Good Knitting Mojo Needed -- PLEASE!!

Ok, I am going completely CRAZY with this no knitting crap -- and I have decided that I HAVE to get back in to it like NOW before the men in the white coats come and lock me up. Seriously! It is THAT bad....

But, instead of working on socks, I thought that perhaps it would be better if I worked with larger needles for a bit and cast on for a lovely lace shawl because I am so jealous of all the lovely shawls that my friend The Yarn Snob has been turning out on a freekin' daily basis (ok, so it's not every day, just seems like it from this side of the pond :gg: sorry, E!!). Have a peek and be prepared to drool, she's truly amazing!!

Only problem is, I can't read charts to save my life. BUT, I found a beautiful shawl that includes written directions as well as a chart (the designer, I ♥ HER to teensy pieces!!!!) has a FANTASTIC tutorial on her site for those of us that cannot read charts that has ME, yes folks, ME...the person that has always believed she would never, ever be able to knit from a chart in this lifetime that she may just be able to do it! Can you believe that one -- she is THAT good!

The Shawl is called the Forest Canopy Shawl. I am using the yarn recommended in the pattern, Mountain Colors Weavers Quarters -- and I ordered the color that this the original was done in (Sierra) BUT, what I got is U G L Y with a capital U so it's a good thing I got another color too!

I got the Meadow colorway also and it's gorgeous -- it at least looks like it's supposed to ( I don't know what's up with the Sierra I got, but it doesn't look like it should! (Please see below for sample) so I am all set! I just hope it doesn't make the pain worse, or that I don't do more damage to my shoulder/arm by doing this.



I figure using the larger needles will be a change and I will use circs so there won't be any pressure on the wrists or arms at all...I just have got to do something before I go completely out of what is left of my mind. I have been so depressed all I have been doing is sleeping -- and this is my favorite time of year -- so it's very out of character for me to be doing this now...I have got to snap out of it!

So, if any of you have any extra mojo hanging around, I would be most happy to accept it and put it to great use on my first lace project!!

I am as excited as I was when I first decided that I was going to learn to knit and started my first sock!! (yes, socks were my first real project! Thanks to Silver and her wonderful tutorial, I had no idea socks weren't something that new knitters were supposed to be able to do!! You should have seen the tongues wag around here when I showed my Mom's friends what my first FO was! They didn't believe I did it. Some of them have been knitting for 50 or 60 years and they still have not done socks, and here I am knitting for about a month and have socks done already, thanks to Silver! She is AWESOME too!

Anyone that wants to learn to knit socks that needs help, I cannot recommend that site enough. It is written for someone that has never knit before, so it's quite detailed and may be repetitive for someone that has been knitting for a while -- but it's so easy to follow you'll be addicted knitting socks in no time!