Adventures in lace

Long tail cast on sucks!.......Oh...sorry about that. I don't know how I manage it, but with that type of cast on ( and mind you the first line in the pattern says "cast on 329 stitches") I always end up about 4 to 10 stitches short, or I have enough tail left over to cast on a second shawl.
My next victim....errrr....friend on the list will get a shawl called Rosebud from the book Wrapped in Lace.

This will be a new one for me as well, because you knit the points of the shawl first, using short rows. Once you got the hang of that it is actually rather fun.
I have completed all 11 points in a day, but now the set-up row for the continuing pattern is giving me grief. I'm sure it is operator error though.
I think I will try this shawl in a fingering weight as well. I like the construction.
Here is what I got done so far...
Much to my enjoyment, Netflix has Twilight Zone available for instant viewing. Yay!!!
This shawl will be completed with Rod Serling.
I wonder if he would appreciate that honor.

Dear me!

Dear me!! Has it really been this long? Since September last year? Oh...right. Started dating then. After 7 years. Moved in with BF (BoyFriend...even though I find this term slightly ridiculous at my age...) on June 1st and already dislike it intensely. Maybe my mother was right all those years ago when she claimed :"You are just not cut out to live with anybody but yourself! Just like your Grandma Lucie!"
Which right now sparked a new pattern in my head. I am working on a rectangular stole that will bear my Grandma's name. Maybe that's why we always got along splendidly, while everyone else didn't like her.
Here is a pic of the little house....

It has definitely a cottage feel to it. Well, I shall let you know how things are going. As soon as I am totally settled in, I will need some test knitters again.
I'll keep the blog updated...

The Universe and other musings

Somewhere in the Universe sits a God or Goddess and snickers. Mainly because they created not enough hours in the day. At least for me....
But first things first.
My camera broke. It dropped onto the couch, bounced onto the floor and now all outdoor pictures are just white. No matter what setting. The indoor ones turn out nice....as long as I turn off all lights. ???
So for now pics with the Blackberry. Which work surprisingly well.
Here is the finished shawl made from Nici's hand spun mentioned in the previous post.:

Another shawl was finished this weekend. For my good friend Sarah whose birthday is on Saturday. Oh, I so hope she likes it!!!!
The first time I started a shawl from the widest point and decreased. Pretty neat! Here is a picture of "Sarah's Spring Wrap": Made from Cascade Heritage Sock. Very soft and very rich colors.

I am also hosting a Mystery Knit along in the FGF group on Ravelry. This should be fun. I will probably never ever want to do it again. Especially since I had forgotten what month I signed on for. Now I had to knit all three designs at once, because I wanted to make it like a multiple options pattern.
But all is well in the Knitting Universe now. Pattern is ready, one of my glove patterns is in the KnitPicks catalog, a lace stole pattern is in the designing stages, a heavier warmer shawl is on the needles for me ( another pattern from the wonderful Seni , or Ines Sousa, called "Estio"). I have picked up on a baby blanket that was a test knit and required only three repeats to be done. I think I'll finish it for a friend of Nici's.Let's see.......
That's pretty much it. Here a quick photo of the shawl for me in progress: Knitted from Malabrigo "Rios". Ultra soft and very pretty colors.
Join the KAL if you like...it is right here:
http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/fingerless-glove-fanatics/1841276/76-100#89

I keep you posted how it goes.....

Addictions

I believe I finally understand true addiction. Mind you...I was a pack-a-day cigarette smoker three years ago. That was easier to quit than this new indulgence of mine!  It occurred to me yesterday that I just replaced one addiction with another.
Here's the story: I perused a shop on etsy called ToPlyFiberArts. She has awesome hand dyed yarn. But also beautiful roving. Since my daughter Nici is the spinner I ordered some roving I really liked . It was a light gray with purple and cream and some light pink in it.


Nici spun it up for me and I paired the yarn (which looked just gray in the skeins) with a pattern called "Duett der Elis". You can look it up on my Ravelry page, if you like.
Talk about the perfect pairing!!!! It's like crack!!!!!
I have knitted since last night! The yarn is yummy! So soft. The color is so subtle that you don't notice the slight changes from gray to cream to lavender to pink until it is knitted and you look at it in daylight. Or take a picture.

Like this one......

So not only am I giddy with pride (mind you she spun that with a drop spindle!!!), I am also addicted to the pattern and am eager to try it out with different yarns.

This is one of those "to be continued" things, me thinks.
Needless to say: do not cast on when you had a glass of wine. It will turn out as follows:
Pattern: "Cast on 275 stitches"
Me: "Okay.......count'em: 273. Okay...add 2 more....count'em......283....what the hell.....drop 8.....count'em...261....WTF?????"
Now my daughter has a wishlist from me for Sweater quantities.
Better get going, Rumpelstilzchen!!!!!

Taking pictures

Taking the perfect picture is not as easy as it might sound. You have to grab the camera, the model, all projects you want to photograph and drive to the park on a nice sunny day.
Here is a short tutorial to taking the perfect pictures:
 1.) Call model and bribe her with a visit to Starbucks after the photo shoot.
 2.) Pack projects and camera with spare batteries. (Ask me how I know about batteries....)
 3.) Pick up model.
 4.) Listen to complaints about models love life and calorie counts for the 20 minute ride to the park.
 5.) Lug complaining model, camera and projects to the favorite spot at the park.
 6.) Get model (wearing shawl) into the right light and the right position.
 7.) Get camera to the right setting, line up perfect picture and get blank screen and the warning: "Low battery!"
 8.) Change batteries while listening to model whine how long she should hold this position.
 9.) Line up shot to discover she has put the shawl on wrong side out.
10.) Rearrange model and shot. Discover light has changed now and you have to move the location.
11.) Finally take shot and get a few decent pictures.
12.) Pack up projects and camera. Load into car including model which is still complaining.
13.) Drive model to Starbucks, pay for order, try to tune out model.
14.) Drive model home. Shoot model and self in driveway, leaving note saying: " I can't take it anymore!"

Lace ahoy!

Yup! I'm sold, addicted, caught up, hook-line and sinker. Lace. Good bye, fingerless gloves. Good bye, socks.  It was nice while it lasted. But alas...I have to move on to bigger skies and wider shores.
Or something like that.
I can't believe how ridiculously in love I am with lace shawls. Prefer the triangular style. Did a test knit for a round one, but while that turned out very nice...I still prefer a triangle pointing to my butt. There's really nothing to point at, so goddess knows why.
Modeled by my daughter: "Icy Kamile". I used white iridescent beads. They don't really show up in the photo. Buy there are better views on my project page right here:  http://www.ravelry.com/projects/dyeforsocks1965/kamile

Right now I am working on the Sopro Shawl. No beads in the pattern itself, but that has never stopped me.  And another half circle shawl is in the making for a friends birthday. No pics or she will know.....pssst. It's a secret.
I shall keep you updated on my lace adventures.

Funny thing happened......

This morning.....late morning that is.....my phone kept ringing. Seemed to be an out of country number. Thinking one of my relatives in Germany might be the caller, I answered and was assaulted by a very fast avalanche of spanish spoken by a man. I heard the name Rosa Maria several times. Speaking no spanish myself I simply said: "Sorry, you must have the wrong number."  Which had no effect whatsoever on the avalanche.
We played this tag team game twice...then I just let it go to voice mail. Eight (8) times.
Later this afternoon the same number called. With a sigh I answered. A very very nice mature lady informed me that her father was calling my number. He is in his late 80's, has dementia and Alzheimers and was convinced he had dialed his daughters phone. Apparently he did that a few times before the family got an inkling of what he was doing.
The sad part is...his daughter Rosa-Maria died 13 years ago.

Damn...getting old sucks.