« February 2006 | Main | April 2006 »
March 31, 2006
Unst, etc.
And, no, I have not yet managed to block the Spider Queen Shawl. Blame the DMV for sucking out my will to live last weekend.
However, I do have a picture of the Unst Stole, Day 11:
No disasters with the yarn yet, and I enjoy working with it more and more. We have entered the Cautious Optimism phase.
Meanwhile, I decided to work on something sturdier for a bit of relief. I couldn't find a small triangular shawl pattern that I was excited about, so I'm making up my own using patterns from Heirloom Knitting. The center triangle is made up of the rosebud pattern and the border is Old Shale. Edging TBA. And let me tell you, compared to the lace knitting I've been doing, Old Shale is putting me to sleep. It will block out nice and pretty, though.
I also did some more swatching for the wedding ring shawl.
Gossamer merino
Gossamer silk
Jon prefers the silk, but I kind of like the way the merino blocks out. Not to mention that it's easier to work with. Not an insignificant consideration.
Further proof that things I've planted will grow:
I think these may be the black tulips. Very exciting!
Posted by missalicefaye at 09:42 AM | Comments (2)
March 24, 2006
Unst stole
As predicted, I finished knitting the Spider Queen shawl on Sunday. No pictures for you, though, until it's blocked this weekend. I'm mean like that.
Meanwhile, I've started another semi-major undertaking:
This is the beginning of the center portion of the Unst Stole from Sharon Miller's Heirloom Knitting. (Finished stole is pictured here.)
I'm using the cobweb Shetland yarn from Laci's (which is not actually Shetland wool at all. Go figure.) Here it is pictured (left) with the Jaggerspun Zephyr I used for the Spider Queen:
I must admit that there is a distinct possibility of disaster occuring with this project. (cue ominous music) The yarn is quite fragile and has some thin spots. I'm hoping that splicing will take care of these. We shall see....
Posted by missalicefaye at 09:24 AM | Comments (3)
March 22, 2006
Up with doilies
Friends,
Isn't it time we put aside our animosity and ill will and embraced the Doily? Its potential for loveliness, its laciness, its very Doiliness? I realize that some of you may hesitate, fearing that I may be leading you down the dark path of the antimacassar or worse. But fear not! Those damn things would never stay put on our leather furniture anyway.
As for the Doily, the above specimen has even received guarded approval from Jon, so my mandate to proliferate the Doily is clear. Lace oppressors beware. The Day of the Doily is at hand.
In other news, it appears that some of the bulbs I haphazardly planted last fall may actually turn into flowers someday.
Perhaps this will belie my reputation as an inveterate plant murderer? Ah, doubtful!
Posted by missalicefaye at 09:10 AM | Comments (2)
March 15, 2006
Spider Queen--Day 40
Three borders complete. I even basted the seams together for your viewing pleasure.
Day 40 was actually Sunday, so significant progress has been made on the fourth border since these photos were taken. Dare I say that I foresee completion of the knitting by the end of the weekend?
(Dear Amber, these pictures appear in my Flickr knitting gallery. All for you!)
Posted by missalicefaye at 03:15 PM | Comments (4)
March 08, 2006
Wishful thinking
With the blind hope that the weather will eventually grow warmer, I've commenced with the spring skirt making. This is my first garment with a zipper rather than elastic. It's acceptable, but I won't be showing a close-up. :)
I plan to sew on some tatting thusly:
At this rate, I will soon be covered head to toe in lacy needlework....
Posted by missalicefaye at 09:01 AM | Comments (10)
March 06, 2006
Spider Queen--Day 32
I've since finished 22 rows of the third border--mostly during a marathon of the last 5 episodes of 24 we'd missed. Jon is psyched about Kim's imminent return. I just hope they can manage to keep her out of a room with a shower.
My major undertaking of the weekend (besides hours of sanding the walls of the basement in preparation for painting. ugh.) was this:
My cobweb yarn wound into a center-pull ball with my makeshift nostepinne (a piece from an old embroidery frame) and swift (the swiveling office chair).
This process took me more than 2 hours. Perhaps I should invest in the proper equipment instead of using a stick and an office chair....
Posted by missalicefaye at 09:51 AM | Comments (2)
March 03, 2006
Spider Queen--Day 30
About 1/3 done with the edging for the second border.
I'm not sick of it yet. :) I'm even looking forward to the third border, although it starts off with something called a "polka pick up"--I think this is a fancy way of saying pick up three and skip one, but I should probably read those instructions again....
Oscar would prefer that I put the silly camera and knitting away and frolic with him in the snow.
Posted by missalicefaye at 08:47 AM | Comments (5)
March 01, 2006
Planning ahead
No pictorial updates of the Spider Queen yet--I should be done with the second border very soon, so maybe I'll have photographic evidence by Friday.
Meanwhile, when one is pursuing a complex and time-consuming shawl in a fine yarn, what does one look forward to starting?
An even more complex and time-consuming shawl in an even finer yarn.
Yarn pictured with regular-sized paper clip and bit of floss for scale.
Having never worked with cobweb weight yarn before, I plan to work something a bit smaller before diving into the Wedding Ring Shawl--probably Hazel Carter's Sampler Stole from A Gathering of Lace. Hazel Carter being my new lace hero and all.
Posted by missalicefaye at 09:08 AM | Comments (3)
