Long, long weekend

It was the big weekend of the year here in Orillia. Mariposa Folk Festival (http://www.mariposafolk.com/) started going up on Thursday. It's amazing that it ever gets off the ground. It takes 500 volunteers to do it and somehow out of the kaos rises a miracle of music and good will. We started our weekend on Thursday with the launch of ArtsU, an arts school funded by Mariposa and located at Lakehead University (http://www.mariposafolk.com/index.php?show=artsu). It was a smashing success. We started small with 6 classes offered and we needed 30 registrations to carry it, we got 76 class sign ups. Yes, we did it. Now we are on our way. Next year a tiny bit bigger and a tiny bit better. That was my volunteer work for Mariposa and the weekend was free to enjoy.

There were lots of people there (this was taken through a fence while in line for dinner at the tent behind the stage).

Our friends Don Bray and Alyssa Wright, The Brights, played (http://www.thebrights.ca/). Isn't it a thrill when you know the people up on stage?And what festival would be complete without the dancing celery stick!

I did some knitting. When I got home and was functioning on Monday I tried it on. Hmm looks a little big but if I knit one more row that will fix it. Tried it on again and guess what, still too big. Took it off, ate lunch, tried it on again and as I was now revived by food, could admit that it wasn't a little big, it was a lot big. I measured it and I now have 6" of ease, yikes. Measured my gauge and sure enough it was off. This is not unusual for me. I never knit to gauge unless I really work on tightening up. As soon as I relax I loosen up and the result is 6" of ease. That is why swatches don't work for me. I pay attention to them and then they lead me down the garden path.
But ... I am knitting top down and can correct this on the fly. I ripped back to the divide where I had put the sleeves on a string and originally cast on 14 sts for the underarm. I can adjust the size there.

I now cast on only 6 sts at the underarm. That eliminates 16 sts from my body and now I should have 2-3" of ease which is what I wanted. I will continue merrily on my way with my relaxed gauge.

-Deb

P.S. Hi commenters: The yarn is Perfection a new yarn from Kraemer (www.kraemeryarns.com) but I see it's not up on the site yet. The colour is gorgeous.

And I also like the wide neck. I really was looking for a collar that stood up and this appears to have the intestinal fortitude to do that so far.