knitting pretty

I finally completed clue 4 yesterday! This beast is up to 483 stitches! As you can see from the first two photos, last night I was very eager to document this accomplishment.

The first picture is me holding it up and taking the picture—the second pic is my dear husband obliging me.

What you are seeing in the pictures is the center panel and the left-most right-side section. There are three sections, then the center section (that will run straight down my back when worn), then three more sections (mirror imaging the first three sections).

The bottom two photos were taken today, outside, so the color is more accurate in those.

My Slow Bee is about to get a lot slower, I’m afraid, as I did take that freelance job, but more yarn money for me to spend (starting this Saturday at Crafty Bastards)!

But I plan to keep at it. I’m enjoying it too much not to!

Phew! Well, it was a long and slightly stressful knitting day yesterday, but I managed to correct the errors (turned out to be two dropped stitches) in the last pattern row and complete clue 3!

The picture doesn’t have the best stitch definition, but it’s the best I was able to do, color-wise. You should have seen the first batch I took last night—they were blue!

I was hoping to be posting a photo of my completed third clue for Slow Bee Mystery I today, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Apparently, when I “completed” the clue last night (while drinking wine with my mother-in-law) something went askew. Not major, but off enough (one whole section of side-panel ended up one stitch off) that I need to reknit (I know, I know—define need).

So.

Today’s knitting will be a wash, but hopefully by the end of the day I will be back where I thought I was this morning, so I can take a picture, move up that ‘ol lifeline, and start clue 4!

I know it’s not a race, but for some reason I feel really accomplished being on my one-clue-back schedule (clue 5 was released yesterday). Wish me luck!

p.s. Why, oh why, was I approached with a freelance work opportunity the week that Jasper is done with school? Don’t they know I am a SAHM with a knitting obsession?

Slow Bee, I am, but it’s working out splendidly! I just completed the second clue in Slow Bee Mystery I this morning. Clue 4 was released yesterday. This means that the worker bees (who were erroneously allowed to enter Slow Bee, I am sure) have completed clue 4 today—in time for me to see what it looks like before starting clue 3.

There are two designs we can choose from starting with clue 3, so it’s been helpful for me to see clues 3 and 4 before making the choice. They are both amazing patterns, to be sure, but I am much more sure of my choice now (design 1), and I am very excited to get started on it right away!

p.s. Crappy indoor, flash-laden picture due to rain showers here today. I just could not wait for sun to post and get started on the next clue!

Behold, the first clue for Slow Bee I—completed! And only one week late (clue 3 came out today).

As this is my first “official” KAL, I’ve nothing to compare it to, but it doesn’t feel too slow bee-ish to me! I think because this is going to be so large, the fact that it will have more clues than other KALs only serves to make it comparable speed-wise. But that’s ok, as it is a fun and challenging pattern, and I will happily plod along with all of the other slow slow bees.

Yesterday I switched from a Crystal Palace 35″ circular to a newly-acquired Knit Picks 40″ one, and I am enjoying the smooth join and pointier tips very much. With this many stitches, it really all adds up! I have a feeling lace projects after this one are going to seem like cake.

Boy, am I totally addicted to this project. This morning I blew off the gym while Jasper was in preschool (don’t tell) so I could finish the clue and take photos outside, undisturbed, in the beautiful (and recently quite scarce) sunshine.

So, last night I finally “finished” my shrug, without actually doing any work! (Well, I did drink a couple of glasses of wine before posing for these photos, but that didn’t really require any work at all. I think Ann suggested that I hold the glass in them so I would have an alibi.)

My crafternoon pals convinced me that all my procrastination was for nothing, as I didn’t really need to tack down the collar at all. I actually completed the knitting some time ago, but my first attempt at attaching the collar didn’t work, so I was stalled until I felt enlightened about how to try again. Thankfully, I won’t have to!

I am happy with how this turned out, but if I were to make another for myself, I’d probably shave a few stitches off the width. But it’s not too far off. Very comfy (and affordable) yarn, and even my son complimented me on the holes.

Ribbed Lace Bolero
Lion Brand Cotton-Ease - Violet #191

I made these bookmarks this week, one for each mom (mine and -in-law) for Mother’s Day. They are both avid readers, so I know they will be appreciated.

I think the red one turned out a little better, as the yarn was more appropriate to the project (I fell in love with it last weekend, and bought it particularly for this purpose—I can admit that I bought 100% silk yarn to make bookmarks with, right?), but the pink/purple color scheme is also very pretty and seems to be colors that my mom likes (and was yarn I had leftover from an earlier project, so…).

The pattern is quick and easy (it is a bookmark), and a good way for me to practice reading a chart (Slow Bee starts on Sunday!). I am planning to make at least one more for Jasper’s teacher as part of her end-of-the-year thank you gift, and if I am still going strong after that, I may attempt a whole batch of them for my bookgroup. We’ll see!

Flourish Bookmark
Zen String Bambewe fingering - Amethyst
Tilli Tomas Plie - Ruby Wine #180

Just got the chance to post some pictures from Saturday at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.

There’s no commentary on the page, so here are the highlights: first and foremost, the Ravelry meetup. It was crowded! Jess and Casey were caught in traffic on their way into the festival, so they arrived a little late. There was much cheering and applause when they came in. I even got to take my picture with each of them (kind of—thanks Ann—me and Jess; me and Casey)!

I did manage to get a button and my avatar sticker, although we abandoned the Rabbit House before Ann was able to get her hands on her sticker. Alas. We’d spent too much time in there, when all of that yarn and gear was out there calling to us!

There was no shortage of sheep however you prefer yours: young, old, fleece, roving, yarn, garments, artwork, sausage, kabobs, and gyros. There were also alpacas, llamas, rabbits, and sheep dogs. And people, lots of people!

Somehow, I didn’t end up spending all of my money on loot, but now that I know the ropes, I will do a little more planning and next year will be a blast!

Yesterday Ann and I went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. The first time for each of us, we fully expected to be overwhelmed. We were. But what a wonderful kind of overwhelming it was! Pictures of the festival (including our heroes Jess and Casey) will have to come later, once I have some time to sort through them all!

We barely made any purchases at all in the first several hours (partly because we spent more time than originally intended at the Ravelry meetup, but we really wanted our buttons! It was a mob scene.). By the end of the day, though, we each ended up with a select few new prized possessions.

1) The only yarn I came away with: 3 skeins of Tilli Tomas Demi Plie. This is not to say that I did not fondle LOTS of yarn (pictures of this coming too), but a combination of being too slow on the pounce (we returned to a few places later in the day to find that—not surprisingly—there was not much left to choose from) and lack of focus made it more of a fact-finding mission overall (this is not a bad thing).

2) These stitch markers from Shipyard Point Glassworks were just so adorable, I could not resist them! Now I just need to start a project that requires some…

3) A pattern for a tank top from The Fibre Company (at .50 cents, how can one go wrong?). I will have to check to see if Stitch DC carries the yarn the pattern calls for (Terra)—no good colors left at the booth when we returned ready to buy.

4) A thorough search finally turned up a Crystal Palace 35″ size 3 circular needle at Carolina Homespun, which I will need at the end of the week to start on Slow Bee Mystery. Thank goodness I will not be without the proper size needle when the first clue comes out!

and last, but not least:

5) In honor of my son, Jasper, who was off with his Dad attending the Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race, I scored a pair of beautiful snakeskin jasper earrings from Fibers by Bonnie Dunn. While we were chatting, Bonnie said a previous shopper had inquired exactly how she made the earrings from the snakes…

I’ve got to run, but I will post more pictures later. It was a great day with perfect weather and endless browsing…I can’t wait for next year!

The swatch for Slow Bee I was released yesterday. I had a million other things to do, so, of course I had to knit it up right away. I blocked it today, and I am very pleased with the result. I was the second one to post a swatch to Ravelry, so I am officially a knitting geek!

This Malabrigo lace is really nice. Now I just need to get my hands on a 40″ circular needle…maybe tomorrow at Maryland Sheep and Wool?

You can’t really tell in this photo too well, but the beads are silver-lined sapphire (see my Ravelry project for a photo if you’re interested), which I think looks really nice against the purple, and serves to cool it down a bit (cold colors were suggested for the theme).

I have one week until the first clue comes out. Will anything get off the needles before then? It remains to be seen, but regardless, I have a feeling this KAL will keep me plenty busy for much of the summer!

I don’t have a lot to show for the last week and half, but I have made some progress on both of my current projects. I’m more than half-way done with the bolero (left), and the cardigan is coming along nicely.

I have another week and a half until Slow Bee begins (test swatch coming this weekend), and then all bets are off as far as finishing anything else. I know it’s called slow, but for some reason I have a feeling that it’s not really going to be slow by my ‘Gee, I hope I have a chance to knit today’ standards…we’ll see!

It’s going to be about 10 or 11 clues, I think, which still means it will be faster than my first shawl, which will be tiny by comparison—2,850 yards of laceweight and 2,950 beads? What am I getting myself into?

I also want to make some small things for Mother’s Day for my mom and mother-in-law, so wish me luck!

Just upgraded my WordPress install on both blogs to 2.5. Please let me know if you come across anything strange or unruly (in my blogs, I mean).

Thanks!

So, I finally finished my Roundabout Leaf Tank! I didn’t make too many alterations to the pattern, only shortening the length of the shoulders by 1″ each.

I wasn’t altogether sure this project would work, as the yarn I chose is pretty heavy (heavy in weight is necessary to help pull out the pattern, but heavy in feel is the problem, as, obviously, this is a summer garment). The yarn the pattern calls for is discontinued, but I tried to be loyal to the fiber mix. After washing though, it feels more drapey, and the shedding is almost completely taken care of, so it is wearable after all. Who knew?

I had imagined it as a cover-up-type thing to throw on over a close-fitting tank top, bathing suit, etc., although it does seem to work well with this skirt too. I even wore it for about half the day today. So, a success!

If I were to do it again, I would choose a different yarn, to be sure, but the sizing worked out pretty well with only the shoulder shortening.

Roundabout Leaf Tank
Rowan RYC Natural Silk Aran - Palm Leaf #462

I was going to title this post “Something to show for myself,” as I had been attempting to post once a week, and it’s been two weeks since my last post, but I fear this may be the new norm (now that naps have pretty much been obliterated around here—doesn’t he know Mommy needs to knit?).

Anyhoo, here’s my progress on my Cavern Cardigan! I was worried that it might be too big and I’d have to start over, but it looks like it fits! (Once again, late, goofy, in-the-dark photos, as I could not wait until daylight to document my excitement.)

I was enjoying making these Perdita bracelets so much, that I made a couple more. The two on the right are the latest; made for my good friends Martha and Ann, who love purple!

Perdita - Lily of the Valley
DMC Perle Cotton Size 5 - Purple #340

Perdita - Bluebell
DMC Perle Cotton Size 5 - Purple #208

I think I have the Perditas out of my system for the moment, so I have cast on my Cavern Cardigan (finally!). And I should have the Roundabout Tank finished soon too, once I can bring myself to just do the darn sleeves…

I’ve wanted to try Katja for a while, so rather than another Sheldon (as I had planned, and bought for, long ago when I heard this baby was coming—his time will come), our new cousin Marah will soon be receiving this outfit.

I usually make this hat in DK weight yarn, which might work better, but I had plenty of yarn left over from the top to make the hat. I hope she’s able to get a little wear out of these soon!

Katja Top and Lacy Newborn Hat
Lion Brand Cotton-Ease - Berry #112

I finished my Bluebell Perdita last night (yes, I know it’s green! I have blue thread also, but the green just appealed to me more for some reason.). You can see next to Emily’s Lily of the Valley, that it’s a bit narrower, but just as pretty!

And yes, I still have to send Em’s off to her, but I wanted to get some glamour shots of the two together before I sent it—they are supposed to be friendship bracelets, after all.

Perdita - Bluebell
DMC Perle Cotton Size 5 - Green #368

My sister was visiting from Cambodia this week, so I wanted to make her a little something. Last time she was in town, she got some headgear.

Because I am looking forward to Slow Bee coming up, and I have never used beads in my knitting before, I decided it might be a good idea to practice a little so come May, I’d have one less reason to bag the whole Slow Bee Mystery idea.

I came across Perdita on Ravelry (what would I do without Ravelry?), and thought one of them would be perfect for my sister. I bought several colors of the yarn, and asked her to choose her color and which Perdita pattern she liked best.

She chose the ecru and the Lily of the Valley pattern. I think it turned out beautifully, blocked well, and the size is perfect.

I almost had it finished in time to send back with her, but we were so busy this week that I wasn’t able to get the buttons until this morning—and she left at 8:00 am for New York on her way back out of the country…oh well. Another excuse to send her a care package isn’t so terrible!

Perdita - Lily of the Valley
DMC Perle Cotton Size 5 - Ecru

Perhaps against my better judgment (considering how long Cozy took last year), I am planning to participate in a shawl KAL this summer. It’s the Slow Bee Mystery KAL, which is slated to start in May or early June.

It sounds like the shawl will be HUGE, but I’m not deterred (yet). The shape that I voted for was the winning choice (Faroese), and the slower pace is right up my alley! (Of course, I have not ever done a KAL of any dictated pace at all, so I have nothing to compare it with, but I am hopeful.)

My yarn arrived today, and it’s gorgeous. It’s Malabrigo Lace in Cuarzo; six skeins! And Woolgirl added a yummy soap in the bag, so it all smells terrific! So beautiful and soft and yummy smelling. I want to scoop it up into a pile and lie down on it! I said to my son “Isn’t it yummy?” and he said “Can I eat it?” (He was serious. He’s three.) Then he introduced his friend the orangutan to the yarn, and was allowed to pet it, nicely, once.

Now I just need to decide on beads…

In an effort to combat my current knitting melancholy, I went out and spent some money. Well, I went online and spent some money, but you know what I mean. I ordered myself some yarn (which has already been cast on, broken out of frustration, and potential new project frogged before I even had a chance to enter it on Ravelry—perhaps I had a sense it just wasn’t meant to be) and this new toy:

I think I almost have it figured out…I think the key is where exactly you set the little feeding arm. I kept getting strands wrapping up too high and down around the base, but I’ll get it!

Jasper is way too interested in this for me to practice much, but I did manage to make something resembling a yarn cake (just don’t look too closely).

And I was very happy to see on the box it said “New Wool Winder.” I think there was something lost in translation there, but it was nice to be reassured that no one else had ever wound any wool with my new winder!