Real Live Finished Objects and the Indy500

Stash Day finally  started! A week ago. But I wasn't really participating until May 31, which is when I cast off and blocked my first two objects.

First up is the Lady Bertram Shawl by Wendy Johnson. I was pleased how this turned out, though was very burnt out on it at the end. Johnson calls for Chart A, Chart B, Chart C, Chart A, cast off.  Only, I still had a LOT of yarn left. Not enough to do another project and I was through enough for Loopy Academy but still...so onwards I went A, B, C, A, B, C, and then while in the first four rows of A (round 3!) I said enough. I could have done a complete repeat of A the third time but I'm okay with having not. 

Gypsy, of course, was helping with blocking. This is in the gift bin, waiting a final home. 

This project was supposed to be a hat, but it took a sharp left turn when I realized that because I hadn't read really much of anything properly, it wouldn't take enough yarn to meet Loopy Academy requirements. So I went for a double layered cowl instead and plowed through. 

I'm not entirely convinced of it's final existence. I really liked the yarn (shocking, it's BMFA STR)  but I don't know about the cowl. I might rip back the doubled part; I might pull out the whole thing. We'll see. Right now it's still on the blocking mats. 

And then last weekend the Philosopher and I went to the Indy500! It was my first trip to the race, though I grew up listening to it and have an odd amount of knowledge squirreled away, most of which I assume I absorbed from the local radio broadcasts. I pay attention to no other races, but bring up the Andretti or the Uncer families or mention something about pit stop times and I suddenly have thoughts and feelings. 

The centipedes went with us. They thought traffic should have been faster driving down I-65. Only 2 mph above the speed limit average speed? You'd think we were in a state that didn't race. 

On the way to the actual race, I knit in the van and I pulled out the sock for just a minute or two midrace to do a few stitches. Things were happening rather fast (200+ mph) and we all had a couple of drinks and I didn't want to accidentally stick anyone with a size 0 (2.0 mm) DPN. Tetanus shots + racing don't go together. We were sitting in the straightaway as you came out of turn 4. It was a fantastic experience!

And now, back to the needles. Stash Dash won't knit itself...