Woodland

I took Woodland away with me on my course. Worked on it during class time as appropriate, and also in the evenings .... it's now over 36" unblocked, but the skein of Anne isn't finished yet. I thought I'd do 12 repeats like the designer did and then I'd be finishing it. But .... 16 repeats and the yarn still goes on ... and I want to use the entire skein. And I'm so anxious to finish it so I can block it and see what it looks like in these pretty shades of green .... In the meantime, I'll keep on knitting!

Vernal Equinox

My knitting has slowed down for the moment, but I did finish Vernal Equinox (Spring Surprise on Ravelry) and had it off the needles before I began my sabbatical -- by a day -- and unblocked.

Since then I've managed to block it -- it's still blocking, but I do have a photo.


The shawl's radius is 32" at the moment. I've never worked with Malabrigo laceweight, so I'm not sure how much of that I'll lose when I unpin it. But it is a very pretty design and I am pleased with it. Though I must confess that I found Clue 6b (the last one) almost endless -- and the cast off was even more so. But that's behind me and it was a most enjoyable project.

And I'm still debating sabbatical knitting projects, though I currently have a Woodland Shawl in Green 12 Schaefer Anne on the needles. I'm enjoying the knitting and hope to have it finished and blocked before I leave for the UK so that I might gift it over there. Here it is with about 1/5 of the yarn used -- right now it dry blocks out to about 11" long and 17" wide. It will be a smaller shawl but hopefully, a pretty one!


I also purchased 3 skeins of Arequipa in colour 220 to knit into a shawl during my time in the UK. I can put it on my Denise needles so should have no trouble flying with it. I also bought Heirloom Knitting and am toying with the idea of starting a shetland shawl for my knitting time on this side of the ocean. Or perhaps a MMario Design ... decisions, decisions!

And though it isn't frogged, I've come to the conclusion that the yarn I'm using for Wings of Horus is anxious to be something else ... though I've no idea what. I'll keep you posted!

Catching Up

I just noticed that I haven't posted since I finished my socks. And that's quite a while ago!
Soooooooo ..... just to catch up ....

I went on holiday and took two shawls with me to finish, which I did.

First I finished Anna Dalvi's Mystic Ice in 10/2 tencel in Silk Socks colourway:


Then I finished Mystic Star, also by Anna Dalvi. It's knit in Jaggerspun Zephyr 2/18 in pewter.


And, for good measure I started Melani Gibbons' Scherherazade, which is now finished.


Then I signed up for Moni's Taurus Birthday KAL, and also for Wings of Taurus, and just for good measure I also found Vernal Equinox, which in Ravelry has a Celebrate Spring group.

And now, Taurus is finished, and blocked:


Wings of Horus is in progress -- I'm still debating whether I am happy with the yarn/pattern combo:

This is just the end of Clue 1 -- I've knit a little more but have no phot of my progress so far. This is a fun KAL from Anja Belle aka Kalinumba. Every week she posts a riddle and the answer to the riddle takes you to the next portion of the chart. It's a weekly challenge, and I have the clues to date. I'll be sure to post it when I've finally chosen the yarn (or completed it with the yarn I'm using right now!)

But for the moment, it's Celebrate Spring or Vernal Equinox that is calling me. I'm finished to the end of Clue 3. It's knit in Malabrigo LaceWeight yarn in the colourway Geranio. I love the colour and the feel of the yarn ... and they are working nicely with the pattern.

I'm also busily planning for a three month sabbatical from work, and am busily hunting for a knitting project to accompany me. So bear with me and I'll do my best to keep you up to date.

2009 FO's

Well, I've been fairly virtuous as I started 2009. First off I finished my 2 socks on 2 circs that had been on the needles for a while.






Then I moved on and worked on my Undulating Rib Socks on 4 dpn's and now they are done as well!










And then I went back to work on Mystic Ice from Anna while waiting to start work on Mystic Star, the latest Mystery KAL from Anna Dalvi. But Mystic Star is taking precedence. Here's Clue 2 finished -- I love how it is working up -- wonder if the next time I knit it I'll do the circle ... but maybe not.











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Finished!

Not the best photo but just had to stop by long enough to say that the Lady of the Lake jacket is finished! Washed, blocked, dry and ready to wear. My first FO in 2009! Now back to continuing projects .... the two socks on two circs got some time before I had to leave for bowling. Heels are turned, gussets are begun. 2009 just might be my year!

Guess What Won?

Christmas Eve found me with a few minutes to spare, and so I cast on for the Lady of the Lake Jacket. This is the project with the recycled yarn from the Garter Stitch Jacket that almost was. As you can see, it is growing quickly. I am much happier with the colour combo this time around. It still needs the sleeves and the collar -- AND to be blocked ... I don't like the length of their model, or the length of the sleeves of their model, so will address some of that in the blocking (and some in the knitting -- sleeves will definitely be longer. It's hard to see the shape and the details -- maybe when it's finished I'll master the fine art of photographing it to better advantage. And when it is done then it will be time for ...... well, I'll wait and see.

I wound the yarn for my Firestarter Socks. Now I really must free up some needles so that I can cast on and begin to knit them. They'll be my first toe up socks, so should be an interesting adventure for the New Year!

I took a picture of Den Fischer Sin Fru Shawl since it is obvious (to me anyway!) that this will not be re-blocked in the foreseeable future. It's still not the best picture since I tossed it down and took the picture without benefit of blcoking wires. But here she is. It has taken me ages to get this photo taken. Tidying up for the New Year!

And now, it's time for me to get back to my knitting needles! Happy New Year! May 2009 be a year rich in blessings.

Finished!

I love the sense of accomplishment that come with a finished object. Today I finished casting off my DaVinci shawl! Isn't she pretty???? That's her undergoing her blocking. This means I can go back to knitting Mystic Ice what has been languishing -- I really don't do well at knitting several lace projects at once.

But I've also given myself permission to start (restart?) my Fleece Artist jacket. I started it a loooooong time ago, but didn't like the way the two mohair yarns worked together - well, I liked the fabric just fine, but not the way the variegated yarns worked together --- waaaaaay outside my comfort zone, so I patiently -- honestly! -- frogged it, and set it aside. But now I have some merino DK from Colourmart, and when i put it and a strand of Naturally Mist together and alternate with CurlyLocks, I like the result. And the kind people at Fleece Artist have provided me with the pattern for Lady of the Lake (I was using the Garter Stitch Jacket pattern). So my Christmas Day project is to play with the jacket ... unless Mystic Ice calls my name more loudly than the new project.

And the socks wait patiently for attention. Soon, I need to finish a pair soon, since Anne and I are going to start Firestarter socks on New Year's using Fleece Artist Trail Socks in blackberry ... and I really do need to finish one pair before I begin another!

My New Year's resolution is to go on a yarn diet until I have completed 3 projects. Yes, it should be more, but let's be realistic here! (And we won't mention the Oceanwind Knits yarn that arrived here today!)