it did then. Though they have gone on to make other great albums, this for me was/is their finest hour.


A VERY NON-KNITTING POST-SCRIPT:
(THOUGH IT DOES INVOLVE NEEDLES) I GOT PIERCED!

If you have no interest in piercings, read no further...

Last Friday a few of my female co-workers went to get piercings done. They all decided to get their tragus pireced which is the small flap of cartilage that sticks out in front of the ear canal. I wanted to go along but wasn't able because I had to work that night. And even if I could have gone, I wouldn't be able to get anything above the neck pierced since I work in a conservative medical/retail environment. That pretty much left me with the option of either the nipples or a genital piercing. The latter was definitely out for me, so I decided that if I were to get anything done it would be my nipples.

The next Monday one of those same co-workers mentioned that she was going to go back to get her navel pierced that coming Friday...AND that I needed to go along and get something done since I missed out the week before. I told her I would do it if it didn't cost a fortune (which I thought it would). She called the place and it turns out it was only $20 per, jewelry included. So after work on Friday we headed down to the shop in Brewer.

My co-worker went first and was done in no time...which means that before I knew it, I was up next! I filled out my paperwork, hopped in the chair and removed my shirt. He disinfected the area, marked where the piercings would be and applied the clamp on the right side. The first one was really quick and relatively speaking, not too bad. I had prepared myself for much worse. The second one was more like what I was expecting, the pain lasting longer and it was more intense, though STILL not as bad as I had expected. As I was cringing through the second one, the piercer said, "the second one always hurts more, but I didn't want to tell you that before doing it." Which I suppose was a good thing, really.

It's only been two days, but all's going well. And I am VERY pleasantly surprised that despite some discomfort the first night, there is almost none now. I do have 6-8 weeks of 3-4 times-a-day cleanings to do, but that's to be expected. So despite some initial reservations (mostly pain related ones!), I must say I'm happy with the end result (they look great!) and for anyone out there contemplating doing the same, I'd say to go for it!

10 comments:

Chris said...

If the second one hurts worse then do the second one first! Problem solved! Don't you get a sort of 'rush' though when it's all over? I did. Guess you'll be getting jewelry for Christmas.

Ken said...

Chris, you have your's done, too? Yeah, there was a bit of a rush that lasted probably a good hour or more and then I crashed and napped!

Unknown said...

I've heard that the nipples are the most painful part to have pierced. Although, I can't imagine it's worse than getting a Prince Albert......

Yikes...

Anonymous said...

you and chris are much braver than I am! a good friend has a prince albert and it wasn't the pain that bothered him as it was the bleeding.

Charles said...

Youguys so awesome!!!

Ken, i try knit lace for 30 min, I even not try since then...For me it's Too much!!

Once I try to knit lace scarf,it took me almost two hourfor little as one inch...What can I tall you? Just say good Luck!!!

I was thinking about getting prince Alert!! haha Iam Just joking!! But it looks really sexy!!(or Good to SXXX!!)My BAD!!!

Iam not thinking getting nipple in mine...because little nipples situation!!

Anonymous said...

That KP yarn will knit nicely for lace. It has a great watery coloration to it.
Piercing? I can't top the comments already made. Other than to say take photos. lol

Jason said...

Ooo lace! It's really fun with all kinds of things involved. :-)

Ummm... do I want to say it too... PHOTOS! LOL

Mel said...

Another Maine person in the knitting blogosphere! I've had lace on the mind, as well, but I'm trying to be good and work on using up some stash on other projects first.

As for the piercings, I've done the navel twice and twice had to take it out. I figured it wasn't meant to be. You did remind me that I needed to get some new barbells for my ears, though.

Jason said...

Oh, by the way, take a look at the video on how to use a "lifeline" on KnittingHelp. Can be really helpful with a complicated project. I used one on the "Violets". I put the lifeline through after each complettion of a pattern repeat. I went to Jo-Ann and got some cheap cotton crochet thread for the lifeline. It's slippery so it's easy pull through the stitches. It's also great for making stitch markers.

Ken said...

PAUL: This was the most painful piercing I've had done (also have had earlobes, cartilage and tongue done though the earlobes are the only other active ones).

DAVE, MICHAEL, JASON: I'll include a pic of the piercings in my next posting!

MEL: Yay! Another Mainer!

JASON: Thanks for the tip about the lifeline. I'll be sure to check out Amy's video about it. Love her site!!