Proportions- Spring Things!

Proportions of the original Spring Things seem (by eye) to be roughly 2/3rd Chart A to 1/3rd Charts B + C.

I have started Chart B after doing 21 repeats of Chart A.

I took the stitches off the needles and spread the shawl out (and pinned it) lightly stretched and it measures 26", so the finished size would be at least 39" neck to point. Which will be just right.


So now I need approx. 13" of border. I am guessing 5 repeats of chart B +C, odd numbers look better, don't they? So far so good. The pattern is really well written the charts are easy to read and it's all going along swimmingly.

Clickety clack, clickety clack.

Spring Things, the next installment,.

If you remember, I started the Spring Things shawl, and then put it aside for a while as the pooling of the colours in the yarn was annoying me.

Well, after knitting with the chenille for DD's jacket I found the fibrespates feels soft and lovely *shock* so I can recommend a diversion away from lace knitting will help you learn to appreciate a scratchy lace in future. It doesn't feel scratchy at all now.

Plus despite the pooling I still like the pattern and the colours and want to make my friend a shawl for her birthday, which is approaching at a rate of knots(nots?) anyway, getting closer quickly :o)

So I am back.

The Spring Things now has 20 repeats of the Chart A pattern and I need to decide how many more I am going to add before I start Chart B... the original shoulder shawl size has 13 but I knew I wanted it bigger than that. The question is , how much bigger? Yarn is not a problem as I have 2 more skeins of this colour. Slight variation in intensity means I'd rather just use one more but as I haven't finished the first yet I feel safe to continue for a while yet? But how many more repeats will be enough?

The pooling is still bothering me a bit... I am hoping that the blocking will make it less obvious. A false hope?

Pondering Prevaricating or Why do we do it?

Just a little eye candy to distract you. I 'borrowed' Dee's photo which I hope she wont mind (just say the word and I'll remove it, Dee, but I haven't linked to your site for it, strange things like bandwidth leap to mind but I don't know anything about that, just that people don't like it...). I'll also tell you to get yourself over to Posh Yarn where there are still a few skeins of her yummy yarn left waiting to be given a new home. Adopt a skein! You wont regret it.

The lace weight pictured left is called Cardinal and is so soft - I must confess to stash stroking. :o) As an aside I'll just mention why I can't buy all the DK, Aran and Chunky yarn she has too , as well as all the lace... £ ... but also the number of skeins of each colour... I cannot estimate how much I'll need so I have to buy lots of each colour *blushes* it's a curse, I need therapy!otherwise we'd need a bigger house as I would have to buy it all *shock* There also other customers who might want some ... but ... anyway, back to the prevaricating.

The prevaricating of the title is over my sewing. Why can't I get myself motivated to get that stitching done?

It isn't the project itself. It's a row of a 'row by row' swap I was in last year. (And that fact alone tells you how late I am!) The theme for the quilt is a village and my row is of Angels in the sky above. The colours are colours I'd choose myself, so that's not it. Anyone visiting this blog knows I like purples, magenta and pinks (the yarn says it all). It's definitely not the recipient, she's someone I am happy to count as a dear friend, although (in the way of the Internet) we will most likely never meet. But over the years (doesn't time fly) we have shared a lot of information and enjoyment in our messages since we were first paired in a swap many moons ago. It is perhaps because I am not frightened of her that I am so tardy! Belle, you just aren't scarey - see not my fault at all? Oh, ok, it is my fault! :o( The fact is I have taken a liberty with my friend that I would not take with a stranger, that's okay in someways, but not in others and the others are bothering me.

So why can't I get going on the sewing?

I first started doing a lot of sewing when my children were in school all day - I would get things sorted in the afternoons, the cutting out, the planning, etc. and sit down to sew at my machine or by hand, in the evening. Now I have a precious 2 1/2 hours during the day when little DD is in nursery and during that time I have to squeeze my part time job and any other 'me' stuff (like housework, hang on when did that get to be 'me' stuff?). The job is working from home so I can do it in the evenings but I prefer to get it cleared during the day to leave my evenings free for crafting.

I could say that's it, I don't have the same amount of time as I did before. But in reality I know it isn't that. It's to do with not being able to leave things half finished, not having anywhere to set up the machine or the cutting mat and to leave it there. Yes, I need a craft room to prevaricate in.

No!

It's to do with the knitting! Yes, the downside of the portability (and tactile attractions of the cashmere and alpaca) is that there has to be a strong urge to counterbalance that when I have time to allocate to craft.

But now would be an ideal time. I am between knittings, on the needles I have socks which have been going since last August - no urgency there then! and a shawl which is pooling and scratchy! No draw there either, so what am I doing? Planning a lace design shawl of my own! No, I am prevaricating, again!

No, no, naughty me, put those KnitPicks down - stop fondling that silk/mohair/cashmere yarn,
get those fabrics out and get sewing! It isn't as if I don't know what I am going to do. Often delay is caused by indecision, which project shall I do? What colours shall I use? I need to buy ... x y z ! But no, none of those excuses apply. i know exactly what I am going to do, i have all the fabrics picked out and things are even cut and ready to sew, so no more excuses, Lady!

I have a feeling we've been here before! Sorry... but I am full of good intentions :o)

Baby Surprise!

Well, it would be a big surprise if it were for a baby!

It's for my little Miss and she's a small 4 year old but it's made using the Elizabeth Zimmermann Baby Surprise Jacket pattern and it is a blast to knit.

Yarn was donated by a dear friend from her stash and is of unknown age but weighed in ounces so maybe that dates it for some. Jaeger Chenille-Spun which is a viscose and cotton mix in shade geranium (DD2's favourite colour is red) I used my KP Options size 4.5mm (ish) and just went for it. I have no idea of the yardage on each ball but there were 5 or 6 balls (some frogged) and I had a few feet left at the end, I have no idea of the gauge but it fits perfectly and the buttons were from a button tin I bought for 50p at a jumble sale over 15 years ago! Free jacket! First EZ pattern and I love it.

DD wont have her photo taken *pouts* so I need to pretend it's not important and I'm not bothered for a few days and then she'll oblige :o)

The pattern is knit in one piece and folded origami style to make the jacket with only a shoulder seam to sew up at the end. I can see me making lots more of these in the future. The directions were easy to follow but I had no idea what I was doing at the time and just did what it said. VBG.

Lace Stash Two/Too *blushes*

The story continues ... yesterday my

postie brought the PY stash enhancement :o) and today the Sage green from Angel Yarns.

My collection is nearly complete 'cos I can't buy no more :o( All that is outstanding is some hand dyed yarn I have ordered from Cazza and then I will be replete!

Must knit faster, must knit faster.

Time to start designing my own lace goodies I think, anyone for Pi?

Colours for the PY are Apple, Hibiscus, Ocean, and Delicate. I feel a stole coming on.

How do you block curves?

Well, I don't know so in the end I didn't.

The Feather & Fan Shawl/wrap/throw/thing from Folk Shawls in Posh Yarn, Emily, Ocean and Patter looks like this.

Real life colours are much more vibrant and delicious and the Emily was lovely to knit with. Blocking would make it a tad wider and if I ever figure out how to block a curve smoothly and successfully then I will do it, it'll open the lace up a little too. But for now this is it and this is where it lives!

Yes, there is more!

11 more skeins arrived from PY this morning *gulp* I think I may need help!

Must knit faster, must knit faster.

Maybe if I knit all my other stash I wont feel so bad about the lace? Maybe ...

One thing is for sure, I must not buy more *shudders*.

Name & Shame

My name is Jacqui and I am a lace addict!

The Postman brought these ...

What a great morning, and this isn't all I am expecting *blushes* there's 'some' PY stash to come yet. Whilst you're there check out Dee's blog as she's got photos of the guys doing the dirty work *shock* :o)

These knitterly goodies are an excellent demonstration of not only my excess *sigh* but also of the connections made through the internet.

The KnitPicks are to complete my Options set. Knitpicks make lovely interchangable needles with the smoothest connection between needle and cord of any I've tried (and I've tried several) I don't use anything else these days. There are a few of their classic circ for the smallest sizes which Options don't go down to, and some longer chords. Knitpicks do not post to the UK. Er, don't really know what to say to that... do we not knit? Have we no money? What is the story with that one? Answers on a postcard.

That takes me to the second connection. Sebskins (see She Says She Can Knit) very kindly allowed me to piggyback her order for the second time, kindly posted here for her by a friend who lives in the USA.

And the third connection is that I met Sebskins through the Angel Yarns Forum. It is truly a wonderful thing to make connections with people and to discover that there is still trust in the world. Sebskins ordered the KP items and organised posting the goodies on to me and another forum member - at lightening speed :o) - and trusted people she has never laid eyes on to be honest and to pay up once we knew the cost. It really does my heart good to know people through the internet.

The yummy yummy yarn, i can't tell you how soft and squishy that yarn is, is from another forum member, Cazza. She recently started a small business selling hand dyed yarns and this is my first purchase from her. First but not last!

Another connection brought the books to my house. EBay! These books by Elizabeth Zimmermann are not available in the UK so I got them from US sellers on eBay. I wanted them due to a final connection, this time the Yarn Harlot played her part when she wrote a post about a garter stitch jacket I had to have the pattern for.

So there you have it, the interweb feeds my shopping habit and brings me goodies that support my knitting addiction. I am enabled! :o)

Edited to add - those books are available here! Doh! You can get them from http://www.pmwoolcraft.co.uk/ Luckily due to the favourable exchange rate I haven't paid any more than I would have to get them here but I would have got them a lot quicker! Should have asked the forum, we live and learn. Saving for the last one of the EZ book 'Knittting Around' - then I'll have them all ... I think ... I'll just go ask the forum :o)

More Spring Things

Progress so far is slow :o(

The laceweight takes forever to grow!

Here's where I've got to tonight, 13th repeat of chart A rows 13-18 finished and nowhere near big enough so more repeats it is :o)

Good job I have plenty of this yarn, I've used 10gms (ish) so far.

Must get some digital scales.

Strange that it's my crafting that makes me buy domestic appliances (if you can call scales an appliance).

I smiled to myself when I finally bought an iron ... because I needed to iron the seams on my patchwork.

And now I need scales to accurately weigh my yarn.

Sadly the process is not the thing with this yarn. Don't like it, although I have adapted to it and got used to the scratchiness of it. Now i don't like the pooling at all. See the big purple patch on the top left and the large blue splodge on the top right? Nah! Not impressed with the way this is knitting up at all. I am tempted to frog and CO something different in a different yarn. But at the mo I am also trying not to get too distracted by my knitting as I am working on some applique too. But this is supposed to be my evening relaxation when K has gone to bed, but it's not working for me, not at all. Some projects just don't ... gell.

Spring Things Shawl begins

Started this a few days ago with some Fibrespates yarn from my stash (more on that later). The pattern can be found here http://knittingasfastasican.com/spring-things-shawl/. It's by the same designer as the Forest Canopy I knitted earlier this year. But this time with 3 charts to follow. There is lost of info on the 'Knitting as Fast as I Can site' about lace and reading charts so have a look round if you're curious :o)

So far so good with the knitting, although I have to confess to a lot of tinking (keep loosing yarn overs *rolls eyes*). The yarn is another matter! I like the colours, and so far pooling is not a big problem (see the pink splash in the middle, I can live with that) but yarn is not nice to knit with. The band says it's 100 wool but that's all the info I have, it is thinner on the lighter colours and slightly thicker on the darker ones, it is rough to the touch and each stitch grabs it's neighbours so tinking is a pain and it is generally blerck! Not a happy bunny, give me Posh Yarn any day (every day?)

Whilst I mention PY, have you seen tomorrow evenings sale yarns?! I am in covetous heaven, I want it! All of it! VBG Ah well I will have to choose a favourite and hope I'm quick to bid, thankfully most colours have multiple skeins so I have high hopes :o)

In other news I have been sewing, would you like photos or shall I keep it a secret and do a 'big reveal' at the end?

And finally ... I really must blog more often :o)

Not really a Shoalwater

Spending time at Mum's is good for my knitting! Knitted on the train on the way there, knitted during the evening, knitted on the train on the way back :o) Sadly didn't get to go and see my Aunty as K came down with a cold; runny nose, ear ache and a visit to the out of hours doctor meant no contact with someone undergoing chemo for me or Little Miss. But I left my pressie with Mum to be delivered later.

This second photo is an accurate representation of the colour. Isn't it delicious? I really like the Ocean with the Patter (Posh Yarn Emily). I need to finish the rest of the ball in the first photo and then decide whether to continue this to throw/blanket size or whether to leave it at 4 skeins as a wrap size as per the book. I am leaning toward the second as I am ready for a new project and if I put this aside to start something else it may never get finished.

I have had it off the needles to frog back a few rows a couple of times (missed out a complete set of YOs *Doh*) and it is L ....... O........N........G (very, very long) - *shock* - but is it wide enough? Ho hum, dilemma, dilemma. Will I have anywhere long enough to block it? How do I block wavy edges? Ho hum. But on a more positive note the yarn is yummy, soft and bouncy and just gorgeous to knit with and I have enjoyed every stitch (even the frogged ones, honest!)

CQ comes home.

I have forgotten how many months ago these two White on White blocks went off on their journey but look what came home today!

It is incredibly difficult to photograph these and show how wonderful they are so you are all invited for tea at my place and we can pass there round for a real life show and tell.

I feel very emotional about these blocks, far more than I expected to. When I sent them off to Aus I wasn't at all attached to them, I just thought WoW was a 'nice' idea, and one I hadn't tried myself yet, so it seemed a good idea.

But it has been a long and frustrating round, this rr. Four blocks (sets of blocks) have gone missing in the post and have not been recovered so far. People are not happy. Other people feel responsible - which they are not, and others feel blamed which is sad.

I asked for these blocks to be sent back to me rather than to go on to the USA which has been the leg of the journey where all 4 others disappeared. I felt sad about doing that, as if I could be seen as apportioning blame, which I am not. But with so much work already completed on the blocks (the USA would have been the last stop) I really was worried these would be lost too.

And that was before I had seen what work there is.

I will try to take some close ups over the next few days. These photos above have been taken from the blog for the group that took part in the cq rr http://cqcrazy.blogspot.com/ go have a look at the other blocks that are doing the rounds.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the rr, thank you to Maureen for starting the whole thing off (although I am sure she has felt at times that she wishes she hadn't) thank you to pinup for stepping in to pursue the missing blocks whilst Maureen was moving house, and thank you to the postal service for bringing these wonderful beautiful things home to me. (and especially remembering those who gave generously even when their own blocks had fallen by the international wayside.) Thank you.

I think I will have them mounted and framed as a way of preserving their beauty and cleanliness. I feel very humble at all the hours they represent of people's time and thought that went into them.

Despite the difficulties this rr has had, I feel tonight that it has been worthwhile, because I have the prize in my hands and I am blessed. Thank you.

PS

Finished the Yarn Harlot's book and started this one, details here. I feel a jumper coming on ... oh my!

Feather & Fan Wrap

Over on the Shoalwater blog - whilst I wasn't knitting (okay, okay I was knitting, I was knitting) http://shoalwaterangels.blogspot.com/ I blogged the beginning of my second Feather & Fan shawl.

Having decided that I cast off too soon for the Shoalwater itself, I didn't want to do the exact same project again but did want something similar... which I found in the Folk Shawls book (see blog link above & scroll down for the full story).

Here's where I am up to. I've added a second colour as when I read the pattern properly the 3 skeins of patter I had, wouldn't be enough!

When will I learn to read a pattern before I start knitting?

I also started the pattern wrongly and did my first row of YO and k2togs before I should have, it doesn't really matter, but it does illustrate that I start with great enthusiasm and not much preperation *rolls eyes*.

Luckily I had the Ocean colour in Emily too so I will have the 4 required. I like it so much I am toying with the idea of making it into a small blanket or throw instead of a shawl. :o) I'm striping the Ocean so it looks like I meant to do it that way VBG. Might add the Frost Flowers but not sure they go well. Dither, dither.

Colours in the photo are lighter than real life, the sun is shining today - we're off to Durham later to the Botanical Gardens where K can make it rain in the rainforest *winks* wouldn't it be nice occasionally to make the weather behave how we'd like it to.

But a walk with early spring flowers will do me the power of good. Teen monsters are griping about being made to come *rolls eyes*, but they'll be wanting me to run round after them for the rest of the Easter Holidays so today is my turn. Mwahaha. Besides it'll do them good!

sewing update and more shopping *blushes*

Okay I said there would be photos ... and here they are :o) not of the sewing itself - that would be giving away the surprise Hehehehe but of the source materials, a starting place at least.

There are lots of Angels, ooooh, aaaaaah, country angels and if you are really good I will show you fabrics too *shock* but not today. And in another project - cats :o)




















As I am not knitting *nose grows to enormous pinoccio length* honestly I am not, what me? Fingers crossed behind my back? You can see that from there! Ah hem! As I am not knitting (ish) I have been shopping instead :o)


A lot more Posh Yarn http://www.poshyarn.co.uk/shop.html


and multiple skeins of each. I think when there's a yarn sale on I need to take the plug off the pc . Maybe it's the word 'sale'? Maybe I need to start charging Dee storage fees? :o)



Sorry the photo is a bit grey - just like our weather today :o(



In another new (knitting related) development I am reading this which is making me laugh and making my kids roll their eyes in despair. The recognition factor is huge.

My DS2 says "how come you never knit anything apart from shawls these days?"

Hmmm, no seams, lace yarn/lace patterns/no deadlines cos you lot keep growing, think I need any more reasons? The best reason of all? Because I can!

OK OK OK you shamed me into it...

Only kidding... I feel a sewing mojo coming on. I'm itching to get stitching.

Btw, I wont look like that when we meet. I will have tidy, combed gorgeous locks and i will have lost another 2 stonnes :o) We live in hope :o)

Meanwhile as a taster, photos will follow ...

Whilst I'm here ... do you feel guilty about giving away something you don't really like? Something in me says you should really give gifts that you'd love to have yourself. The SW is a case in point, which is why I am thinking of it :o) I don't think it is big enough for me. Everytime I wear it (if I do) I would be annoyed that it wasn't bigger. I might just not wear it at all. That would be a shame, it would be a waste of the hours of work (although the process was rewarding in and of itself) so it is better to find it a home where i hope it will be loved, right? Hmm, can't help thinking it's a 'tainted' gift though. Ah for a clear conscience :o) However, on the other hand, if someone gave me the SW I would be really pleased with it. Another dilema is that I ought really to knit the thing with the recipient in mind if it is a gift. Not give it to them as an afterthought. Ah the hurdles we place in our own way! Over thinking this one maybe?

Ok, I was wrong :o( Bigger is better!

Okay, I am starting again!

This time I am doing the repeats as per the pattern!

Even if it will be HUGE, I think I want it to be HUGER than it is, :o(





Btw please ignore the cockeyed horizon, DD is going to get photography lessons for her next birthday!













Can I go back and add some more after I have cast off? Maybe not impossible but also not advisable. Bah Humbug.

Perhaps this one will go in the 'present' pile for later. Actually now I think of it I have the perfect recipient :o) My Aunty has just been diagnosed with early stage cancer and will be spending lots of time in and out of hospital in the near future, I am going to visit soon so a lovely soft shawl to cuddle up in might be a very nice gift right now. Ah good! Feel much better about it now.
















I was just going to include the 2nd photo as I look much younger/thinner/more attractive from behind and I am thinking of getting my hair cut after seeing the first one :o( but thought you'd like to see one of my local beaches. On the other hand as I can't actually claim there's much beach in that photo (we do have sand - really we do!) that's just an excuse to get a piccie of me in.





Here is the stitch pattern, I was trying to show the purple and green in the yarn, but it hasn't photographed well :o( but the stitches are pretty anyway :o)























Meanwhile, back on planet 'cool', DS2 demonstrates beach wear for March especially for those of you in Australia.












In the interests of even handedness here are the other 3, DD2 demonstrates the purpose of a visit to the beach - whatever the time of year! It doesn't matter HOW cold it is - they need icecream. And the ginger gang show how teenagers are photo averse- it's impossible to get them to look at the camera. What is that about?


This was before we went down onto the sand and before she tested the first puddle (aka rockpool) we came to. She was much wetter after that!

PS Pink hat and wellies, anyone would think I planned that outfit, anyone who didn't know me, that is!

It's not quite dry yet but ...

here's a couple of photos to look at whilst we wait.












This is pre blocking - measured 43" at neck edge and 25" from neck to point. See how wavey the old shale pattern makes the top edge? Thank goodness for the blocking wires - this is how it pinned out.

Here it measures 70" x 36". It is 'strongly' blocked at this point so I expect it will contract a little once I take the pins out.

And the size? Well, it's not quite as big as I would have liked *shocked* but I do think it will be big enough to wear.

I will do this one again with another repeat for a larger shawl but if I was using the same yarn I don't think I would do the 3 1/2 repeats of the pattern, maybe finish the 3rd one instead of doing 2 1/2 as here. The pattern is a nice classic lace pattern, it's easy to see what you should be doing as you knit. The only slightly tricky bit is knowing how to add the increases in repeats as you progress but it's a well written pattern with nice clear charts and anyone who knows how to do yo and ssk shouldn't have a problem with it. The 3 rows of ss make it grow quickly and although they were a bit boring at first I quickly got used to them and they made this a less taxing knit.

I like the yarn and think the colours will be practical to wear but I still don't love it, ho hum! I am a little confused still as to the guage of the yarn, I am guessing somewhere between a 4 ply and DK but closer to DK I think, I could do a swatch to check the ss guage as I have lots left lol which is nice.

And now I have that unsatisfactory 'nothing to knit' feeling. I do have his Gansey to finish (scratchy yarn) a second sock to do (heel to turn) and the extremely fine Pi shawl to knit up - patterns all picked out (but oh such very fine yarn). But I don't want to do any of these yet (if ever).

Last night I was thinking Angels and Applique, plus there's the 'forever families' to finish, and the 'my family' quilt for K to get going on. A little something secret yet to be really begun although it's all drawn out ready to stitch. So maybe some sewing?

The yarn is calling me though 'knit me!' it sings sweetly in my ear when I pass by. I do need another cardi, I really do, and K's cardi only needs sewing up and button bands so it should be finished before she grows out of it! But I don't like 'should', I don't usually do 'should'. Hang it! I know I wont do 'should' :o) You only have to look at my house re housework to see how I feel about 'should'. VBG

OK enough prattling, off to see if the SW is dry so I can go out and take a pretty photo of it, maybe on the beach? :o) The sun is shining today, wrap up warm fro a stroll by the seaside, even the SW wouldn't keep me warm on the beach in March, but it would do for a pretty picture. Btw the fact that it's still wet this morning reinforces my DK feelings :o) about it. Enough.

The Vagaries of Yarn Substitution, or How I Finished Early!

I thought I still had another repeat to do and the extra half but I was getting worried :o( It was going to be too big. This is my take everywhere, wrap up at the coast shawl, it needs to be voluminous but not too big to wear. It needs to be practical and comfortable and gorgeous and to make people covert and want to knit. It needs to be big enough to wrap small children in as you carry they back over the dunes and they start to shiver in the early evening fret. Will it be a blanket? Will it be a double blanket.? How many more rows? Surely not! That can't be right can it? You have no idea the relationship that is developing between this shawl and the tape measure, it is bordering on indecent *gasp!* Have I read this right? have I knitted on alien size transforming needles? Is my tension really THAT far out?

To that misgiving I added the feeling I have had since starting the Emily that she is really a DK and not a 4ply/sock yarn/sport weight thing. Lovely, nonetheless, and it would be more than a little hypocritical for me to be churlish about a little extra weight *shock*, but still a definite DK. Check the label again, it says sock. hang on you do get DK sock yarn don't you? Have I assumed too much?

So I stopped, well, actually I tinked back two rows to finish where the pattern says to finish for DK and then I did the picot cast off last night. I love that cast off it's great. But I couldn't stop half way so I had to keep going until 1.20am *bleary eyes provide evidence*. I still love that cast off, so simple, so zen.

Today my task was the i-cord. Could i remember how to do it? A diagram might have helped here, but it came back to me as I knitted,and although it seemed miles to the end at first, it quickly passed (also in a Zen like way) and was complete. This time believing myself that this is a DK I chose a very large needle compared to the too small needles I have knitted the rest on *rolls eyes*. USA 13s in fact, and I was at some points in doubt as to whether these would be large enough. I guess I wont really know until I block the beast. The i-cord on Grandma's bed jacket (!) at Christmas was too tight and prevented larger blocking, don't want that this time, so extra stretchy i-cord (achieved through extra loose stitches on huge needles) was the order of the day. And although the change in needles was alarming at first they soon settled into their rhythm and I studiously avoided looking to see how very far there still was to go along that neck edge. Soon we were passing half way, the large needles, dwindling yarn and I and suddenly we were done. I have to confess to splicing in another ball, but only used a couple of feet (if that) so I count that as 800yds in total.

And the funny thing is, no matter how many times I measure the beasty I am now not sure she will be big enough. I am sure she would have been too big if I had kept going. I do know I have two full skeins of yarn left (which I am still not sure I love, although I know I like) and I have no idea what to do with it. I do believe Emily is DK not 4 ply. But have I done the right thing in casting off all of a sudden and on a hunch that she is big enough and will grow enough with the blocking? I do not know. We will see.

Pictures? What now? Before the beast is subdued by the wires? No! Surely not.

Tomorrow night I block, and tomorrow night I will take lots of photos, but for now, wait, be patient. I am having to be. I have tried her on, laid her down and looked at her, pulled her and stretched her and measured her and guessed about her. I have read and reread the pattern to see if the secret is there. But tomorrow I will know!

SW ... a little bit more!

No knitting last night, spent too long on the pc! I have a couple more rows to do and then it's the start of my last repeat of chart 2! Must remember to put in a life line don't want to be frogging now! The rows are getting longer and taking longer so I guess what feels like quite speedy knitting will slow down now. Just so you can see the colous better, here's a close up too. I am getting to like the colours more and more. Which is a good job, don't you think?

In other news ... I hear from Maureen that my cqrr blocks are ready to come home. Maureen, in case that email i sent you bounces back (anyone know why I have such problems sending to bigpond email addresses but not receiving from them?), the answer is YES PLEASE! :o)

So back on topic, SW - well tonight I will knit and not surf, ok? OK!

Btw do we like the blue background? Not sure, hmm, think I do, what do you think?

Progress so Far

As I went to bed last night this is how my SW was looking. I have completed one full repeat and I'm on row 37 of the second, not quite back to where I was before i had to frog it *rolls eyes*. Colours a littlemore exciting in real life as the flash bleaches it a little but this is my first not 'in your face' project for a while and I am feeling unsure about whether i like it or not. Ho hum, I am sure it will be warm & snuggly and I intend to take it to the beach for the late summer evenings, chilly even on a good day in Northumberland, but let's just say it isn't my favourite colourway ever.

Shoalwater Shawl Begun

Had to do it, had to cast on and somehow 43 rows just flew on to the needles *shocked gasp!* Might have something to do with the time I went to bed this morning (Yawn!) Ah well, makes me happy, clickety clack.

Posh Yarn, Emily, Frost Flowers (4 plyish but quite thick), needles Knitpicks Options size 5.5mm.

What do you think of it so far? Hmmmm, not sure myself, not enough holes yet to really see a patern, but a garter stitch shawl is quite quick (well, with this few stitches otn it is, just wait until we've got a couple of hundred per row, that'll sort the women from the girls from the ones who can't be bothered VBG). Not sure about the colours either, not enough of the dark blues I don't think, i'm hoping it'll 'grow on me'. I am not a very visual person and find it hard to substitute my yarn for the one in the photo, this has the advantage of making a pleasant surprise (hopefully) at the end, but the disadvantage of not knowing if i like what I am using as much as the author's choice, iykwim.

BTW Eunny is back Eunny Knits now that's what I want to be able to knit when I grow up/sell the children/win the lottery and don't have to work. :o)

Clickety clack, clickety clack, clickety clack. (Actually the KP's are fairly silent (to my ears) but I think the nises anyway :o) Housework? What was that again. Did I tell you the story about my DD and the iron?

and sometimes I sew

I do, really I do! Sometimes I sew cq (crazy quilting) and I did some last night.

The rr (round robin) has been going on for ages now (sigh!) and there have been a few problems, 4 blocks have gone missing between Australian and the USA and between New Zealand and the USA. This is really sad and has upset the joy of international co-operation :o( But everyone is still in and steps are being taken to try and trace the missing blocks, I do hope they turn up :o)

The other one of the pair of blocks I have just finished working on is this one



I feel a huge sense of relief at getting this work done and these blocks posted. This led me to pondering (not for the first time) why I have gone over so strongly to knitting.

It has a large ammount to do with all the 'other stuff' that has been going on in our lives for the last year. With something nagging away for the last 14months I haven't been able to sit with a clear mind and a happy heart and to embroider. Sounds a bit extreme I know but sewing is not like knitting, not for me.

Sewing is concentrating, and design (well, cq is) and I want to do my very best as I am adding to the work of others and don't want to detract from their wonderful work with my mediocraty. Whilst I have been preoccupied (even when you are not directly working on the problem the worry impinges on every other area of your life) I have not done my best work. I have not done what I have done as fast or as well as I should have done it either. It has not been worked with a happy heart.

But progress was made on the problem (although it is not completely resolved) and we are at last making steps in the right direction. My dark worry cloud has drifted off and it's clear skies again.

As is usual that is not the whole story. The ongoing commitments I took on last year as part of my sewing forum werte too ongoing. The Row by Row lasted to long (or at least it will have when I finally finish the row I am working on at the moment) It has become a chore, not this row especially but the whole project. The cq, I have already said, has also dragged on and felt like an obligation not a pleasure.

I know this has a lot to do with how I have been feeling as the year has progressed and by how weighed down I have been feeling.

Knitting is more adaptable, it is easier to pick up and put down. No boxes of beads, silks, buttons, threads, etc. to get out and pack away each time. Just a ball of yarn a needle and a pattern, more portable,. Patterns that I can knit in meetings (and I do) patterns I need to concentrate on and become absorbed in, patterns for zoning out at the end of the day and above all recently the discovery that I can make my own patterns too.

Now don't get me wrong I think that they can co-exist, that I will knit and sew. When I was little my Mum sewed in the summer and knitted in the winter. I wont be taking on any ongoing commitments though, not for the foreseeable future. I don't like the feeling that I am letting people down when I miss deadlines, I don't like the feeling that I 'have' to sew tonight and my first thought yesturday when I finished those cq blocks was "Oh good, I can cast on for a new knitting project now!"

One more thing to finish first, row by row, and then I can put my lovely rows together to make my Christmas Quilt. I am very glad that I took part in this - I have a beautiful set of rows to assemble which will remind me of the people who sewed a row for me, and for which I will always be grateful, but it hasn't always been easy. Sometimes it's not easy to sew, so far it's always easy to knit.

Finally!

Finally something positive to blog about ;o) Finished the Victorian Lace Today, shawl from page 50.

And just to prove the miracle that is blocking again, it went from 14"x 43" to 19" x 59". I could have tugged a little more to get that last inch for the book dimensions, but it was late, I was tired, the wires were popping. Which reminds me, this was the first outing for the wires from Heirloom Knitting and they are fabby! Have to knit more lace so I can play with these again. Also, notice in the first photo they provide a way to suspend your lace to it's advantage on your living room wall :o)

Now I will not knit another stitch (hush dear reader, it will be alright) until I have done my sewing. Long overdue projects to be worked on and posted off to Aus - cq rr, beautiful underwater block to work on, and row by row for Belle. I have the patterns and fabric all picked out, the fabric is waiting and the applique is begun, just needed to finish the knitting. So no more excuses woman! Get your sewing butt in gear and SEW.

Confession time! You can't see the errors, right? So I will tell you.

I am nothing if not honest. :o)

There is one more point on the bottom row (as photographed above) than on the top.

How? I do not know!

I do not really care either, there, I've said it. And as I have also said many times before, near enough is good enough and this is near enough!

See, you would never have known if i hadn't have told you.

Also there a two places where I messed up on the extremely visible attaching the edge area, the faggot stitch (is it calledthat?), boy, they do show, but I hope a little light sewing may disguise them.

You would see these errors if you were here to look properly :o) They don't bother me much either I have to admit. Sorry to the perfectionists among us, sorry, i really am, but, I am human and I err, sometimes I err a lot, sometimes just a little. (And in the scheme of things -global warming, world peace, natural disasters etc.- knitting mistakes really aren't that terrible are they.) This one counts in the little pile, as I do not seek perfection.

I seek completion and ... I have it :o)