Here comes the sun....

We had a brief moment of sunshine this evening, and I took advantage to show off my scarf!

For those who missed the earlier entries, this is my first actual, factual lace project. This assessment is based on my own set of qualifiers, and includes fancy borders, clever construction, and fine weight yarn. Now that I've had a taste, there's no going back! I've been using all of my willpower to resist stashing more lace weight yarn (I'm trying to abstain until Rhinebeck), and it's been so hard. I feel like that kid who dips their toe into the water, but once they're all wet, you can't get them out.



This isn't the most flattering picture of myself, but I wanted to show the scarf in actual use. To recap:
pattern: Scarf with the Striped Border from Weldon's, Volume 5, 1890, from Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby (pssst... the link leads to KnitPicks, where the book is 40% off!)
yarn: Handmaiden Seasilk
needles: US7 Addis (not the lace ones, though now I see the allure)

I love Victorian Lace Today! The book is beautiful, and the patterns are just incredible. I want to make almost everything in there. The best part about this book is that I feel, even as a novice, that I can make any pattern in there. There are instructions in the back for some lace techniques, and the instructions are so clear, I didn't even need to check another source for a clearer picture. For instance, I had to do a crochet cast on for this project, which I've never done before, and the succinct diagram and instructions had me casting on after my first glance. I definitely plan to make a shawl soon. And I've gone on about the yarn already, but seriously, it's fantastic. If you ever get a chance, snap some up. One hank is more than enough for a scarf!

In less enthusiastic news, war work continues with the Socks That Rocks.
Dear Blue Moon Fiber Arts People,
Please, please, please put your superior dying prowess to use on a true solid yarn.
Best Regards,
Knitter Who Wants the Pattern to Speak the Loudest




The issue here is clearly that, despite my intense denial and wishes to the contrary, both yarns are variegated (even though the word "solid" appears in the Navy description). Since both yarns are changing colors , the effect is less fair isle, and more Jackson Pollack. To make matters worse, there's still the issue of what basically amounts to pooling (both yarns hit the same color sections at the same time).



I thought maybe I could live with it, I even did two repeats of the fair isle instead of just one to make sure it wouldn't grow on me, but I just don't like how these are coming out. So, fine. I'll make lemonade, and make a nice, jaunty scarf using both yarns. My brother says the following whenever I start to lose my cool over an inanimate object, "You gotta be smarter than the [whatever I'm mad at]." Surely I'm smarter than yarn. Right?

Done Business

So, I finished my lace scarf yesterday in the morning and immediately set it out to block. Unfortunately, none of pre-blocking photos came out very well, so all I have to show you is the scarf almost done.

At least you can see the pretty colors! The yarn did an uneven striping, which I actually like in this piece, because it reminds me of ripples in the ocean on a calm day.

Looks like we'll have some sun around here for a few days, so hopefully there'll be an FO picture soon!

In other knitting news, I swatched yesterday for Coachella. Actually, I only half swatched. I knit most of the swatch, but didn't measure. This batch of Suede feels different to me. Softer, and bulkier.

Later, Gaters!

I'm Making Lace!

There was one other thing I got for my birthday that I hadn't taken a picture of for my last post.

Amy gave me this beautiful hank of Seasilk! The instant I saw it, I knew I would want to knit it right away. Having a single hank, I was pretty sure I'd be making a scarf.

I went through Victorian Lace Today and decided to try the Scarf with the Striped Border. I've done other lace projects (Branching Out, some lacy socks), but never anything I would consider a true lace project, with fancy borders and whatnot. I wound the yarn yesterday and did my first crochet cast on. I haven't been able to stop working on it since.



Please excuse the darkness. It rained all day today, but I didn't want to wait to take a photo! I keep pausing my knitting to admire all of the sweet eyelets and pet the incredibly soft yarn. Seriously, this yarn is exquisite. I'm also amazed by how quickly this project seems to be progressing. I'm already more than 25% finished with the center panel. I can't wait to block it!

PS: I finished Rusted Root Friday night, but don't want to take FO shots until we get some sunshine around here!

All About Brown

I didn't really think about it when I placed the order, but when I opened my packet from WEBS, my newest obsession became apparent.

I think I'm developing a thing for brown. In my stash, I have a bag of Debbie Bliss Wool Cotton in deep brown, some cascade 220 in brown, and a whole cube of the brown spectrum. I need to start knitting some brown stuff! In a break from tradition, I not only bought this yarn with specific projects in mind, but I plan to make them soon, meaning there will be less chance that I'll change my mind and the yarn will languish. The tweed yarn is for the Puff-Sleeve Feminine Cardigan from Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel, and the 220 Superwash is for a vest from the same book. The more I see finished objects from that book, the more I like all of the patterns, even the ones I thought I would never, ever make. I think the Puff Sleeve cardigan will be interesting in the tweed, since it's such a rustic looking yarn (the colorway is called Granary for heaven's sake), and the pattern is so overtly feminine. I can't wait! I'm trying to stay on task though and at least finish the February baby sweater before I start swatching.




I'm working on sleeve one right now. This is a fun project, but I'm always taken by surprise when I knit with cotton, how little I can knit before I have to take a break. I have a feeling that I won't be meeting my Quick-Fix goal of four projects in April (though hey, kinda... I finished CWT), but I'm okay with that. I still plan to make Rusted Root next. I will probably work on it at the same time as I do the Puff Sleeve Cardigan. I picked through my yarn basket yesterday, and discovered that I had balled up some sock yarn, too, so I'll need to find some patterns for those! I'm pretty sure I'm going to do Roza's Socks by Grumperina with some powder blue Lorna's Laces (fitting, since I won the yarn in a Jaywalker contest), but I'm not sure what to do with the STR yet.

In other news, my boyfriend went to California and brought back Victorian Lace Today! I have one word: WOW! Being a lace novice, I am a little intimidated by some of the projects, but adore 95% of the stuff in there. Will I make it all? Probably not, but it sure is nice to look at! I plan to start with one of the scarves and then move on to a shawl.