No Knitting at Jury Duty

Today was spent at Jury Duty. This was the first time I'd attended jury duty--the last time I was called was a few days before I moved from Queens. I sent them a copy of my new lease with my apologies. I had high hopes of being able to knit while I waited, there being nothing on the website about knitting not being allowed, but when I arrived at the courthouse knitting needles were included on the sign of things not allowed in the building.

While I'd only brought wooden needles and it's unlikely anyone would have said anything or that I would have set off the metal detectors with my oversized toothpicks, I opted instead to catch up on some reading. One romance novel (Julia Quinn's newest) and an hour and change of Terry Pratchett later (Reaper Man) and we were finally dismissed around 3 p.m.  A little over half the room was called for questioning but I am done--at least for a year.

It was probably the most patient group of adults I've seen in months. Because we couldn't go anywhere, because we only had this obligation, everyone just seemed to have settled in and accepted things. The daytime television was annoying but not to the point where anyone got angry. No one was regularly bothering the women who worked there. It was kind of like airport waiting only with less stress, no coffee (seriously, I didn't get coffee until almost noon), and without anyone getting frantic. During the last half hour or so, as the group being called was queuing and then leaving and then returning and then leaving again, people got a little fussy but overall, it wasn't an entirely unpleasant experience. It would have been better with coffee and knitting though.

Despite the county court rules, there's been knitting progress around Chez Hedgehog and I've finished my second project for 2014: a pair of overmitts for myself.  These are a duplicate of what I made for my massage therapist and meant to be worn either in a cold office or over my stretchy mitts that have touchpad fingertips.



These were about 90 yards of Yarn Pirate BFL Aran in the Sea Lab colorway. I think they are size 7 needles?

I've also been charging along on my first pair of socks, the BahBah BRIGHT Sheep socks. I finished the first sock on a commute home and, during a staff development workshop last week, I plowed through most of the leg of the second sock.



I need to count but another 5-6 rows and I should be ready to turn the heel. I plan to get that done tonight so tomorrow morning's commute is heel and onwards. No one should have to count before a full jar of tea.

Proof of the first full sock:



The yarn has a nice hand on it, the twist is fairly tight and it feels like it will wear well.

And while I don't have a picture for you, I have started working on the Lattice and Lace Afghan again! I have finally caught up past where I had run into trouble a couple of years ago  and I'm onto a new skein of yarn. I got through about 8 inches last night, though by the end of that my hands were complaining rather loudly, so that may be too much for one go.

I was debating a 2014 length goal again and thought I might generally shoot for 1000m/month again this year. Last year I managed it mostly though finishing up some long lingering projects--I don't take credit til the knitting is done-- and the Blonde's baby blanket (still lost by the USPS, yes, really).  But I think it's doable this year.  I'm at 283 meters already this year and it's not quite through the first half of the month. If Gypsy is amenable to letting me sit and also have my hands free, I might just make it.