State of the State

First, here's probably the last time that this feather and fan shawl will be able to be stretched out to show and detail. It's on the 47" needle and I expect it will stay there until binding off. The lighting isn't very good because I took this picture at about 6 in the morning but you get the idea. I'm currently at round 85. I'm still a little worried about the variegated yarn but I'm forging ahead. It certainly is pleasant to look at color wise. It's also not terribly difficult to knit. I opted for the shawl which uses two charts for the feather and fan. The two chart version has a decrease and yarn over as well as 4 purl stitches right in the center of the repeat. I sometimes am flying along on the three rows between the pattern rows and run right by the purl stitches. Generally I see them the next time around and then carefully switch them from knit to purl stitches. I'm excited to see this shawl to the finish. I think it will be a nice size and the yarn is very lovely.
I have 106 rows to go and then the crochet bind off. If I average 2 rows a day that's 7 weeks to finish. SOAR is in less than 6 weeks. Not enough time. So that means I've gotta do more rows per day. If I can do 4 rows per day that means I can finish in about a month. HHHMMMM. I need to do more than four rows per day at the moment because I know there will be days when I do less and also near the end the pattern rows will probably take me close to an hour to do.
I do kind of like having a deadline though.
In other news, I found this at the State Fair today. Right outside the goat pens. I can't help it. The clovers with the unusual numbers of leaves just shout to me.
And then Ryan milked a cow. Jersey cows are my favorite. They have friendly faces.
Maggie did try milking the cow too but she (the cow) kept hitting Maggie in the face with her tail.
I just liked this cow. I don't know what kind it is. I think it's meant for meat. The dairy cows usually have a different build.
And the reason I went to the fair today was to find out how I did. First place in the Gold Ribbon Division for Handspun Yarn. This is the Blue Faced Leicester skein. It is a singles yarn spun on my Golding Spindle.
First place in the general division of handspun yarn. This is the Qiviut/Silk singles yarn spun on my Ann Grout Acorn support spindle.
And another First Place for Lily. I will pick all of them up from the fair on September 3rd and Lily will be retired from competition. I will actually wear her this fall. I'm so excited for that. I think next year's entry will be knit with handspun. I need to pick a pattern and a fiber. The Highland Triangle from Folk Shawls is looking very attractive.