Could You Knit 2.7 Miles of Laceweight?

Since I am waiting until my mitten is finished to share a photo of it (it's almost done!), I've decided to highlight someone else's masterpiece today.

My good friend Jodie in Ohio, for whom I have done some test knitting (you will spot her socks in the Knitty issue that comes out any day now), just finished some test knitting of her own, and whoa, that's some test knitting--2.7 miles of yarn (she counted: 4725 yards, 2.7 miles, and 4.3 km). Here's Arctic Tundra (blocking)!

Here are some words straight from her:

"Feel free to share on your blog. The designer is MMario on Ravelry. Amazingly talented designer and it was an absolute pleasure doing this test knit for him. The design is called Arctic Tundra and can be found at his yahoo groups "patterns in progress" page. I first heard about Mmario through your friend John-Francis."

Pretty amazing when your friends from different parts of your life interact after having encountered each other on the blog. Thanks to John-Francis for making this connection! It's for reasons like this that I continue to write about my experiences and the people I encounter. You never know when a creative or personal connection will be made.

Back to Arctic Tundra (shown above before blocking), I am boggled (or I boggle, not sure how to use that word other than as the name of a game) at how much knitting this project involved. Jodie is incredibly prolific, true, but this amazed me. She said it took her four months to do, but I happen to know she worked on a couple of other projects at the same time, because her designer brain never stops churning away. Of course, the project had some challenges, especially when it came to blocking. More from Jodie:

It annoys me that I couldn't get the angle of the star equal in the center when I was blocking--but it was just too big. I didn't have an extra inch of floor--and that was after I overran the blocking mats and started slipping blocking pins between the boards of my oak floor. An incredibly memorable project.

 After seeing the pre-blocking and the blocking photos, I was interested in finding out what she was going to use this project for. Certainly you'd need to be a "person of height" to wear it as a shawl! But, she has a perfect use, the grand piano cozy! How elegant and Victorian!

I find it interesting how MMario named the patterns. Each has to do with something you would find in the tundra. The photo below shows the patterns Polestar and Snow,Nelson Island, Musk Ox, Lemmings on the Tundra, and Bear Claw Edge, for example.

I hope this inspires some of you to tackle this project when it's officially published, and if not, to dream big with your knitting! You never know what you can do until you try!

As for me, I think I'll finish up that first mitten today, if the mundane world of job searching, grocery shopping and rain watching doesn't take up too much time! I got a lot done last night at a knitting and spinning pajama party, so I'll have one potentially warm hand soon.

Keeping My Fingers Crossed

I am still plugging along on the Aeolian shawl. No more huge mistakes (or even small ones) in the past couple of days. In the meantime, more than one of the KAL members has thrown in the towel on this project. It does require some counting, but I think that if I had done it in a quiet place I'd never have made my first mistake, and if I'd tried the nupps out on a swatch, I'd have realized they didn't look like what I wanted, and I wouldn't have had the horrible issue from the weekend.

I think perhaps the KAL should have been targeted toward more "advanced" lace knitters and that would have saved some tears. Of course, at least one person gave up just because laceweight yarn didn't work well for his hands. And I can understand that! I prefer fingering weight, myself, but this alpaca is not too bad for me.

Of course, the border is coming up. And that is one fancy looking border! I just have four more rows until the border starts. I am not sure if I'll be able to work on that at the yarn shop this afternoon, so I will take my other knitting, just in case. I look forward to seeing how the larger beads replacing the nupps in the border look. I am liking the ones in the agave section of the shawl, so I have high hopes.

I've been working on Lady Jane the vest whenever I have to go out and knit, like to Beccano's guitar lessons, so it is growing slowly but surely. I look forward to finishing that--nice big yarn, LOL!

I am going to ponder what makes some lace patterns harder than others for a while. Anyone have ideas?

Don't Forget! I Need Lacy Wedding Ideas!

This post is going to sit at the top of the blog for a while, so I can implore, wheedle, cajole and beg my readers to keep my need for input into lacy wedding outfit ideas in mind while browsing the Internets. This blog post has the details and the collection of suggestions from readers, as well as an ongoing list of things I have run across.

I'm just asking you to keep an eye out for something that would look nice on a short, medium-weight currently red-headed woman who will be 50 at her wedding (I hate to admit that). I was thinking of wearing a lacy cardigan or jacket over a silk dress (the dress will be picked to go with the lace item). I would consider a shrug or maybe a shawl. The wedding will either be in the spring or the fall, and as far as we know will be outdoors (I would not survive an outdoor wedding in Texas).* So think not-too-hot, not-too-cold.

If you see anything on the web or Ravelry, post a comment on this post or The original blog post and I will be grateful! Thanks!

*Lee gets a vote in all these decisions, so I don't know exactly what we are doing until we get around to deciding.

Winning the Fight with Lace

Double Eyelet Rib Sock, on a Foot
Originally uploaded by sunasak

Good news is that the holiday gift Trekking XXL socks are moving along well. Look how pretty sock #1 came out! Love, love, love Trekking XXL. It's just endlessly entertaining how those colors change and never seem to repeat. I made this sock just like the WendyKnits pattern, except I twisted the ribbing at the top, for more definition. Again, it's Double Eyelet Rib. There's another view on Flickr, if you click the link on the picture (plus some pix of me singing).

In more sock yarn news, I persevered and spent a few hours (I hope not wasting my time) finishing photography of ALL the rest of my sock yarn. The bottom of the Big Basket of Sock Yarn contained mostly Regia and some older yarns, but now I know what I have. I even took pictures of the solid colored yarns. Turns out I have some weird solids that someone gave me, not even wool. Oh well, they can make fun baby items or something. If you're on Ravelry, check out poor SunaSAK's over 140 stashed yarns. She seems obsessed with sock yarn.

But, Suna also loves laceweight. And worked with it much of the weekend when not singing in the big community choir concert (it was lovely!) or listening to others make music.

Juno Regina tried to kill me, to the extent that at one point I covered up the endlessly smiling model's face on the pattern--she appeared to be mocking me--SHE had made this successfully, why couldn't I? I ended up making a mistake I could not locate to repair, which necessitated a re-start on Saturday evening. That was disheartening. At least I discovered where I was messing up (as usually, a knit stitch on the chart was hiding from me). Charts with different repeats that go in different orders can be hard to parse sometimes, and it's exacerbated by using such fine yarn. I got happier when I switched to a slightly larger needle, though. Nonetheless, nothing is as tedious as erasing lace. I even (gasp) ALMOST put in a life line. But, nah, I couldn't locate the unscented dental floss fast enough.

I am sure I drove Lee insane cursing at the stitches and requesting silence over and over. But, I am happy to report that no only did I figure out what I was doing, I got three quarters through the third chart! I am into sections with mindless parts, which means I will soon be zooming away. I have a lot of fights with lace, but this one I think I am winning!

With the Claudia Handpainted silk, which is finer than the silk/wool the original was made in, the stole is apparently going to be more of a wide scarf. But I can see it draped over a white top very elegantly, anchored by a lovely shawl pin. (I say white, because it is fairly dark so would not show up as well against black, and because Boot Camp is a colorway that does not "match" much other than neutrals.

That's the knitting report from the weekend!

Enjoy These Patterns

Attention Lace Lovers!

Jody and I were just drooling (in separate rooms) over a collection of shawl patterns. I saw it last week when I was looking for the "A Girl's Best Friend" shawl (which apparently Jade Sapphire really doesn't want to sell many of, since it is so hard to find online).

Anyway, grab a hankie to wipe up your future drool, then go to the Woolly Workshop's Goddess Knits page. Feast your eyes on Celtic-themed (always Suna ni Brighid's favorite) lace shawls. Wish you owned some Pounds (good ole UK people, no Euro pricing for them). After cleaning your keyboard, purchase with your local currency--money is money!

And in good news--I believe I will have me a copy of that hard-to-locate "A Girl's Best Friend" beaded shawl pattern soon! I will have a person walk in a store, buy a copy and MAIL it to me! What a concept!

A Project You Can Help Me With

Some of you know that I recently got "engaged" to my wonderful partner, Lee. We are already committed to each other in our hearts, and that is what really counts, but all sorts of little things that are driving me nuts helped me decide to go against my "anti patriarchy" urges and commit to each other in the eyes of the law as well. Romantic, yes.

At some point we will have a ceremony as an excellent excuse to dress nicely and have a party. There is no date set, but since we are back in the ranks of the two income families, we can plan, at least. And I want to plan to make myself something nice to wear.

I have a vision of me in a dark red silk dress with something lacy and knitted over it, like the item in the photo only white (what IS that pattern??). I am thinking a lace cardigan (perhaps with short sleeves) or a shrug, or maybe a shawl if the dress has sleeves (I will not bare my arms in public!). So, I am soliciting pattern suggestions. Requirements: lightweight, light in color, knitted (though, sigh, I have seen some nice crocheted stuff in Lacis), lace, natural fiber.

Obviously, I need to look in all my books, too, but am afraid I have mostly shawl and scarf patterns. Ugh, I foresee spending a lot of time going through old Vogue, Interweave, Knitters' and such, too.

Suggested Patterns

(These are gleaned from my research, comments to this post, email suggestions and Ravelry suggestions. THANK YOU to all.)

• Lacy Sugarplum shrug from the upcoming Interweave Knits Holiday Issue (scroll down a bit). Also suggested is DragonSkin wrap from the same issue.
• The Horseshoe thing from the new Magnits
• Serrano from Knitty, but with pearl buttons instead of hooks and eyes
• Peacock Plumes (in a lighter yarn maybe?)
• Lace cropped cardigan (another one with pointy sleeves)
• The really nice 3/4 sleeve item in the picture for this post, which I found by searching images and don't know where the pattern is.
• Added 10/4: I Do from Knitty--a wedding shrug in lace, suggested by Elaine in comments.
• Added 10/4: Starlight Cashmere Bed Jacket from Wild Fibers, suggested in comments.
• Added 10/8: A lacy jacket that might work in a thinner yarn.
• Added 10/16: This Diamond Lace Drops cardigan from Fiddlesticks is also very nice.
• Added 10/16: And Caress, another Fiddlesticks one, with a very wedding-like shape.
• Added 10/16: Antique Lace, a vest-like lace thing.
• Added 10/16: Tulip Shrug, a big lace shrug.
• Amended 10/26: A Girl's Best Friend, a gorgeous beaded shawl from Jade Sapphire, suggested in comments, which was a HARD pattern to find. We thought we found it, but we didn't.
• Added 10/19: Diamonds and Pearls, suggested by Yvonne
• Added 10/19: Ole Bolero, from Fiddlesticks, suggested by Jody
• Added 10/19: Venus Vest, from Fiddlesticks, suggested by Jody (I like this for everyday too)
• Added 10/19: Cropped Jacket with Lace Edge, from Fiber Trends, from Jody in comments
• Added 10/23: Enchanted Lace Jacket by Joan Schrouder (if I could find it)
• Added 10/25: Shawl-Back Shrug in Highland Silk from Elann, found on Beverly's Flickr page.
• Added 10/26: Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend. What Gretchen found in comments to top post, hoping it was the A Girl's best friend shawl. Also nice.
• Added 10/27: In Love with Lace Enchanted Jacket by Joan Schrouder, from the lace knitting email list. BEAUTIFUL
• Added 10/30: Lana Grosa Gala Jacket from Barbara Anne in comments. (English instructions are in the second half of the PDF.)
• Added 11/7: CeCe from Chic Knits (I found this accidentally on Ravelry!) this may be a winner!
• Added 12/29: Cobweb Wrap --faroese style.
• Ideas from LoneStarStateKnitters:
• Lacey from Knitty
• Wisp from Knitty
• Ideas from LaceKnitters:
• Bamboozled Cropped Lace Cardigan from Crystal Palace
• Kid Merino Basket Stitch Lace Cardigan from Crystal Palace
• More jackets from Crystal Palace
• Kid Merino Lacy Shrug, also from Crystal Palace

If you have a favorite dainty wedding-like shoulder-covering item, or run across anything as you are looking through the web or your own pattern stash, reading email, or looking through Ravelry, feel free to drop me a comment and let me know what you saw. I will continue to search and evaluate over the next month or two, so don't feel compelled to speak now or forever hold your peace, tee hee!

Surplice Top Progress Report

Surplice Top Back
Originally uploaded by sunasak

Regular readers probably remember me promising to get back to this project, the Surplice Lace Top, from Nashua Handknits American Designer Collection, in Natural Focus Ecologie Cotton, logwood colorway. I started it in June then went on a sock binge.

This week I finally managed to get the back complete. I don't get much of a thrill out of long stretches of stockinette--feels like it will never end. But the way this natural dye makes mottled effects certainly makes the tedium worthwhile. Thank goodness for football games! As of last night, I am well into the third repeat of the lace panel for the front.

I am glad I found encouragement for knitting the back and front each in one piece, rather than attaching the lace panel later. It looks just fine.

Of course, I messed up and had some challenges--that's the way knitting goes! I think I used the smaller needle rather than the larger one on the top, but the size is only off a quarter inch. Then I tried to use one of my new KnitPick harmony needles on the second lace pattern, but my size 4 set has one defective needle--it won't screw all the way in. Grr. Now I will have to test them all to be sure they work and return the ones that don't work.

I must say the new Kntipicks needles are pretty. They are quite slick compared to bamboo, but not so much as their metal needles. I am questioning my decision to get the smallest sizes in 16-inch models, thinking I'd use them on little projects. They still give my hand a cramp. Wah. I will order 32-inchers too.

I know I will really enjoy wearing this, so I will work hard to finish it. My other motivation is that I bought enough of my favorite Cascade 220 hand-dyed for making that beautiful little cabled one-button cardigan Greenjeans from the new Knitty (see previous post). It has jumped to the front of the queue, because I both love the pattern AND the black/red Cascade yarn that looks like dying embers.

Birthday Shawl Beauty

Birthday Shawl Border
Originally uploaded by sunasak.

Important note! I did not knit this shawl! The lovely and talented Jody (Killerpeach) did it as a birthday gift to me (birthday was in March, but we haven't seen each other much lately). Whoa, what a gift! I have a picture of it spread out, and a close up on my Flickr pages. The yarn is a slightly vareigated silk/wool blend that is light and warm (so I can take it in to work and wear when I get cold--it matches my cubicle decor better than my purple and green mohair one).

The pattern is Sivia Harding's Shetland Garden Faroese shawl. It has some nice shaping that makes it hang very well (when not serving as a headscarf). I want to make one of these shawls, too--maybe someone else wil have to be the lucky recipient!

Today we had a really fun day, Jody and I. Jody met me her LYS (the one in south Austin) and looked and looked. While waiting on Jody, the sales staff there were very helpful and I think among three of us, we finally figured out how to do the corner on the Cherry Leaf shawl (yay). They all agreed they are very unclear directions, though, which made me feel better. It's not that I am slow or anything!

I purchased some yummy yarn. I tried not to. But...well...there was stuff they don't have up in Cedar Park...

First is some pale blue (skydrop) Voile de la Mer yarn from Tilli Tomas, a silk and seacell blend. Face it, I just wanted some seacell. I'll make the little dragon scale wristlets in the knitting pattern a day calendar out of them, probably knitting two strands together, because I got the thinner yarn. It really doesn't smell very ocean-y. But it is shiny and soft.

Next we have some Koigu KPPPM sock yarn. Can you believe it, I never bought any before??? They said they had finally gotten in some new colors, and they were flying out. For some reason I didn't get purple (which was very nice), Instead I got some very dark blues and turquoises.

And last in the yarn dept. is Graceful Lace from Yarn Place. It's a laceweight (duh) with very long color changes, 100% wool. The colors are muted greens to purples, violet...very hard to describe, because the colors are subtle and grayed, not vibrant. It's one of those yarns that if the label didn't say so, you would not believe the skeins are the same colorway. I think it would look really interesting on a round shawl, and I want to make some round ones.

(It won't be the next one, though, because I want to make the snowdrop shawl in Lace Style out of some yarn I hope gets dyed this weekend by Ray).

THEN, Jody talked me into buying some roving. Because she thought I should learn to spin. Well, it was pretty inexpensive, so I got some. And we went to her house (after margaritas), and she set me up with a drop spindle. I was predictably awkward at it, but was getting the hang of it by the time I went home. I came back with a borrowed spindle and an instruction book. We'll see how I do!

Must go play with my toys now...

Shiny Top in Progress

Shiny Top in Progress
Originally uploaded by sunasak.

Here's the other thing I am currently working on. When this extremly "grass green" yarn came in, I just had to get it, and that same day I saw a top in a Rebecca magazine with a round lace yoke in it, which I really loved. It looked like I could wear such a thing a lot. So, rather than the silk called for in the pattern, I am using this nylon/cotton blend, whose name escapes me, but I will add later.

The yarn is a bit "snaggy," and it is very hard to knit evenly on it, but that adds to the "handmade" look I guess. I am getting close to the intreesting part on this. I stopped it to work on the Fiesta Sweater, but will re-embark this week, alternating with the Myrtle Shawl.

Cherry Leaf Shawl Progress

Myrtle Shawl Progress
Originally uploaded by sunasak.

Today I will show a couple of the things I am working on. Here is the Cherry Leaf Leaf Shawl from Victorian Lace Today. (For some reason, I used to think it was called "myrtyle leaf" so the photo title is off.) I am knitting it with SWTC Bamboo yarn in a whacky combo of pink, white, brown and gray. The colors look WAY nicer than this picture would indicate. When it's done I will be sure to photograph it in natural light. Or get a new camera. Also, it's really soft. I have 19 repeats complete and think I will do 23, then add the knitted on border. I am pretty sure this will end up a good size, though I do not know what it will block to--certainly lumps up a bit unblocked, so I have hope for expansion.

I am really enjoying working on this one--so I am doing it while working on other things to make it last longer. It's what I work on at lunch while I am at work. The pattern is not too easy and not too hard and the yarn feels good. I don't know if it will be warm or not, but it will be mostly for looks.