Groovin' Along

I'm in the groove with the Shoalwater Shawl. I'm not sure why, but it's all I'm working on right now. I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I have 3.5 repeats completed. According to the directions, I need 4.5 for the lace weight size. However, I'm still seriously considering an extra repeat. I would rather error on the size of too big rather than too small for this.

While the rows are getting fairly long (and 3 rows are basically just straight up knitting) I just did some quick math, and I don't even have 400 stitches yet. If I just do the 4.5 repeats, that will only add an other hundred stitches. That's not as much as I was expecting, so adding an extra repeat doesn't seem to be as daunting as I originally thought and I think in the long run, I'll get more use of it if it's a really big, wrap around me type of shawl.

In other things I'm thinking about... I'm trying to decide what I want to do for the Tour de France KAL. I'm not sure what jersey I should go after. Matt of course thinks the polka dot jersey (for climbing) so I'm trying to think what might be challenging enough to fit the catagory. I'm sorta leaning towards the French Girl crochet pattern "Fawne":


I have the pattern, and this will push my crochet skills. I'm thinking about a nice tart red yarn (oooh, la la, tres bien!).

I have to say that I have very mixed emotions about watching the Tour this year (and I'm not even sure if we are getting live coverage... VS might only be doing their prime time coverage. I haven't checked). I'm irritated with the way cycling is handling it's sport. Especially the organizers of the TdF. We're still waiting for the decision on the Floyd Landis arbitrition hearing and that whole situation has left an even greater bad taste in my mouth... the lack of respect by the sport's own orgainizations is very odd to me. There is no other sport that is trying so hard to destroy itself. At the current rate of major sponsor jumping ship, we won't be seeing professional cycling at that level. It will be smaller and more regional. Here in the states Rite Aid, Navigators, Health Net are the teams that come to mind, where most of the rider's have to keep a day job. I do enjoy the excitement of the Tour and listening to Phil and Paul is half the fun (like watching Boston Red Sox coverage... it's really to listen to Remy and Don).

(okay, I just checked, and yes, Versus will have live coverage of the Tour).