Friday, July 30, 2010

I can't believe I am trying this again!

I am a brute for punishment. Then again I would like to celebrate all the weight I have lost. What better way than knitting a lace dress? Lily Chin's Lace Dress is going to be attempted AGAIN.
Like a fool I ordered the pattern from the Vogue website and, yes people, they took my $6 and gave me the privileged of downloading the same pattern they published in fall of 2007. The graph is the same but the written instructions attempt to clarify. Mea Culpa, at first glance I thought they had screwed up again but after careful perusal I think they have explained it.
I will knit the sleeves flat, seaming has no terrors for me. (edited)
I have one full wedge finished on the Traveling sweater. It is good for TV watching in the evening. Speaking of, I am in the middle of watching the Vicar of Dibley. Dawn French is a scream. Can you imagine being in the same room with her and her husband Lenny Henry ("Chef")? She wears the most fascinating "jumpers" on the show. She was the operatic painting in the Harry Potter movies. I digress as usual.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Lastest report


I am getting ready to set up Susan Pandorf's Evanstar shawl. My silk arrived and frankly I have been putting off winding it into a ball. Love silk but it can be a bitch when it tangles.

The Evanstar KAL group on Ravelry has all kinds of wonderful threads not just about the actual knitting but techniques and ideas. That's where I found how this ( see above) can be considered as my new favourite knitting notion. Many thanks to "NutmegOwl" (Ravelry name) for her tremendous idea! How you may ask? All shall be revealed right now. I wound the silk on the ball winder and then slipped it off the ball winder onto the spindle of the empty CD box. The lid fastens the ball in place so there is no rolling snarling and tangling as there would be in a zip lock bag.Next fantastic idea from Tech Knitting. A circular belly button cast on using an umbilical cord this is my first try. I plan on taking it out and doing it again. I didn't leave a long enough tail to draw up the center.
The Evanstar Shawl warranted a trip to Little Red Mitten for an Addi Lace needle. Purchase of tools and notions is allowed under the "yarn fast rules." Also gave me an opportunity to take my new car on an outing.

I have started the Traveling Sweater with BlueMoon Fiber Arts, WooBoo. This is a treat to knit with. So far I only have half of one wedge completed and I have to knit it 8 wedges around and then block it out . The sleeves are ribbed as well. Lordy that is going to be a lot of K2P2. I will be glad of this sweater come fall.
This weekend I hope to get the Adamas Shawl blocked, ready for the cool weather.

I actually managed to resist some beautiful pinky orange silk when I was at Red Mitten. Time to go polish my halo.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Knitting my brains out.

Today will be guilt free knitting day.
The roofers are here and have been hammering since 7 am. Much concern, I am sure, to my miserable neighbour to the west. (insert evil laugh here) Ominous thumpings and banging are shaking the whole house. More on that progress on the other blog.
It is with great regret I must inform all my yarn retailers that a self imposed moratorium has been declared. I must follow Jean's sterling example and declare a yarn fast. The cedar chest is bursting, the 5 clear plastic yarn boxes I purchased are full, there are zip lock bags in the closet of my den and the overflow has invaded the floor of my bedroom closet.
My name is Susan and I am a Yarn-a-holic!...sigh... but we already knew that.
This morning I hand wound a huge ball ( one of four hanks) of WooBoo from Blue Moon Fibers, for the Traveling Sweater. Wool and Bamboo the colourway is "chestnutty" and is a richer colour than shown here. the flash kind of washed it out. My fall/winter work sweater is worn out so this will be the replacement. I need a break from the Adamas Shawl which I am pleased to report is into row 5 of the beaded edging. I know you are all waiting with bated breath.
At present I have the Legolas Kerchief on the needles as well. At one of the knitters fairs I purchased a hank of Blue Heron's yarns, "marshgrass," It is a blend with a gold thread through it. Very yummy.
To keep myself on the straight and narrow I am posting a progress bar. Good luck to me.

Monday, July 12, 2010

The Nantyglo Knitters

The post swim knitting session. Coin purse, lace scarf, sweater and shawl in progress.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

New Knitter in the blogsphere!


Nant-y-glo Needles welcomes, Ryleigh, a fourth generation knitter, to our sphere. "IttyBitty11" is her Ravelry name and we are all as proud as punch that she has joined us in promoting knitting.

She will be featured in the sidebar and down the line we hope she will post a message to all the junior knitters. When she is not knitting Ryleigh prefers soccer and gymnastics. I expect her to master knitting whilst hanging upside down next. Nothing would surprise me.
~Proud Grami