OceanKnitter

Pinterest!

2012-02-04T10:21:00.000-08:00

I have recently been introduced to Pinterest, an online bulletin board of images collected from around the web. It is completely addictive.

The way it works:

You sign up.

You create one, two, five or 100 Pinterest boards for pinning your favorite images from around the web.

You add a Pinterest button to your browser search bar.

Hyrna Herbogar knitted by that Logan Chick

Then, every time you find a lovely image you want to pin to your board, you PIN it using the Pinterest button. The image appears on your board. Clicking the image takes you to the page where you found it. It's great for queuing up future projects. (I added the above image to my board.)

You can follow others' Pinterest boards, so you get to see what everyone you know is pinning. And others can follow your boards.

My Pinterest handle (name) is: OceanKnitter.

Knitted Lace of Estonia at Lacis

2012-01-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

I visited the Knitted Lace of Estonia exhibit at Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles in Berkeley, CA yesterday. The exhibit featured a lovely collection of knitted lace shawls provided by Nancy Bush. Nancy wrote the book: Knitted Lace of Estonia.

Flash photography is not permitted in the Museum, so please forgive the quality of some of these cell phone photos.

Interweave Knitting Lab: Review - Part 2

2011-11-12T08:16:00.000-08:00

Vivan Hoxbro, Anne Modesitt and Shirley Paden

Are four days at Interweave Knitting Lab at the San Mateo Marriott enough to absorb, feel, remember, and tell the story of the experience? It will have to be, because Knitting Lab is over. The designers, authors, teachers, experts, vendors have all gone home or to their next teaching assignments.

But the memories linger on. And what great memories! Here's a sampling of what I experienced.

GALINA KHMELEVA: Broken Borders - Lace Restoration Therapy

On the first day, Thursday, November 3, I was on the waitlist for Annie Modesitt's Charted Entrelac & Entrelace class. I had never taken a class from her before, and it was not to be this time. My scheduled class was with Galina Khmeleva, Broken Borders: Lace Restoration Therapy. This class was therapy indeed. See a full review here. (I got so excited, I wrote a full review on Day 1 when I got home that night.)

COOKIE A: Sock Innovation

On Friday, I took a day-long sock design class with Cookie A. I'm not a sock knitter by category, but I do enjoy the architecture and design of socks, which is something Cookie and I have in common. Cookie is a bit of a mad scientist, weaving patterns and motifs together to build incredibly beautiful sock designs. She communicates her theorems like a high school math teacher. We used Japanese and German stitch pattern books to pick a chart or two to integrate into our designs.

Cookie loves ribbing. That sounds a little racy, but actually, she made me think about it more than I ever had before. How does the ribbing of the sock flow into the pattern? What makes a good ribbing or a bad ribbing? We counted the repeats required to go around the sock. We designed our ribbing to flow into the charted pattern. We figured out how much we needed to increase or decrease after the ribbing and still make the pattern flow into an elegant, balanced design.

And then, of course, there was suckage. This is Cookie's term for what happens when you include a cable pattern in a sock design. The cables cross and suck the sides of your sock inward, making for an uncomely appearance, and sometimes an uncomfortable sock. Each of us in class was tuned in to the suckage problem, so much that it became part of our class vernacular. "I've got a 3x3 cable, so how much suckage do I have?" "What are you going to do about the suckage?" We also talked about the reverse problem: the extra girth provided by lace patterns in socks. But no relative term was coined. I need my jargon, so how about: "I've got 5 yarnovers in each repeat, so how much blimpage do I have?" or "What are you going to do about the Zeppelin effect?" You decide.

We also talked about dividing stitches for the heel, and how to center the design attractively on the top of the foot. We talked about the shapes of feet, and making a wedge toe and other toe shapes to make the sock comfortable and fit properly. Cookie announced that she has Fred Flintstone feet, squarish across the toes.

I'm not an expert yet, but I feel equipped to design a good sock now, not a simply adequate one.

JUNE HIATT: The Principles of Knitting

June Hiatt came to speak on her book The Principles of Knitting. The book will be released in February, totally rewritten, revised, re-researched. June spoke as if she were Tom Hanks in Castaway, emerging from her exile of researching and writing. She spoke about how she spent a decade writing the first edition, back in 1989, and how she spent about the SAME amount of time rewriting this new edition. She looked at every piece and made changes, typing it from scratch.

She remarked about how some people have tried to explain how one technique was different or better than another technique, and she would answer, "It's my book," while continuing on her way. She explained that she didn't interview or ask anyone questions, since the techniques were well documented in books and on the Internet. I noticed many people in the room glancing at each other, wondering if we were all thinking the same thing at that moment.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE KNITTER: FROM HEARTHSIDE TO HIGH-SPEED - a panel discussion

On Tuesday, November 1, those who had their hearts set on seeing and hearing Barbara Walker speak on her amazing career and life received an email from Interweave that an emergency would prevent her from coming to speak at Knitting Lab. For many, Ms. Walker's appearance was the primary reason for attending this event. At first, I was saddened and hoped that she was well. Information was revealed on-site that she was having gall bladder surgery. We all wished her well.

In her stead, we were treated to a lively panel discussion which included the following speakers: Vivian Hoxbro, Annie Modesitt, Marilyn Murphy, Shirley Paden, Susan Strawn, Meg Swansen, Eunny Jang, moderator.

Eunny Jang, Susan Strawn, Marilyn Murphy, Meg Swansen

Aside from the sheer brilliance of this panel, their variety of skills and knowledge and their cultural and generational attitudes represented something like a United Nations of knitting. I felt completely at home in their presence, and delighted to be a part of this unique event, befitting the new tradition that is Knitting Lab. I hope this panel discussion becomes a part of every Knitting Lab event in the future and that additional experts from more countries and backgrounds are included.

I've admired Shirley Paden's designs and dressmaking techniques for many years, yet I had never heard her speak. I now wish I had been able to squeeze into one of her classes. I was able to speak to her for a short time after the panel discussion and she encouraged me to join her Ravelry group (called We Love Shirley Paden, started by a fan).

I also enjoyed listening to Susan Strawn's remarks and recollections. She's an absolutely brilliant speaker, and I certainly would put her class on my wish list for next year's Knitting Lab curriculum. Susan is a historian, a teacher of dress and culture history at Dominican University in Illinois, and has written the historical reference Knitting America.

THE SAN MATEO MARRIOTT

My roommate and I hadn't taken time for a meal break on Friday night, so we headed to the restaurant. I had a delicious mushroom risotto and an adult beverage. The food we were served at dinner each night was tasty, and I had no complaints. Also, the service was very pleasant, and my friends remarked that the employees made an effort to keep us feeling happy and welcomed.

The American breakfast buffet, included with the guest room stay, was fantastic. A wide assortment of breakfast items included: omelettes made to order, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, bakery items, fruit, yogurt, cereal, smoked salmon, coffee, tea, juices ... I'm probably forgetting something, but it was fabulous and got us off to a good start each morning.

However, the lunch buffet for conference attendees was expensive and not satisfying. The Caesar salad in a box was $12 with minimal protein -- just lettuce, a few soft croutons, a sprinkling of packaged shredded parmesan and a tiny piece of chicken breast, together with a pouch of lemony, un-Caesar dressing. Not acceptable. The sandwiches were $8 -- either roast beef or turkey with a piece of lettuce and tomato on plain white or wheat bread. Blah. Nothing makes a conventioneer more cranky than a blah lunch. To protest, I did order a quesadilla from the restaurant for lunch on one day that was acceptable and tasty (though not traditional, I did enjoy it).

The rooms were lovely; however, there was a shortage of refrigerators. I like to have a cold drink and maybe some fruit or cheese in my refrigerator at a conference, so I asked specifically for a room with a fridge. They told me there was a shortage and "would you like to be put on the waiting list?" "No, thank you, I'd just like a room with a fridge." They miraculously found one for me, after I complained a bit.

The meeting rooms were appropriately sized for the number of students. In some cases, the rooms were very cold. Luckily, we were all wearing sweaters or shawls.

The sound system in the Inspire ballroom where we heard the evening speakers needs to be improved. Occasional feedback and muffled sound marred the speaker's delivery. For this reason, my friends and I made an effort to get into the ballroom early and sit in front.

Getting around the hotel was amusing. The guest room elevators were down a corridor, away from the lobby and the conference elevators. With everyone roaming around and getting lost, I found myself in the elevator with various famous designers and teachers on several occasions. Meg Swansen and Amy Detjen asked me how to find the room elevators, so I walked them down the hall like a tour guide. Shirley Paden, looking elegant in a white blouse and navy slacks, chatted amiably with students on her way down to the lobby.

The collegial atmosphere seemed to uplift and encourage everyone to mingle and get to know each other. It felt different from Stitches West, another knitters' convention that explodes every February in Santa Clara. At Stitches, many people are there for the Market, and you lose your student experience in the hustle and bustle. At Knitting Lab, the majority of attendees went to at least a class or two. I also found myself having discussions at a more intimate level than at Stitches. The pace seemed a bit slower, a bit more conducive to learning. I was tired and fulfilled at the end of each day.

Coming soon: Part 3

More photos from Knitting Lab

2011-11-04T07:49:00.000-07:00

Jane and Nina

A real Estonian shawl on the silent auction table. Last bid was $200, and climbing.

Another silent auction item from the cover of Interweave Knits

Waiting for the Market to open

The line forming outside the Market

In my hot little hand ... alpaca/silk/merino from Just Our Yarn

And the shopping frenzy begins

Oodles of spindles at Carolina Homespun's booth

Interweave Knitting Lab: Review - Part 1

2011-11-03T22:56:00.000-07:00

When you feel that anticipation, the kind old timers may remember from the Heinz Ketchup commercials, you know that something good is coming. Something delicious and wonderful. With Day 1 of Interweave Knitting Lab behind me, I haven't been disappointed.

I should qualify that. I was disapointed a couple of days ago, when I found out that Barbara Walker would not be attending. Meeting her was one of the main reasons I wanted to go to Interweave's premiere event at the San Mateo Marriott, on November 3-6, 2011. Barbara wrote the Treasuries of Knitting, Mosaic Knitting, Knitting from the Top, and many other knitting resources. She's at the pinnacle of the knitting authority pyramid. We still haven't heard the reason behind her absence, except that it was an emergency. Everyone hopes that she's okay.

Nevertheless, I took two days off from work to attend this knitting extravaganza. Why all the fuss? Well, a few reasons, including: the small classes; the brilliance of the teaching staff; and ... it's in my backyard! Well, I only had to drive a few miles from where I live.

San Mateo Marriott is in a weird spot, alongside Highway 101 on the west side. It definitely caters to Silicon Valley conventioneers, with meeting rooms named Connect, Inspire, Synergy, etc.

I met in Connect 5 today with Galina Khmeleva, who gave a lecture class on Broken Borders: Lace Restoration Therapy. I've been a fan of Galina's for several years, and had already picked up a copy of her Gossamer Webs book of patterns. I had heard rumors that she was an opinionated teacher, who didn't take any guff. And for goodness sake, don't be late to class! I suppose I was a bit apprehensive, wondering if the class would feel like Catholic grammar school, when we sat with hands folded, back straight, not speaking with our neighbors. On the contrary, the class was small, only about ten students, and Galina made us feel at home. She made eye contact with each of us, smiling and telling stories about how she learned and perfected her lace restoration techniques.

Galina is the foremost expert on Orenburg lace. She can tell you stories that would curl the mohair of the most jaded lace knitter. I was flabbergasted to learn that my methods of storing my lace shawls were all wrong, that moth eggs can survive and actually hatch for up to three years, and that cedar can leave yellow spots on your fabrics.

Oh ... my ... gosh ... I was writing notes as fast as I could. I didn't want to miss anything important. But then Galina would smile and tell us a funny story, and more than once she exclaimed, "Piece of cake!"

Whew. I felt better. If Galina says it's a piece of cake, then by golly, it's a piece of cake. There's no doubt about it. That's how she makes you feel.

In order for me to get a good night's sleep tonight in preparation for my Sock Innovation class with Cookie A tomorrow, I'm going to speed through my notebook and give you the highlights from Galina's many nuggets of wisdom. Really good stuff.

MOTHS

When finding moth holes, the most important thing is to kill the eggs and larvae or whatever remains in the fabric. Those little eggs stick. They do not shake out or even wash out. To kill the buggers, she zips up the lace in a Ziplock bag and freezes it on the highest setting in her freezer for two weeks. Then she takes it out to air, rearranges it, and zips it up again and repeats this procedure three or four times. The temperature changes are important. They make the eggs think it's time to hatch, or something like that.

More moth facts:

- Moth larvae develop at 65% humidity and 64 degrees F -- this is the sweet spot for moths.

- Larvae develop in 12 days.

- Moths can lay 200 eggs in a lifetime.

- Only 2% may survive.

- Eggs that survive are viable for up to three years.

- Eggs can hatch inside a Ziplock or plastic bin, and the larvae have nowhere to go, so they eat your wool.

Other pests who might eat your wool:

- Silverfish

- Crickets

- Carpet beetles

- Japanese ladybugs (the kind gardeners use)

- Some ants (some in CO, AZ, NM)

STORAGE

Keep all fabrics clean. Don't put anything away soiled. This includes:

- After you've worn it (bugs love perfume, food spatter, proteins, etc.)

- After you've finished making it (wash and block before you store)

Use acid free tissue or unbleached muslin to separate sweaters.

Store them in a plain cardboard box. Shoeboxes or shirt boxes are okay.

Don't store any boxes on the floor.

Don't store sweaters/shawls in Ziplocks or plastic. (I've got some reorganizing to do.)

Try Moth Guard - an odorless powder that can be diluted with water and sprayed on. It's used in the carpet industry. Galina didn't know the composition, but I looked online and it's a fluoride base. I'm always worried about anything chemical, so I'd like to learn more about this before trying it.

Scents moths don't like:

- lavender

- eucalyptus

- citrus (Galina uses dried orange peels)

- dry tobacco leaves

- jasmine teabags

- cedar (this does leave yellow spots on fabric, so be careful how you use it)

Cedar chests dry out! You may think you're protected, but you're not.

ORENBURG SHAWLS

Orenburg shawls have these common attributes:

- two-ply, silk and cashmere

- garter stitch (no stockinette)

- scalloped border

Historically, in a Russian cottage industry of 12,500 knitters, Broken Borders were fixed by the most experienced, respected women. The most common place for a shawl to break was at the corners, during blocking.

BLOCKING

Use a tapestry needle and a nylon cord from the hardware store. Sew through the points with an overhand stitch, not a running stitch, always coming up through the fabric from the back. If you use a running stitch, some of the tips may twist into "goat's tits" (thank you for the image, Galina!).

After threading the points, then wash in 98 degree F water. The nylon cord will allow the points to slide. Pin out the four corners. Arrange the points. Wrap another separate piece of cord around the four corner pins. Without pinning through the shawl, T-pin the threaded cord in between the points.

FIBERS

Camel, cashmere, bison, and yak do not like to felt. Rabbit and merino do like to felt (with temperature change and agitation).

WHY GALINA HATES BUNNIES

"I hate bunnies; I just eat them."

In the concentration camps, production of soldier's gloves and helmet liners during wartime was enormous. Also, Galina is allergic to bunnies.

REPAIR WORK

Outline the repair area with a red silk thread. Use a styrofoam board, muslin, and dark fabric under the work. I wish I could show you how she fixed a hole before our very eyes, using a duplicate stitch. The expertise was quite amazing. She is also teaching classes at The Lace Museum in Sunnyvale in February.

.... That's all for tonight, folks. Time to sleep and dream of socks and lace and twisted stitches and Japanese charts. Oh, I'd better just sleep.

Guess who

2011-11-03T12:15:00.001-07:00

I've been magically transported (through the looking glass, apparently) to a knitters' paradise in San Mateo - Interweave Knitting Lab! Reports coming soon. Oh, there's Nancy Marchant ...

Schafenfreude!

2011-09-06T18:17:00.000-07:00

At the King's Mountain Art Festival near Skyline and Hwy 92 in Woodside, I found the most delicious 80% Bluefaced Leicester / 20% silk laceweight. Lovely blended colors dappled with drops of sunlight. My heart went pitty-pat. Here it is, along with a few festival photos.

Ring Bearer Pillow

2011-08-01T01:07:00.000-07:00

My cousin Alexis was married on Saturday to her beloved Roger in San Francisco. They have two beautiful children, and her youngest, a two-year-old boy named Benjamin, was the ring bearer. He was walked down the aisle by his Uncle Lucas. His sister Aidan was one of the flowergirls.

The doily is from Lavori Artistici a Calza #11. The pillow is handsewn by me using ivory bridal satin and some peach-pink tulle to match the bride's accessory color.

The yarn is a silk/wool blend, knitted with size US0, and the beads are Japanese glass beads. I tied an ivory ribbon on top to hold the rings.

Blocking Haruni

2011-05-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

Haruni was a labor of love from the start. My creative, experienced lace knitter friends started working on the Haruni Shawl by Emily Ross, as a group project. At first, I thought about using a smooth, silky yarn for Haruni, but I was drawn back to the chosen Habu yarn for its uniqueness.

The yarn is 1/14 spiral slub. It's 51% wool, 20% polyester, 20% nylon. Lace knitters might make the following assumptions:

Slub yarn? Forget it. The lace pattern won't show up well.
Wool with polyester and nylon? Forget it. It won't block well.
It's thread! Forget it. Too fine.

I couldn't help myself; it was a challenge. I knit a little swatch. The slubs made it more difficult to keep an even tension, but the texture was interesting enough to keep going. The yarn stretched and retracted in a weird way, probably due to the spiraling nylon and polyester. Blocking was going to be interesting.

The pattern is repetitive until you get to the border, which requires a bit of concentration to get it right. I added several repeats to get the size I wanted, since the thread was so fine, even though I was knitting with size US3 needles. I ended up with nine pairs of leaves per side, plus four center leaves. Big, open, superfine laciness.

I only had two cones of Habu, at 435 yards each. From the notes on Ravelry and the pattern, I gathered that I would need about half of my total yardage for the border. As the shawl gets bigger, I believe the ratio of border to shawl is reduced. I needed approximately half of my second cone for the border leaves.

Initially, I planned to use some light violet silk for the border. The silk is lovely, but it's much better suited to smaller needles and a denser fabric. It was purchased from John Marshall at Stitches West this year.

Instead, I stayed with the Habu and beaded the border! The tiny 11/0 seed beads are slightly iridescent and accent the purplish binding thread that runs through the shawl. The tough part of the beading process was the size of the beads and the slubbiness of the yarn. I used a size 12 steel crochet hook to add the tiny glass beads as I knit, and often I had a bit of trouble pulling those slubs through.

So, here are the blocking photos. I basically blocked it as I wanted it to look, rather than by any book or rule. However, I did use common sense and experience as guides.

Haruni unblocked and unwashed

After laying out the shawl flat on my blocking board, I decided how I wanted to block it. It was too large for the board. My choices would be to a) block one half at a time, left side then right side, holding the center line straight with a blocking rod; b) block the main body and center point first, and finish the wing extensions separately afterward; c) use the big piece of berber carpet I have rolled up in the garage for the purpose of blocking large lace items. I chose (b).

First I soaked the shawl in a cool water bath for about five minutes. I added a drop of dishwashing liquid to the water and swirled it around, without too much agitation. I did squeeze the soapy water through it a couple of times. Then I rinsed with water of the same temperature.

Haruni in a cool water bath with a drop of dishwashing liquid

Haruni rolled in a towel

Gently squeezing Haruni to remove excess water

After the wash, I pinned out the top center and bottom center of the shawl. I put the top edge on a rod -- except for the eight inches (or so) of wing extensions that I would block later.

Bottom center point pinned out

Top center area on a blocking rod

Then I pinned out every other pair of leaves, starting at the bottom, and working side to side -- two leaves on one side, then two leaves on the other side.

Pinning out every other pair of leaves

Then I pinned out the rest of the leaves, just two loops in the middle of each pair of leaves. I tried to balance the two sides, so they would look about equal. This shawl is curved and very fine. You may hear knitters talk about blocking "by feel" or "by eye" -- basically, blocking using experience and common sense.

All the leaves pulled out and pinned

Then I pinned out all of the loops for each pair of leaves, followed by the few loops in between each pair.

Pinning out all the loops

Considering how many pins have to be pushed into a fairly rigid surface, I used this leather thimble. It has a small metal disk built into the thumb pad area, and is very comfortable to wear.

Leather thimble

What happens when you push a pin too hard

These are the wing extension I mentioned that needed to be blocked last. They extended too far over the edge of my blocking board. I could have been industrious and looked around for some foam or some other surface to use as an extension, but decided to block these after the main blocking was completed.

Wing extensions to be blocked last

So I completed pinning the main body of the shawl, and I spritzed it with a bit of water. Some of the shawl had dried a bit while I was pinning. I wanted it to be evenly damp and dry evenly, holding its shape.

Spritzing the pinned shawl with a little water

Then it was time for break.

Lovely dark chocolate from the only chocolate factory in San Francisco

Pet the puppy

Back to work. I unpinned the huge thing, laid a sheet down over the blocking board, and spread the shawl out again. This is because I planned on using spray starch to finish it, and didn't want the starch on my board.

To finish, I used no pins. I lightly sprayed one half of the shawl with Niagara spray starch. Then I laid a white pillowcase on top of the shawl and used a medium iron (wool setting is okay) and gently ironed on top of the pillow case. It's important to keep checking the piece underneath to make sure it's laying properly and to make sure your yarn doesn't melt! Remember, I was using a yarn with polyester and nylon components, so anything was possible. Also, if using beads, make sure that the beads are somewhat heat resistant. I've used Japanese glass beads before, and they hold up well under this type of blocking and a light iron. If possible, it's best to test a swatch first (I was impatient, but it would have been the smart thing to do). Some beads can melt or change color. You just have to be careful.

Haruni ready for a light starch

Then I pinned out the wing extensions. This is where I made a slight error. When I sprayed a little water on the wing after it was pinned, I also dampened the pre-blocked area around it. No problem, right? But it did soften up the points on the leaves adjacent. I had to re-pin and block the points to make them sharp and pointy again.

Pinning out the wings

I decided to be really picky and pin out a few more points as well. The loops were very reluctant to stay sharp, but I kept after them, and eventually, with pinning and starching, they behaved well.

Wings pinned with adjacent points repinned

Final result on a black background

No Deadline

2011-04-17T09:43:00.000-07:00

Now that I've completed a gigantic lace project (too secret to tell here), I'm back to Haruni and very happy to have no deadline looming. I've still got Krokus on the needles, and I'll get back to it shortly thereafter.

The good thing about completing a big project is that I feel such a sense of relief and accomplishment, that anything that follows is a pleasure. After all, knitting should always be a pleasure. When I'm knitting, I feel grateful to be able to read tiny pattern charts, to sit comfortably in my favorite chair and knit long rows of stitches, to have a colorful stash of yarn and pattern choices, and to have friends with whom I share my love of knitting. I'm also grateful for the camaraderie of Ravelry and my knitting groups, the conventions and events I attend, and the other online communities who share their knowledge and friendship.

For now, on a peaceful Sunday, I knit for joy.

Habu Slubby Haruni

2011-02-27T09:51:00.000-08:00

Though the title of this post may seem mysterious, it's really just three words to describe the next shawl I'm making. Habu is the yarn vendor from whence this spiral slub laceweight came. I'm knitting it up into the Haruni Shawl, by Emily Ross -- a free pattern on Ravelry.

The yarn is a blend of mostly wool, with some polyester and nylon thrown in to make it slubby. It's a threadlike bouclé, but I like the olive green with the purply slubs. At first, I thought the design was obscured too much, but now I'm enjoying the surprisingly earthy feel and texture. It doesn't hurt that I'm using my Asciano FiberArts circulars with this yarn. The needles have the best joins and cables I've ever found on wooden circulars, and the tips are long-tapered, polished and perfect for lace.

Oh, and I'm thinking about using some of that purple silk I bought at Stitches for the fabulous wide edging. The photo of the shawl below is a sample from the designer Emily Ross.

Stitches 2011 Recap and Booty!

2011-02-20T09:16:00.000-08:00

A little bit of Stitches goes a long way. For me, that means four or five hours of browsing, shopping, meeting friends, chatting with shop owners, and absorbing all of the silky, woolly, warm vibes at the Santa Clara Convention Center this past weekend.

Many of the same vendors were back, some with smaller booths and less product, a reminder of how the economy has affected not only our pocketbooks but the livelihoods of our favorite creative shop owners.

At Interlacements, where I have purchased a couple of skeins every year, I was surprised to see the reduced inventory and booth footprint. The colors were as vibrant as ever.

The Mannings booth was buzzing with activity, as was Tess Designer Yarns. The Yarn Barn was full of people browsing, but it seemed to me that purchasing lines were shorter here and throughout the Market. I was pleased to see the popularity of Intwined Pattern Studio, the design software that I purchased last year. Demonstrations at Intwined were lively, and it looked like people were buying.

Tina at Knitwhits

A vendor new to me, The Sanguine Gryphon, was attacked by shoppers on the first day of the show, I was told. And something they had was all gone by the end of the first day. What was it? I must know! The booth attendants were dressed in long gowns, their hair tied up in ribbons. Medieval times at a yarn show? Their yarn was scrumptious, and I picked up two skeins of some cashmere/silk fluffiness. Yum. I picked up these two handcarved shawl pins from Chappy (a.k.a., Purrfectly Catchy Designs). Don't they complement the yarn well? She's the vendor with the highligher tape, if you need some.

I also stopped by Cheryl Oberle's booth and picked up her Knitted Jackets book. She graciously signed it for me and gave me a marbelized bookmark. She's always so lovely.

I have to admit I am attracted to sparkly, smooth things, and these glass handmade knitting needles from Sheila and Michael Ernst of Drain, OR are no exception. I tested them at their booth and the wool slid nicely over the pointy tips. I'm not sure how they will do with finer yarns, but for a relaxing, satisfying woolly knit, I'm definitely going to use these. They have a lifetime warranty against breakage (made with borosylicate, commonly known as Pyrex), and the smallest size is 4. I bought one of the standard colors, but look at their website to see some of their gorgeous designer color wonders.

I can't leave out the man with the Midas touch. The guy with the gold. The Japanese silk man. Who is he and where does he get this stuff each year? He is John Marshall of Covelo, CA and he buys out remaining stocks of Japanese textile companies. He also teaches and lectures in dying, stencil carving, and various Japanese and other arts. I purchased some extremely fine silk from him. I don't know yet what it will be, but the colors are stunning.

And I do like this Handy Caddy I found. The plastic organizer snaps onto a steel frame that will stand up on a table. But you can unsnap it, and take just the plastic organizer with you in your knitting bag.

I'm looking forward to reading all the blog posts about Stitches this year. Let's keep attending these events, and purchasing from the vendors, so we can enjoy Stitches in years to come.

Landscapes of color

2011-02-19T18:46:00.000-08:00

Felt landscapes, yarn braids and some cute stitch markers

Stitches ... Sanguine Gryphon

2011-02-19T17:10:00.001-08:00

The name and the costumes made me look. Gorgeous cashmere and silk yarn made me buy.

Quite a lot

2011-02-19T17:05:00.001-08:00

Knitwhits

2011-02-19T16:04:00.001-08:00

My pal Tina at the Knitwhits booth. Stop in and say hello - and check out the new Freia yarns - beautiful!

Off the Hook

2011-02-19T09:24:00.001-08:00

Hub is off the hook. He's staying home with the puppy today, partly because of the really nice gift he gave me for my birthday, and partly because he worked a double shift yesterday. Lucky guy, or lucky me?

The road to Stitches West

2011-02-18T22:27:00.001-08:00

Headed to Stitches West on Saturday, so I thought I should test this mobile blogging thing. The results are fun, but a lot of teeny keyboarding is tedious work. Maybe I'll post some pics if I can. Wish me luck, good knitters!

Sofia

2010-07-13T21:13:00.000-07:00

This is my great grandmother. Her name was Sofia, and she was the first person I ever saw knit or crochet. This photo was taken of her in Lake Tahoe at my Uncle Louie's cabin. It's the only photo I've ever seen of her knitting.

She was Big Nana, to me, even though she stood only 4'10". She spoke Italian and very little English. She went to church every day, walking up and down the steep Filbert Street hill to go to Ss. Peter and Paul Church in North Beach. She rode the cable cars well into her 80's.

I grew up around the corner from Big Nana, who lived with Auntie Florence and Uncle Ralph. I visited her on many occasions and always found her sitting in her chair, working on a bureau scarf or doll clothes or something for a baby. Sofia lived to the age of 92, a gentle soul who helped me appreciate fine handmade things.

Marin County Fair 2010

2010-07-10T16:42:00.001-07:00

Just some photos of the textiles on exhibit at the Marin County Fair. I didn't enter any fairs this year, but I still like visiting and looking at the entries. Not too much lace was exhibited, but some talented knitters won ribbons, nonetheless. Click on an image to see it larger.

Krokus in Progress

2010-07-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

The past two+ months have been a bit tumultuous, with Dad in the hospital, his recovery, and adding a new puppy to our household. (Ellie has a new blog where you may watch her grow up.) I've finally gotten back to Krokus, which sat dormant for at least part of this time. Thank you, Adrienne, for spurring me to update.

I don't know what possessed me to think that I would finish Krokus in time to enter it in the San Mateo County Fair this year. Even if nothing had gone topsy-turvy, the timeframe for completion was still much too short. In addition, I had thought I was knitting 209 rows.

I found the Krokus pattern in the February 1989 Anna magazine, published in German by Burda. It was a lucky find. Several years ago, I had purchased a stack of old Annas from an online seller at a low price, and the collection included the elusive Lyra (in English!) and several other Herbert Niebling patterns. Of course, now many of the Niebling patterns have been republished, since interest in these fine works has increased. However, at the time of my purchase, I felt very lucky to have found these.

If you know Anna magazine, you're aware that the more complex charts are located on a large pull-out folded sheet in the center of the magazine -- sort of like the posters we would pull out of old Tiger Beat magazines as kids. I admit, as a young girl, I had a shirtless David Cassidy pinned on my wall, complete with staple hole near his bellybutton. My mom was not pleased. These days, my heart beats faster for Nieblings than popstars.

When I picked up Krokus again, I happily knit along at a good pace, and at Row 123 I guessed I would easily finish in a month or at the most two. Then I realized, as I looked at the photo of the finished piece in the magazine, that I had barely made a dent in this mammoth thing. And it was not 209 rows. It was 245. How had I missed that portion of the chart?

On the Anna pattern sheet, the chart is printed in several sections. One ends at 123, the next at 167; the next at 191; the next at 209. But I hadn't noticed the very long final section ends at 245 -- which would make it exponentially larger than I had envisioned. Then, of course, there is a very long, tedious bind-off. Okay, I've done Lyra, but I didn't think this one was going to be so time-consuming. Anyway, it will be ready for the next Fair, whether it's San Mateo or the State Fair. No pressure. Only another year to finish.

The lifeline I'm using is now in three pieces. It makes more sense than having one long lifeline that could break under tension. Did I say tension? No, there is no tension in knitting, just as there is no crying in baseball.

Enthusiasm

2010-04-14T08:25:00.000-07:00

Normally, I would encourage a new or inexperienced knitter to ask questions of someone experienced. Find out everything you can about the art you love to practice. Then take your new knowledge and go forth into the world, enjoying your new skills and sharing them with others.

I would now like to make an exception to this rule of knitting etiquette. Please do not bother a knitter who is engaged in complicated lace knitting with multiple questions during a seriously difficult row of counting and manipulating stitches.

I would love to say that I can complete XX rows per train trip, but as the Krokus grows exponentially larger, I can barely finish one row during my brief 25 minutes on BART. Therefore, I stop in the middle of the chart row, and have to count back to the stopping point. And I have very little actual knitting time per trip.

Last night, on my way home from work, a friendly woman of about my age sat down next to me on the BART train. I had boarded one stop earlier and ritualistically unfolded my Krokus chart (because it's too large for an 8.5x11 plastic page protector), removed my rubber needle tip protectors, and carefully began counting stitches up to the spot where I had left off in the pattern chart.

This friendly woman, with her hair in tight ponytail and wearing a black Giants baseball jersey, plopped down in the seat next to me and immediately said:

"Wow! Is that knitting? What are you making?

I replied, "It's lace. Yes, it's knitting." I began thinking about the T-shirt I want printed with the standard answers.

"Lace? But what are you making?"

"It's a tablecloth."

"Wow, that's really difficult. I can't do anything like that. I can crochet. Do you want to see the hat I made?" Before I could answer, she began rooting through one of her bags and found a sweet crocheted hat with earflaps.

"Nice. I bet that keeps your ears warm," I smiled and tried to focus on counting stitches from the chart. One, yarnover, knit two together, yarnover, knit two together ...

"It does! I tried to teach my daughter, but she didn't like doing it. She wants me to knit for her! I'm a beginner, but you are doing something hard. How did you learn that? Have you been doing that for a long time?"

"Since I was a child." One, yarnover, knit two together ...

"Me, too! Since I was about five! And you??"

"Me, too." Five ... uh ... one, yarnover ...

"Oh, wow, but you're really good. How can I learn to do that?"

Counting paused now. Needles down. "You can learn from books, or from watching knitting videos or taking a class. Or find a good knitting group."

"Okay, I'll definitely do that."

I took advantage of the momentary pause in conversation and picked up the needles again. I found my spot and started knitting from the chart.

"Hey, what are you doing now? Is that knitting or purling? I think it's knitting."

"It's knitting."

"Okay, oh ... and what's that your doing?"

"Knit two together."

"Okay. Where is that on the chart?"

I point.

"Oh, it's a triangle. What's the circle?"

"It's a yarnover."

"What's that?"

Please ... make it stop.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-03T18:24:00.000-07:00

This little peep tried to escape his fated duty as centerpiece sentinel, but he was unsuccessful.

Paul gets excited about decorating for holidays, and he always comes up with something creative. He suggested a vase filled with peeps after seeing something like this online. We did it our own way with daisies and tulips.

I am a bit of a peep fanatic at this time of year -- they just make me smile. We got a little carried away and dyed Easter eggs and filled some plastic ones with candy.

On the more traditional side, I found this very old glass egg-shaped candy dish tucked away with some of my mother-in-law's teacups and glasses. I cleaned it up, added a ribbon, and filled it with M&Ms. Paul thinks these treats are just for him, so the egg may be empty by Sunday.

Krokus - Row 64

2010-03-30T06:37:00.000-07:00

I'm at Row 64. Only 182 more rows of increasing size to go! Yikes. Thanks to Yenju for the translation help. This Yubina cashmere/silk is lovely.

"Who Is Marjorie Bruce?"

2010-03-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

With curiosity piqued, I contacted Name Maker regarding the identity of the famous yet mysterious Marjorie Bruce. As I mentioned in a previous post, Marjorie Bruce has been the name printed on the company's sample labels for many years. Knitters, quilters and others sew the labels into handmade garments, etc. I remember seeing the name Marjorie Bruce on their catalog sample labels as a teenager (way back when).
I received an email reply to my question from Name Maker's Vice President of Sales and Marketing:

The original owners of Name Maker (in 1938) always used this name. We don't know if she was a real person, or if it was a made up name!

Thanks for asking!

Stephanie Sklar
VP- Sales & Marketing
Name Maker, Inc.

A mystery for the ages.

Krokus ... New Yarn, New Day

2010-03-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

After knitting Krokus for about 40 rows or so, the stripes were evident. Even though I love this Almaza tencel from Just Our Yarn, it doesn't work for this intricate doily. I'll save it for a shawl with an all-over stitch pattern. I was hoping for a more subtle, watercolor effect, but it wasn't happening.

I switched to my blue Yubina cashmere/silk. This is the same yarn I reviewed a while back, when I was swatching for the Princess Shawl. The Yubina is a little shiny and springy. It's superfine, a lot more delicate than the tencel. I'm still using size US0 needles. The start was a bit fiddly, but these Darn Pretty Needles made it much easier than my old steel DPNs.

Krokus, the beginning

2010-03-13T09:20:00.001-08:00

I started a new Herbert Niebling doily, Krokus. This one can be found in Anna Burda, Feb 1989, and probably in some other books and magazines.

Just Our Yarn's lovely Almaza tencel yarn (10/2) is a very pale blend of light blues and teal. I'm using my new doily starter needles, called Darn Pretty Needles -- they are darn pretty, and the stitches don't slide off. I have always used steel DPNs to start doilies, out of habit, no other reason. These are great, but I'll need to change to a longer set shortly, and then to a circular.

Woven Labels (and who is Marjorie Bruce, anyway?)

2010-03-07T14:05:00.000-08:00

While I was wandering around at Stitches last week, someone asked me where to get woven name labels, the kind your grandma used to sew into clothing. Usually, they look something like this:

I couldn't think of where I had bought mine, because it was so long ago. When I bought them, I was very pleased. And wouldn't it be great, I thought, if my handknit sweaters lived a long time, and got passed along, and some day, someone would ask, who is this person who knit my favorite sweater? My ambition: perplex future generations.

Well, it was a silly notion, but name labels are still pretty popular. The company that made mine is still in business: Name Maker. They have many different designs, and you can even have your own design custom printed (not woven). The basic designs, however, are woven.

This is the design I chose (stock photo, not my actual label):
They started in 1938 -- your grandma probably used these labels! From their website:

Name Maker, Inc. was established in 1938 as a fabric label company in New York City. Bernie Bryan, president of Notions Unlimited, bought the company in 1950 and rebuilt all of the original machinery for an Atlanta plant. Bryan’s transformed brand first offered mass produced personalized nametapes, sewing labels, and custom made labels. Bryan’s daughter Cheryl Dorrell joined the business in 1990, working her way from marketing to president. She added and developed several new products along the way. In 1996, Bryan semi-retired to Las Vegas and Dorrell assumed direction of the company.

As president for over a decade, Dorrell has become the driving agent for corporate growth at Name Maker. The company continues to generate exciting new personalized packaging concepts including a wide selection of personalized gift wrap, personalized ribbon, gift boxes and a new line of sewing labels. Media coverage has created increased awareness of the product line and attracted celebrity customers such as Reese Witherspoon, Julia Roberts, Dakota Fanning, Katie Couric, Tricia Yearwood, David Copperfield and Marcia Gay Harden. Name Maker is extremely proud of all its unique brands and strives to create only the highest quality products for its customers around the world.

And who is Marjorie Bruce? Well some of the labels on the website identify a needleworker named on the labels as: Marjorie Bruce. In the old days, ALL of the labels had that name. I really don't know why, and would love to know. If you know, please tell me. If I do find out, I'll post it.

And now for something completely different ...

A Wikipedia entry tells the tale of another Marjorie Bruce:

Marjorie Bruce or Marjorie de Brus (December, 1296 – 2 March 1316) was the eldest daughter of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots by his first wife, Isabella of Mar, and the founder of the Stuart dynasty. Her marriage to Walter, High Steward of Scotland united Clan Stewart and the royal House of Bruce, giving rise to the House of Stuart. Her son was the first Stuart monarch, King Robert II of Scotland.

Her mother, Isabella, a nineteen-year-old noblewoman from the ancient Clan Mar, died soon after giving birth to her. Her father was then the Earl of Carrick, and her mother died the Countess of Carrick; she never became Queen. Marjorie was named after her father's mother, Marjorie of Carrick.

According to legend, her parents had been very much in love, and Robert the Bruce did not remarry until Marjorie was six years old. In 1302, a teenage courtier named Elizabeth de Burgh became her stepmother. Elizabeth was about thirteen, only seven years older than Marjorie. On 27 March 1306, her father and stepmother were crowned King and Queen of Scots at Scone, Perthshire, and Marjorie, then nine years old, became a Princess of Scotland.

If you want to read more, go here. Oh, and if you find out who the Marjorie Bruce is on the labels, please comment.

Surviving Stitches West 2010

2010-03-03T09:21:00.000-08:00

I’ve attended enough times to know that I must psychologically and physically prepare for the ordeal that is Stitches West, the annual knitapalooza event produced by XRX (the Knitting Universe) and held locally at the Santa Clara Convention Center for the last few years.

Classes are held behind curtains in various areas around the perimeter of the Stitches Market. The Market, however, is what draws me each year. Market vendors number nearly 200 and their wares comprise an overwhelming, wondrous mix of yarns, needles, notions, books, software, spinning accoutrements, and things you never knew existed.

A few truths about Stitches West:

Theorem #1:
You will see and/or meet a famous, or nearly famous, designer or knitting luminary at Stitches West.

Proof:
Besides the goods, you’ll find the knitting glitterati – authors, teachers, artists, icons, movers and shakers of the knitting world – wandering about unawares. Yes, you can assault them with your praise, questions and complaints, if you’re not standing there awestruck and silent.

Remember the scene from the movie West Side Story when Tony first sees Maria in clear Technicolor at the dance, and everyone else is blurry? That’s sort of how it feels the first time you see Eugen Beugler, or Anna Zilboorg, or (insert name of favorite designer) wandering around with the regular people.

My advice to you is to prepare a few questions ahead of your trip, so that you won’t find yourself face-to-face with your favorite designer with nothing to say but: “You’re amazing … I … uh … love you” … followed by the blue-blazered security guards promptly carting you off to the stalker holding cell to await the authorities.

“She didn’t have a handstamp, and she said ‘I love you’ to Galina. You just don’t do that.”

At least, when I met Gracie Larson from the Lacy Knitters Guild of Mountain View, I was able to discuss Marguerite Shimmons’ doilies. Whew.

Theorem #2:
Preparation is necessary and manifold.

Proof:
The night before the trip to Santa Clara, I ritually gather the following items:

BAWDies badge and traditional purple ribbon – identifying me as a member of the Bay Area Wool Divas – my SF knitting group

ACKD badge – identifying me as a member of Adult Children with Knitting Disorders – my San Bruno knitting group

TKGA pin – identifying me as a member of The Knitting Guild of America

“Knitting takes lots of balls” pin – because it does, and you never have enough

Ravelry badge – bearing my Ravelry handle: OceanKnitter

Stitches Market ticket – purchased online and printed hastily at work the day before (get the coupon from Knitting Universe for $2 off admission)

Directions to Santa Clara Convention Center – because no matter how many times I’ve been there, I forget which way to turn in Santa Clara

Bottle of water and a snack – because the food and beverages sold in the Convention Center are not worth the price

Compact rain jacket – because it always rains on the day I go to Stitches West (guaranteed)

Money – because some vendors only take cash

Credit cards – because I need to buy things (many)

Cell phone – because there are no pay phones in the Convention Center or the adjacent Hyatt hotel, and your friends may be in classes and not around to loan you theirs, and then you will have to walk out to your car, across a busy street, in the pouring rain, to look for your cell phone which you forgot you left at home on the kitchen table (I found this out the hard way)

Theorem #3:
It is wise to shower, wash your hair, and move the car from the garage into the driveway the night before attending Stitches West.

Proof:
On the morning of Stitches, I awoke to a brown-out in Pacifica. The lights were dimmed and brown, and I could not turn on any appliances. This was a strange event, one I had never experienced in my home. I could not make a piece of toast or fry an egg – my breakfast had been planned the night before, of course. Instead, I had cold cereal. I waited a half an hour for full power to return. No luck.

Oh well, I decided to get ready using the limited lighting. I took a shower and brushed my teeth. I did not have enough power for my hairdryer. I continued to reason Pollyannaishly. That’s okay; I’ll just be a curly girl today.

Then I remembered: the garage door. The lights were still browned out, and the garage door would not open. I had never pulled the red emergency ripcord before to open the door manually. In the garage, I stood on a stepstool and attempted to read the instructions on the red tag attached to the ripcord.

I then anticipated what would happen once the garage door was open. I would have to pull it down. AHA! Why didn’t the tag say to attach a rope or some apparatus to the garage door handles so that a shorter person can reach said handles to return the door to the lowered position? I got a belt from my husband’s closet and attached it to the handle. There, I was ready.

And I did it. I moved the car outside, noting the cold and fierce wind, and smiled at my ingenuity. I lowered the door, but it was not locked. Why didn’t the tag say it wouldn’t lock until the cord was reattached?? I retrieved the stepstool and after a minute or two figured out how to reattach the cord.

Whew. What a relief.

Ten minutes later, the power came back on.

Theorem #4:
It will rain at least one day at Stitches West.

Proof:
It did rain, and I was prepared with a tightly rolled rainproof jacket in my totebag. (See preparation list in Theorem #2 and note fierce, cold wind mentioned in Theorem #3.)

Theorem #5:
You will find many exciting things at Stitches West Market.

Proof:
What you’ve been waiting for … the LOOT!

I finally found some yarn to finish up the Spring Blossoms Shawl. What do you think? It matches well, doesn’t it? I’m crossing my fingers.

This lovely Pygora (goat)/Merino is from Humanity Handspun. Five dollars of every purchase goes to charity (this time to Haiti). The stuff is magically soft and evenly spun. I’m in love with the stuff.

These circulars from Deborah Doyle of Asciano Fiber Arts Tools in Sausalito are, by far, the most wonderful circulars I’ve ever seen or owned. The photos are not yet on her website, but you can see them right here. The cord is pliable and soft, and the wooden needles seem to flow right out of the ends – no sticky, jaggy spots. Her website describes the cord:

“… these will not kink dervishly – they lie quietly at all times like exhausted puppies …”
The wood is renewable cocobolo – Central American non-rainforest rosewood that is very hard. She has two tips: regular and lace. I got the smallest size (3) and the nice sharp lace tips. The wood is not oiled, lacquered or varnished. Pricey, but absolutely worth it. If one breaks during normal use, she will replace it.

The little doily-starter needles are from Ellen’s Half-Pint Farm and are called “Darn Pretty Needles” – I think that’s about right. They are US0 and perfect for starting all those lace tablecloths and doilies.

Last but not least, I purchased the Intwined Pattern Studio software so that I can start making my own charts. In the past, I’ve always used Excel with a knitting symbol font. This is so much better. I tested it at the show, and was quite impressed.

See you all next year at Stitches!

Distraction

2010-01-29T00:10:00.001-08:00

I finished this in two weeks -- because I needed to FINISH something! (I don't get no sa-tis-fac-tion.) It's from a leaflet called Intermezzo by Coats. Looks a bit Niebling-ish; I'm not sure of its origin. The pattern is in German, translated for me by someone on the Laceknitters Yahoo list.

Unusual doily shapes intrigue me. Inspired, I completed it just in time for Superbowl. It's a little longer than an NFL football. Or maybe it's a lime -- Margarita time?

The yarn is Zephyr. Size US0 needle. The finished size is about 18" from point to point.

Edging Forever

2009-10-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

Edging mania. Edging everywhere. I'm in edging hell (or heaven, depending on how you think about it), and it's not going to end any time soon.

This is the edging and start of the border for the Shetland Lace Shawl by Hazel Carter. The pattern is in A Gathering of Lace. My lace knitting pals and I decided to knit this pattern as a group project, and I've mustered quite a bit of enthusiasm for myself to keep this one moving.

So far, I'm pleased with my yarn choice: Yarn Place's Heaven, in the color Glorious Blue -- a tencel and merino blend in deep turquoise that is truly glorious. This cobweb yarn has a bit of shine, good stitch definition, and will make a feather-light Shetland shawl.

Since the shawl will be knit in the traditional Shetland style favored by Hazel Carter, I'll be finishing this border, then knitting the center, then knitting three more edging+border combos to graft onto the center square. Like I said, edging forever.

Since I've been stalled on The Princess Shawl edging, I've been knitting other diversions, like the Figure 8 Fantasy Shawl, by Kristin Omdahl, which has now turned into something a little different.

I've knitted four figure eights, and am crocheting them together, with the desire to make a more rectangular stole. Knitting those figure eights is a bit addictive, I must say. I probably could have knit four more.

The yarn is Malabrigo SuperSock in the color Stonechat -- a very interesting mix of red, burgundy and a sandy stone color.

This crochet edging is my own, and I'm winging it to get to that elusive rectangular shape. I'm a bit fascinated by freeform crochet, so depending on the outcome of this experiment, I may do more.

The sad truth about Spring Blossoms: it's still unfinished. This one has been lingering in my knitting basket for many moons, unfinished because ... I underestimated the yarn needed to complete the wide edging.

It's truly lovely, and I will finish it, but I need to decide how to complete the last corner. It will either be with a flashy motif in a different yarn, or maybe a similar yarn. I refuse to rip out all of that gorgeous eding. I found a slighter duller color that I may be able to finesse into something, but it remains an idea at the moment.

There you have it. Four projects with entirely too much edging for one person to complete swiftly. I shall persist.

One more time ... San Mateo County Fair 2009

2009-08-20T08:59:00.000-07:00

It's been a while. Let's get straight to the knitting.

I entered my Paño de Portada (lace cover cloth) from the book Muestras y Motivos, Tricot Hogar No. 1, in the San Mateo County Fair this year.

This pattern is in Spanish, so my friend Laritza provided help with the translation. The "big doily" as my husband likes to call it, was knit from a no-name laceweight yarn, 70% merino and 30% silk, that was given to me by my friend Bill. I knit it fast -- it took about six weeks -- with the express intent of entering it in the Fair.

The pattern is not so much complex as it is tedious in some places. It was knit on size 0 needles. Some of the repetition tripped me up on occasion. You know, when you knit the same repeat 10 or 20 times, you start to lose track of where you are.

If I were to do this again, I'd switch to larger needles around Row 50 and again at Row 87, to get a better, more open effect after blocking. Importantly, there is an error in the pattern. I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere else. The pattern indicates the first double decrease on Rows 199 and 205 are knit using the last stitch of the previous row and the first two stitches of the current row. The row numbers are wrong. They should be: Rows 183 and 189.

When all is said and done, even with my complaints about the pattern, I'm happy with the final piece. And I won Best of Show in the Textiles Division!

The exhibits area was much, MUCH better than last year. In 2008, the space was cramped, and mainly taken by the quilters who have a great deal of support at the Fair each year. The knitting, crocheting and other needlework was all crammed together. The lighting in the big tent was dim, and it was difficult to see everything.

This year, the Home Arts took over one side of the Expo Hall. Quilts were hung on bars from the high ceiling. More glass display cases were added. The lighting was perfect. Home Arts shared the hall with Fine Arts on the opposite side.

A super, moving chandelier hung over some of the paintings that caused us to stare up at it for about five minutes. It was made of cardboard tubes covered in silver reflective paper and string, with a mechanism that made the tubes rise and fall in a sort of merry-go-round pattern. They even stationed a bench right under it, just for the gawkers to sit and marvel at it. Straight down the middle of the hall was the Green Expo, showcasing vendors mostly selling home improvement items, but also selling the usual Fair tchotchkes and food, including aloe vera miracle cream, fudge, cheap jewelry, etc.

I was surprised and excited to see my "big doily" in its own display case. This year I ♥ the Fair. Next year, maybe the State Fair in Sacramento?

Yes, I do knit

2009-06-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I haven't posted any knitting in a while. I swear I have been knitting daily. Really. I'm not kidding you.

Posting here -- well, that's another thing. I've got a few baby gifts in the works that I can't show just yet because they are gifts.

Then there's the hanky I posted last week. That's for a wedding coming up, but it's not really a surprise.

Then there's the sweater I made for Teva Durham's next book. That's a secret project I cannot share; but it's lacy. That's all I can tell you!

However, I have no excuse for not posting about this shawl sooner. My knitting pal Bill was going to visit his daughter. He's a great costumer and knows quite a bit about knitting, but he didn't think he would be able to complete this shawl in time to bring it as a gift for her birthday.

At first I was a little hesitant about the woolly yarn, but Bill loved the color and thought it would be perfect for his daughter. Also, he thought she would appreciate a warmer shawl.

He was right. It just goes to show, a good design is a good design. The Paisley Long Shawl looks great in laceweight linen or in heavier wool. It's a winner, either way, in my book.

It took me a little over a month complete it.

More Hanky Panky

2009-06-13T11:40:00.000-07:00

I finished this hanky for my friend's daughter who is getting married in a few weeks. The edging is in natural silk to match the silk shawl she will wear.

The hanky blank is hemstitched: it has holes stitched all around the hem, making it easy to add edging.

The pattern is from an old crochet book. It was designed as a fancy doily edging, but my friend wanted something dramatic, scalloped and elegant, and this fit the criteria.

I had to do a little calculating to make the edging fit this smaller square piece.

I used a size 6 steel crochet needle and the fine Henry's Attic undyed two-ply silk. The silk is fine enough to use with this hanky. However, even finer cotton cordonnet (size 30 or finer) would be a more traditional medium.

For blocking, I washed the hanky in cool water with a drop of soap and then rinsed. I anchored each hanky corner in place on my blocking board with pins and pinned out every single little picot point.

After letting it dry completely overnight, I unpinned it, gave it a light spray starch and steam ironed it gently. I also steamed in the quarter folds to make it lay nicely.

Before storing, it's a good idea to repeat the blocking process but omit the starch, as it would cause yellowing with age.

I was certainly channeling my great grandmother while I was making this!

Extreme Sheep

2009-03-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

If you love sheep, dogs, fast-motion video, LED's, and/or the Welsh countryside, this video is especially for you. (Thanks, Judith!)

Stitches West 2009

2009-03-04T07:50:00.000-08:00

Stitches West 2009 was held at the Santa Clara Convention Center last week, so I made a trip there on Friday, February 27. Last year, on three trains (BART and CalTrain and light rail), I knitted the whole way, making the journey enjoyable. This year, I decided to drive. I didn't have much time to shop, so I wanted to make it there quickly.

When I arrived at the Santa Clara Convention Center, I made a right turn into the parking garage. A flagman waved me around a corner, then another flagman, then another, until I was outside the structure facing Great America Parkway where I had entered. No flagman. I looked around and didn't see any signs or directions, so I zipped around back into the garage, and drove through the little maze again, waved through by several people dressed in yellow. I got to the last flagman, who again pointed toward the street exit.

"Has no one left?" I asked.

"No, they're going to be here all day," he said.

"So, where do I park?"

"Go across the street, " he mumbled, "someone will show you."

I zigzagged out to the curb and, again, found no one to direct me. I was about to circle around again, when I looked a half block down and across the street and saw many cars parked in a dirt lot. I had come too late in the day, and now I would have to park the Mini in the dirt. (Muffled expletive.) I drove across all the lanes of traffic over to the left turn lane and went into the overflow parking lot. I told the guard that no one was outside of the garage at the curb to direct me across the street. He smiled and said he'd get someone out there by the street. I felt somewhat satisfied. Later on, I didn't see anyone out there. Hm. I had the typical thought that if only I could run the world, things would work properly.

At least my preprinted ticket worked like a charm -- no waiting in line. My secret was to use the $2 off coupon I found and print the ticket online before I left the house.

The market seemed a little bit smaller this year, maybe just a tad more condensed than last year. Fewer vendors? Maybe so. I didn't count them. But it felt just as crowded as last year. I bumped at least as many elbows and skirted the same number of aisle collisions as last year.

Red Fish Dye Works made the list of hot stops on my Stitches yarn tour. They have an online presence, but trust me, the elation of being in the presence of all that color must be experienced firsthand. Red Fish is a small dye shop in Acton, CA. They attend Stitches every year. This year, I indulged my desire for color with a capital "C" and bought some deliciously dyed silks in the superfine cobweb weight of 2/60. I know, I know -- I must be crazy. Crazy in love with beautiful silk yarn! I couldn't help myself. I've long been a fan of knitting lace with silk yarn. I made the Swallowtail Shawl with Kaalund Silk and the Gracie Shawl with Schaefer's Andrea.

I dropped by Galina Khmeleva's booth, Skaska Designs, and picked up her Design Collection of Three Orenburg Shawls to Knit. She was signing books at the time, so I asked her to sign mine, and she did so in Russian. Afterwards, she kissed the man sitting behind the table taking credit cards.

I said, "That's good pay!"

He laughed and said, "That's about all I get!"

Galina's designs preserve the Orenburg tradition, and this book includes three patterns with charted and written instructions.

I was happy to see many of the vendors I saw before, and a few new ones. I popped in to the KnitWhits booth to see Tina and her mom, and I picked up a kit for making these adorable Elfin booties. The kit comes with the non-skid sole fabric to cut and sew in place. Nice detail! Of course, Tina's patterns and kits are wonderful. I've made some of her socks and hats as store samples, so I'm a bit biased. However, I can tell you that working on her patterns is always fun. The techniques are explained well, and you don't feel like you're out in the woods without a flashlight. Plus, Tina is very accessible to answer questions.

I also stopped by Carolina Homespun and found Morgaine and Jane hard at work. I didn't see Nina, who was out for lunch. They always have the coolest new gadgets at Carolina; whether it's a yarn meter, a swift, or wool wash, you can get it from Morgaine. Nice spindles, too! I got my first spindle from Carolina Homespun, a real beauty in exotic wood made by Adam at Mielke's Fiber Arts. Morgaine gave me a quick lesson and put together a nice beginner spinner kit so I was all set.

To be perfectly frank, I was ... excited ... to find this highlighter tape from Chappy's Fiber Arts and Crafts. I got two rolls, one in purple in and one in green. For years, I've been using Post-It notes to mark my place on lace charts. I had heard about the highlighter tape but had never found it in a store or online. Chappy has a website and also sells on eBay.

The great thing about highlighter tape is that it's semi-transparent, so you can place the tape anywhere on your chart and read the previous row as well as the current row. With Post-Its, I was always looking to see what was underneath. Also, Post-Its lose their stickum after moving them over and over again, so you have to keep replacing them. The tape seems to have a longer life.

You should have seen my face when I came across it. It was like I had discovered gold in my backyard.

" ... The tape ... you have THE TAPE!"

"Yes, and we have it in several colors. It's one of my best sellers. What colors would you like?"

" ... I can't believe I'm seeing it ... I've never seen it in person before ... "

"We have it in purple, green, orange, yellow ... "

"You have the TAPE!"

"Yes. I have it. What colors would you like?"

She must have thought I was nuts.

At Discontinued Brand Name Yarns, I picked up a couple of Suri alpaca beauties. These colors are Misty Moor and Old Rose.

I like Suri alpaca yarn for it's shine and strength.

Most alpaca fiber comes from Huacaya alpacas. Huacayas are the soft woolly alpacas that you see most often. The Suris are more rare and have longer locks, which are more shiny and slippery, and slightly curly. Most Suri yarn is blended with another fiber like wool, silk or cotton. This Cherry Tree Hill yarn is 100% Suri.

I was on my way out the door, feeling pretty good about my judicious purchases, when I spotted Yarn Place. I've purchased their yarn Gentle in the past at Lacis in Berkeley. This time I was in Yarn Place heaven, with all their beautiful yarns surrounding me. So what did I buy? Why, Heaven, of course. Heaven is their cobweb weight 45% tencel and 55% merino in hanks of 3100 yards, 120 grams. And the colors are insanely beautiful. This deep teal and rich charcoal were impossible for me to resist.

It may end up becoming this Jojoland swirl shawl that enchanted many knitters and was seen in a few booths around the floor.

Considering the number of people shopping (and buying), the recession did not seem to dominate the minds of this year's Stitches attendees. In fact, at least a couple of vendors I spoke to said this year's Market was a positive and enriching experience, both in sales and in the unwavering exuberance of knitters.

Stitches lives on!

Enjoying the Process

2009-02-22T08:28:00.001-08:00

With Stitches West coming up this week, I'm interested in all things new and yarnie. But right now, I'm working on three projects that are not new, and are taking all of my knitting time. One is secret -- and very pretty. I can't tell you about it, but I can tell you about the other two.

One is a shawl for a friend that is coming along quite nicely. It's the Paisley Long Shawl again, but this time in a warm, fuzzy blue yarn. It's wool and mohair with a bit of a nylon binder.

"What?!" you exclaim. "Moose lace! Make it not so!"

At first, I was averse to knitting a lace shawl with this yarn, but as I've made progress, I've begun to enjoy the interesting texture of this garter lace. After all, it's Filatura Di Crosa Cambridge -- who can say no to Italian yarn? It's an experiment in lace for me. Because of the mohair, it is difficult to rip, so I'm knitting carefully.

The third project is the Princess Shawl. My main objective after the above two projects are completed will be moving this one ahead. The yarn from Colourmart is lovely, and I have a ton of it. I ordered six cones -- 7,500 yards each of two colors: deep teal and claret. The Princess is my deep teal beauty that calls to me every day when I sit down to knit. I so wish I could spend every knitting moment with it!

Certainly, I'm a process knitter, since the act of knitting gives me great pleasure, and I'm usually not in a big hurry to finish. However, I know that when Princess is completed, I will feel a loss, as if a dear friend was moving away. I imagine it is similar to the relief, melancholy and pride one feels when sending a grown child out into the world. Not handling it daily will be a little disconcerting. So why is it that, now, envisioning the magnificent deep teal Princess (MDTP) completed makes me want to press forward? Do I have an approach-avoidance conflict? Those of you with degrees in psychology may wish to provide further analysis.

See you at Stitches West! I'll be wearing a purple BAWDies (Bay Area Wool Divas) ribbon, and ACKD (Adult Children with Knitting Disorders) button and a TKGA pin. Bejeweled I shall be. Look for me fondling lace yarn. What happens at Stitches, stays at Stitches.

Back in the Saddle

2008-12-31T14:16:00.001-08:00

Progress! I can't believe how long it's been since I posted. Now, I'm back in the saddle, knitting lace, and ready to face 2009 like a cowboy at the start of a trail ride. I admit it: I've been watching way too many westerns this holiday season.

This year, the holidays have been a little different for me. I've been on vacation -- that's a big difference. Usually, I might take a day or so to recover from all the cooking, shopping and visiting. But I had so much vacation left on the books at work, I took December 20 through January 4 as my own personal holiday. On the other hand, hubby had no time off, working every single weekend and holiday, through New Year's Day. Bah!

So, what did I do? What will I do with the days remaining?

1) Watch movies. We turned in our Netflix at least three times this month. It must be a record. We also watched dozens of holiday movies, John Wayne and Clint Eastwood movies, and two Viggo Mortenson movies. Movie time is great for knitting. I made some serious progress on a few projects.

2) Make rum balls. These turned out great and will probably be a holiday staple in years to come. While making these does not allow for any knitting to take place, the resulting treat makes knitting (or anything else, except driving or playing paddleball) a pleasure.

3) Drive down to Princeton Yarns. This lovely new store is in a new mall in the harbor town of Princeton, just south of Pacifica, where I live. The owner is a very pleasant and knowledgeable woman. Even though the store has only been open for a couple of weeks, she has a very nice, select inventory. You won't find shelves stocked to the ceiling, but if you're looking for Hiya Hiya needles, she's got a bounty of them, as well as a wide selection of Addi Turbo needles. She only had a few of the Addi lace needles, but she will probably get more in the future. The yarns are beautiful and high quality. The indoor mall is bright with a glass cathedral ceiling through the center. I was surprised at the size of the mall and the adjacent Oceano Hotel and Spa. Princeton has always been a quiet little fishing harbor, with a few good restaurants. Barbara's Fishtrap, the mainstay local fried fish hangout, was buzzing with people. Half Moon Bay Brewing Company was busy, too. With this new mall and resort, the town hopes to attract more visitors.

4) Work on The Princess Shawl edging. If you've heard me talk about this shawl before, you're probably wondering why it took me so long to get started. I've actually had the pattern for a YEAR. This may not surprise you, if you know a lot about this pattern. It's one of the most advanced Shetland lace patterns currently available from Heirloom Knitting. And it will probably take me another year to complete it. Over these past months, I've swatched and debated on what yarn to use for this mother-of-all lace shawls.

I thought about it, researched it, read what yarns others were using, read about the errors in the pattern, and probably made a mountain out of a molehill. For gosh sakes, it's a shawl. It's not like I'm attempting to build the Eiffel Tower out of toothpicks or something. I made a decision to use some terrific Colourmart merino that I had swatched and liked. It's not cobweb, but an extra fine 2-ply laceweight, finer than Jaggerspun Zephyr. I'm going to have a really big shawl, but I don't mind. I like how it looks. See if you like the edging so far in the photo. I'm okay with it. It's going to be beautiful.

5) Make progress on the Hydrangea Scarf. I've had this scarf pattern since Stitches West 2008. It's a beautiful design from Eugen Beugler. One day a few months ago, I started working on it, and it just flowed from my needles. It's one of those addictive patterns that keeps you moving through it, without getting boring. However, when I started adding beads, I slowed down. I guess just the stopping and starting to add the beads was getting to me. At first, I thought I would just bead the hydrangea flowers in the pattern. Then I decided I wanted to mix up the colors of beads in the hydrangeas. It's still a bit nebulous in my mind, but I think I've got it to where I like it now. See if you do, too.

6) Visit with the ACKD (Adult Children with Knitting Disorders) group. This is the group that meets at Starbucks in Bayhill Shopping Center, San Bruno, on Tuesday nights. It's a great, fun knitting group that seems to grow bigger every week. Projects range from basic beginner scarves to the most advanced lace to dolls to sweaters and everything in between. The group is on Yahoo and on Ravelry.

7) Meet with the BAWDies. This is my long-time knitting group in the City. One of the members gave me a nice gift of some melon colored wool and silk. It's gorgeous stuff, and I can't wait to start something with it. The BAWDies meet on Sunday afternoons, from 2-4pm at Arlequin Cafe on Hayes Street in San Francisco. BAWDies group is on Yahoo.

8) Order the book: Shetland Lace, by Gladys Amedro. I was so excited to hear this book had been republished in November 2008! It was out of print for many years, and when copies would turn up on eBay, they invariably sold for very high prices. Now, Unicorn Books has released it again, and I'm getting my copy ASAP. It's a great reference for anyone interested in Shetland Lace knitting. If you just want to try one of her patterns, Jamieson and Smith in the UK sells some individual kits and patterns, like the Gibbie Shawl and the Woman's Own Christening Shawl.

Happy New Year! What's your resolution?

Thanksgiving Leftovers

2008-11-30T09:16:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving ...

New flowers in the windowbox ...

Why I don't use my good lace tablecloths on Thanksgiving ...

Gorgeous tulips! Californians put tulips and tangerines on the table in November ...

A favorite doily on a side table ...

Thanksgiving tradition: a handpainted folk art turkey made of reeds. I've cooked Thanksgiving dinner for the last 18 years for my family, and this turkey has been on the table every year. (A new fixture: Mr. Monk reminds me of my knitting OCD every day ... )

We found this tiny dish among my mother-in-law's china. I didn't quite get it with my limited Italian. The translation: "far from the eyes, far from the heart" -- an Italian version of "out of sight, out of mind." I wish I knew the story behind this little dish. I'll make one up and tell you later.

Like mother, like daughter

2008-10-11T07:34:00.000-07:00

My family is big and prolific. My grandparents' progeny and future descendants alone could populate a small town. Nana was one of seven brothers and sisters, and Tata was one of fifteen. That's just one branch of the family. From all of those great aunts and uncles, cousins galore have been born, been fruitful and multiplied, filling many houses in the Bay Area and beyond.

About 20-something years ago, I knit a sweater in lavender and pink for my cousin Janet's new baby Alexis. The pattern was from a Bernat baby book, and the yarn was a machine-wash acrylic, easy for a new mom to wash and fold with the rest of the baby's laundry.

Alexis is all grown up now. When she announced she was pregnant more than a year ago, I knew a baby shower would be coming up fast. I wanted to make something for the baby that Alexis (and her mom) would like, would be fun to make, and easy to care for.

I rummaged through my patterns and found ... the old Bernat baby book. I looked through it and considered making a lacy cardigan, or maybe some coveralls. But then, I looked at the striped sweater pattern I had made for Alexis more than 20 years ago and thought, why not! I found the same colors of yarn and made a duplicate of the lavender and pink sweater and a matching hat.

Aidan Evelyn has big, beautiful, twinkling eyes and a smile to melt the polar icecap. She's turning one next month. These are photos of Aidan in her lavender and pink sweater, just like mommy wore when she was a baby.

Motoring to the Fair

2008-08-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we planned to visit the San Mateo County Fair. Our idea was to check out the Home Arts exhibit area where my Paisley Long Shawl was entered for judging and then go to the evening concert featuring KC and Sunshine Band and the Village People.

The best laid plans of mice and and men often go awry.

A week ago, I ordered a new car from a Mini dealership. Since that time, we've been hunting around the Internet for information on our new baby, soon to be built at the factory in England. We found a local group that meets once a month for a "Mini run" to various locations in California. On Saturday, they met at Tesla Motors in Menlo Park for a run to Half Moon Bay.

Tesla is the electric car that is making headlines throughout the motoring world. It can do 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, gets 220 mpc (miles per charge), and redlines at 13,000 rpms. (If you think knitters have a lot of abbreviations, just try to understand a few motoring enthusiasts chatting in acronyms.) The Tesla is a beautiful vehicle with a beautiful pricetag: $109,000.

The Minis were lined up outside the Tesla dealership, and we spoke to a few owners to gauge their satisfaction and to learn more about our Mini-to-be. Then, for a lark, we took off on a wild ride to the coast, following along behind a colorful caravan of Mini Coopers.

Instead of taking Highway 92, as we thought they might, they drove over Alpine Road, a winding, narrow, wooded byroad several miles south of 92. Let me tell you, these Mini drivers are escape artists who love fast cornering and zipping over hill and dale with aplomb. We kept pace in our Toyota, but it wasn't easy.

Hairpin turns through densely wooded glens with glimpses of impressive dropoffs -- what a trip! We took a sharp turn onto Pescadero Creek Road, another narrow, twisting path through Loma Mar and Pescadero. Nearing Pescadero, the cooler air signaled the proximity of the ocean, our homeland.

Our route through the trees ended at Pescadero State Beach. We turned right and headed north toward Half Moon Bay.

Not surprisingly, we were a bit tired from our Mini adventure, and we almost nixed the Fair in favor of the Olympics. We watched them a bit, but decided to take a short nap and head to the Fair later on in the evening.

We didn't perk up again until around 7:00 pm. We knew we might miss the beginning of KC or the Village People, but went anyway, speeding south on Highway 280, remarking about how fast those Minis scooted around tight corners.

We got to the Fair and were told that the concert was sold out. What?! No KC? No Sunshine Band? No Village People? The dream of reliving my disco youth, shattered?

I was disappointed, but not for long. We headed toward the Home Arts area to view the textiles and needlearts.

The Home Arts displays were in a big tent, rather than one of the buildings at the Fairgrounds as they were last year. The tent was the same one where I had dropped off my entry a couple of weeks earlier.

Although there was more room than last year, the lighting was rather poor. Still, the works displayed were lovely. I snapped several photos of items made by people I knew from the knitting groups.

And I found my Paisley Long Shawl displayed on a table with a Best of Show rosette!

I spoke a few minutes to Julia Curry, the Home Arts Department Coordinator, and she gave some insight into how the items were judged.

Julie is a quilter. None of her work could be entered under her name, but she had worked on at least 30 quilts in the exhibition. She said that some of the amateurs sent their hand-pieced quilts to her for finishing work.

As for the Paisley Long Shawl, she mentioned that the knitting judges remarked about the difficulty of knitting with linen and how my stitches were consistent and even. Cool!

I asked if she had a few pins to tack the shawl down to the tablecloth. Although chains were around the table, my shawl was just lying on top of a tablecloth. I liked that they chose to display it on a light background, but anyone could pick it up. She was very helpful and said that she appreciated hearing feedback about the displays and how they could be improved.

I walked around looking for some of the items that were entered by people I knew. Some won ribbons and all were beautiful.

Nancy's weaving won a 1st place blue ribbon. Gorgeous colors and inspiring!

Jane had several entries. This rose bag is luscious.

Jeannette's miniature sweaters are just perfect displayed on fingertips.

Patt's color choices are always stunning. This woven scarf is a miracle of color and texture.

Julie's blue scarf won a 3rd place ribbon! Congrats!

Jane's wool dickie won a 1st place ribbon! Way to go!

I'm embarassed to say I don't know whose hat this is, but it is a lovely one.

Another creation from Jane - a darling green child's pullover.

And Jane's afghan won a 1st place blue ribbon! Great color choices and the textures are wonderful!

Matthew's mermaid is a one-of-a-kind whimsical treat to behold.

And I had to photograph this leather tooled saddle that won Best of Show. Isn't it amazing?

Paisley Long Shawl Completed!

2008-07-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

This is the completed Paisley Long Shawl I knit in Euroflax 100% linen. I finished it shortly before I went on vacation, but just haven't had time to post photos.

The 1/2 lb cone of Euroflax Paris held 1,300 yards. I came perilously close to running out. I even had to unravel about half of my swatch! The pattern said that 1,260 yards would be enough if I omitted the fringe. Of course, this estimate was based on using Jaggerspun Zephyr, the recommended wool/silk blend.

Since I used linen, and my gauge was slightly different, my yardage required was different. Also, I chose to knit an additional repeat of the center boteh pattern to compensate for the smaller gauge.

I used a US4 needle, and my finished size is about 28" x 80" -- whereas the pattern's finished size, not including the extra repeat or optional fringe, was 29" x 77". I think I made the right choice in adding a boteh repeat. If I didn't, the length would have been around 74".

This is true knitted lace, with lace patterning on both sides. There are no "rest" rows (plain rows). For me, the pattern was exciting and fun to knit. I enjoyed seeing the lovely lacy flowers emerge in the shawl, and reading the large, clear charts row by row was a pleasure.

The pattern is a garter lace, so there is no wrong or right side. For this reason, I made sure to use a different colored marker at the beginning of the odd rows, to keep my eyes reading the chart in the right direction. When I saw the colored marker, I knew I had to read the chart from right to left (odd row). When I didn't see the colored marker, I knew I had to read the chart from left to right (even row).

Chart reading for knitted lace is a necessary skill. The charts help you to visualize where the holes should appear on every row. If something isn't lining up, you can frog back (God forbid) and fix it by looking at the chart. To do this with just written instructions can be nightmarish.

I used lifelines about once every other repeat. A lifeline is a contrasting thread sewn into one row by threading it through all the stitches on the needle (not the stitch markers). If I needed to rip back, I could go back to the lifeline and not lose any stitches.

The shawl starts with a provisional cast on in the center. Then I knit all the way to one end and bound off. After that, I picked up stitches from the provisional cast on and knit all the way to the other end.

The border is part of the main pattern, so I didn't have to add one at the end. Shetland lace and many other lace patterns require a knitted-on or sewn-on border, so this border was considerably faster. However, the border pattern does take much concentration, even more than the center pattern. The yarnovers are many!

Dorothy Siemens, the designer, writes her patterns impeccably well, and the charts are large and clear. There are four pages of instructions, four legal-sized chart pages, and two pages of photographs. She gives tips on gauge, sizing, marker placement, joining new balls of yarn, lifelines, fringe and blocking.

This shawl will be my lace entry this year at the San Mateo County Fair. Wish me luck!

Yubina!

2008-06-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

I had read about Yubina on Fleegle's blog. This Mongolian cashmere can be ordered only online. If I hadn't heard of the positive experiences of others, I probably would not have ordered, because there is no address or direct contact information on the website, except for an email address.

But on the plus side, the website offers a variety of weights, colors and blends. So far, the reviews of other bloggers have been great.

I was at work on Wednesday when my hubby called and told me a curious little package had arrived with Chinese stamps on it. He said it looked too small and felt a little too heavy to be yarn. Hmmm ... if they had shipped me a box of rocks, I would be mad, to say the least!

When I got home from work that day, I barely had enough time to scoop up the box and my knitting bag to hurry over to my knitting pal Nina's house for knit night. When she opened the door, I held up the unopened box reverently, and she instantly knew what I had brought for show-and-tell.

I had ordered the yarn on May 26. On May 30, I received an email from Jeremy at Yubina that the yarn had shipped. The package arrived on June 11. That's 16 days -- not bad for going halfway around the world and through customs.

Nina handed me a box knife and I carefully cut open the package. The tension was palpable. Would it be a box of joy or disappointment?

Gasps all around -- joy!

The purple is 50 grams, 500 yds per ball, 100% cashmere. The color is heathery; it looks like dark and light purple mixed together. You can't really tell how heathery from the photos on the Yubina website. It's super soft and squishy, and would make a lovely shawl.

The blue is 45% cashmere and 50% silk. The other 5% I'm assuming is some sort of synthetic binder, but the website does not state. The yarn comes without labels or care instructions directly from the manufacturer.

In some cases, they have stopped shipping 50 gram balls, and instead are shipping the 125 gram cones. I had ordered 100 grams (two balls) of the blue, but got a cone instead -- so I got a little extra for no charge.

On closer inspection, I found that the blue is a three-ply yarn. Two of the plies are a soft baby blue, and one ply is a similar but slightly brighter blue (probably the silk ply). The combination has depth, and I'm extremely pleased with this choice. In fact, I swatched this weekend for the Princess Shawl from Heirloom Knitting. This yarn is definitely a possibility. I like the tight twist and the smoothness. I don't think I want anything too fuzzy or springy for Princess. The silk adds a nice shine and drape. I love this stuff!

One thing I know for sure: I will not use my Inox greys with this yarn. I tried swatching with a 2mm (US 0) needle, and the Inox tips were definitely not sharp enough. The Addi Lace or Hiya Hiya needles are good choices. I have some of each brand, but the Inox was the first one I grabbed.

I knit a swatch from one of the Princess charts, 20 sts by 30 rows. I washed it under cool water in the sink, squeezed it in a towel and pinned it out to dry. As I was pinning, I started thinking about blocking the grand Princess Shawl when it's completed.

First of all, look how many pins! This is just a swatch! I'm going to need a zillion pins when I block the shawl. Of course, I have about a year or so before I have to do that.
I'm going to get some gardening knee pads for that job.

I do have blocking wires (actually welding rods) and a big rolled up piece of berber carpet in the garage that I use just for blocking large pieces of lace, but the Princess may be bigger than that.

Yikes.

Paisley Progress and a Cone Spinner

2008-06-01T09:34:00.001-07:00

I've made some progress on the Paisley Long Shawl. The shawl is knitted from the center provisional cast on toward each end, beginning with the small botehs (flowers), followed by small paisleys, then large paisleys, then hexagons. The paisleys in the photo look upside-down because the provisional cast on is at the bottom. The work is hanging from my circular needle as I progress toward the end of the first half of the shawl.

When I get to the end of the first half, I will pick up stitches from my provisional cast on, and work the second half of the shawl, from the center toward the other end.

The edging on either side is knitted as you progress down the long rectangle. I've put some noticeable stitch markers in between the edging and the main body on either side to alert me.

This design is a pleasure to knit. I can't say enough good things about Fiddlesticks patterns. They are clear and well-written. The pattern changes from row to row, so it never gets tedious for me. I would recommend this pattern to experienced lace knitters. It is true knitted lace (lace patterning on both sides).

As I began to knit this shawl with my Euroflax linen, I struggled a little bit with pulling the yarn from the cone. It wasn't a huge problem, but it didn't flow as smoothly as I would have liked. I started thinking about making a cone spinner. I've knit from cones before, and I knew it was something I would use again and again.

At first, I considered size and portability. I wanted this light enough to bring to my knitting group and small enough to fit into my knitting bag, yet it had to be stable so that yanking on the yarn wouldn't knock it off the table.

The spinner mechanism is simply a small lazy susan about 3" across, purchased from the local hardware store. The wood pieces are two cedar fence post caps that we happened to have in the garage. They are about 4.25" across with beveled edges.

The dowel is another scrap from the garage, about one inch in diameter and five inches long. The pieces were sanded and stained with some leftover redwood stain.

Hubby drilled pilot holes in the center of the dowel and the center of one fence post cap. He screwed the cap to the dowel, countersinking the screw and adding a drop of wood glue between the cap and dowel.

With all the pieces in order, I tested the spinner with my Euroflax cone, and it seemed to work very well. It spun freely and didn't tip over. I tried it with a larger cone, and it still seemed stable and spun freely. More on this when I have more experience using it.

Lace and Linen

2008-05-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

After I made an entire lace sweater in linen, I learned to appreciate the fine attributes of linen. I had been warned over and over that linen is hard on the hands. It has no "give" and is rough on your fingers.

What I found was that my personal style of knitting loosely is right for linen.

Usually, when I swatch for a big lace project (and yes, I always swatch), I find that I have to drop down at least one needle size to get the right gauge.

With linen, knitting loosely has its benefits and drawbacks.

The looseness of the loops on the needles makes them slide easily, and I can maneuver my stitches without much difficulty. However, linen's stiffness carries a sinister warning: pay attention or your needles will slide right out of the stitches!

I invariably use some type of metal needles (Addi lace, Addi turbo or Inox grey) for lace. I love the speed, and I feel quite like a knitting "athlete" when I use them. But like all athletes, I must exert care to avoid a slip-up and downtime.

Linen is super-stiff when you knit it, but you can wash it beforehand if you like. Euroflax is advertised as machine washable and dryable. You can even beat it, wring and squish it into submission. When it dries you will have a much softer, drapier yarn. I actually like knitting with new unwashed linen, so I don't wash it until the blocking stage.

I finally started the Paisley Long Shawl from Fiddlesticks. The photo of the finished shawl is from Fiddlesticks. I hope mine will look as lovely!

YARN: After months of saying, "This is my next big lace project," I leapt into the project using size 3 Addi lace needles and a cone of navy blue Euroflax linen that I've had on hand for months. Louet formerly called this yarn "Paris" and now calls it simply "laceweight" or 14/2 -- 6 stitches per inch and 1300 yards on my half pound cone.

PATTERN: Fiddlesticks' owner Dorothy Siemens writes impeccably and her patterns are a joy to use. The charts are large and easy to read. The instructions are clear and make sense. She is also accessible via email, phone or her Yahoo group.

From the pattern, "Paisley Long Shawl":

The Paisley Long Shawl was inspired by the designs of the beautiful woven paisley shawls of the 19th century. It is an interpretation in lace of a long shawl dating from about 1820, and features original lace motifs of botehs (the small motifs filling the middle ground of the shawl) and larger paisley patterns.

Another Fiddlesticks pattern I knit a few years ago was the Peacock Feathers Shawl. This is probably one of Dorothy's most popular patterns. I love the way the feathers grow from the small ones at the neck to the largest size at the edge.

Spring Blossoms: Border with Double and Triple Joins

2008-04-03T08:44:00.000-07:00

This is the border I decided to add to the Spring Blossoms Shawl. The pattern is from Fiber Trends, and Eugen Beugler is the designer. The yarn was dyed specially for me by Margaret at Inspirations Yarn, and it's her Espresso laceweight merino. I'm using a size 4 needle.

The pattern recommends a simple crochet edging. I decided to try a knitted border I particularly like from Victorian Lace Today. It's the diamonds and triangles edging on page 150. The border is particularly wide, so it's going to take some time to complete.

So far, I'm completely happy with it. The diamond shapes echo the diamonds in the flower bouquets of the main panel. The lacy zigzag edge is light and gives the shawl a nice drape.

I have to be careful when I get to the corners. In order to get a wide lace border to turn a corner, you have to plan the number of double and triple joins before and after the corner. For this extra wide border (32 sts wide), Jane Sowerby recommends 8 double and 4 to 8 triple joins.

Jane describes Single, Double and Triple joins in her book Victorian Lace Today. To summarize:

Single Join -- Knit one border stitch (WS) to one stitch of center panel by slipping the last border stitch through the back loop together with one main panel stitch and knitting them together.

Double Join -- Two single joins to one center panel stitch. A total of four border rows are attached to one center panel stitch, since you only "join" on the WS rows.

Triple Join -- Three single joins to one center panel stitch. A total of six border rows are attached to one center panel stitch, since you only "join" on the WS rows.

It takes some thought to decide when to start the double and triple joins. For this border, I'm starting the doubles about 24 rows from the corner, putting in the triples at the point of the corner, and finishing up 24 rows after the point on the next contiguous side.

The border is knit onto the center panel perpendicularly, with the live stitches of the center panel still on the circular needle. I put a rubber point protector on one circular needle tip and knit the panel stitches off of the other end of the needle.

I prefer to use a DPN to knit the border. For me, it's faster to flip the work. I don't ever leave a border row on the DPN when I put the work down. I make sure that I end on a RS row so that all the stitches are being held on the circular when I put the knitting back into my bag.

I included a lifeline on the last row of the main center panel before I started the border. I think this is important if you are not sure you are going to like the border you picked. Then, if you have to rip out the border and start again, you can just pick up the stitches held by the lifeline.

Siena Hat: Fair Isle is Fun, I promise

2008-03-23T08:27:00.000-07:00

The Siena Hat from Knitwhits did not take me a month to do. In fact I finished it in a few hours of knitting time, only to realize that I had missed one line in the instructions and flubbed one of the hat stripes. Duh!

See where the missing stripe should be? Another magenta-green stripe should be in between the two blue-green stripes.

So I took apart the top of the hat, just below the first bluish stripe near the center, picked up all the stone beige stitches beneath it, and added the correct stripe as the pattern so clearly described.

Remember, Fair Isle is Fun, right? I got a another chance to use my two-handed Fair Isle technique -- definitely fun -- which I learned from a Philosopher's Wool video.

I had never learned to knit Fair Isle as a child from my wonderful grandmother who could knit anything without a pattern. No, instead, I learned to change colors by watching her, and I figured out how to knit Fair Isle patterns by reading a book.

I learned to use more than one color, first by trying intarsia patterns (like the Jester hat I posted about last time). Learning Fair Isle became a mission when I turned 18, went to London, and found some amazing hot pink mohair wool that I had never seen in the States.

With passion in my heart, I designed a pullover with a Fair Isle band around the chest, and fuzzy pink mohair trim. I remember finishing the front and thinking, wow, I can really do Fair Isle!

Actually, what I had learned from a book was how NOT to make holes when changing colors. This was accomplished by flipping one yarn over the next, like in intarsia. For Fair Isle, I basically did the same thing, and at the end of every row, I had to detangle the yarns. Inefficient! Time consuming! In fact, the memory of picking up my sweater by the yarn and dangling it out in front of me to spin around, stayed with me for years, dissuading me from ever doing another Fair Isle sweater.

Oh, I did add color to my work and even did the occasional Fair Isle sweater for a baby cousin or two. But I didn't enjoy it. They looked pretty. They didn't pucker. But they weren't fun.

Later in life, I discovered "The Original Philosopher's Two-Handed Fair Isle" video. I have to say that learning how to do Fair Isle with a yarn in each hand felt awkward to me at first. I had always knit American style, with the yarn in my right hand. (I believe my English grandmother called this English style.) I had to become comfortable with a yarn in my LEFT hand, as well as my right, using both with equal dexterity.

With the gentle guidance of Ann Bourgeois in the video, I was able to master the technique. I felt like I had just learned to swim laps after dogpaddling all my knitting life! It made such a difference in my attitude toward knitting Fair Isle, that when I was at Stitches West a few years ago, I made a point of finding Ann at her booth and telling her about my elation when I learned her technique.

I learned something else: if you hate it, you're probably doing it the hard way. Learn to do it the easy way, and you'll be changed for life.

Jester Hat: Fruit of the Bobbins

2008-02-29T08:22:00.000-08:00

Jester is the intarsia hat that I knit as a sample for KnitWhits. The hat will be felted into its final form before it is displayed.

This is a fun hat to make and a good way to practice your intarsia technique.

I used bobbins to keep an ample length of each color dangling as I knit.

It looks confusing at first, but it's actually much easier to detangle than if I had sixteen balls of yarn attached to my work.

To avoid holes when changing colors, I flipped one color over the next, twisting the two strands one time. (Since this hat will eventually be felted, small holes are not a big deal.) The yarn is not carried across the work.

This is different than two-handed fair isle, where each hand is controlling a separate color and both yarns are carried all the way across the work. I'll post another sample hat soon that uses the fair isle technique.

Old World and New World Gifts

2008-02-25T08:27:00.001-08:00

Last week I was visited by several birthday faeries who treated me to some lovely gifts. Not only that, Stitches West, the largest knitting convention of them all, was held this past weekend, and so I was able to use some birthday cash to acquire some fun things.

My husband took the hint and went to Biordi Art Imports in North Beach. And look what he found! I was so impressed that he picked out the perfect olive oil cruet for me, along with a dipping dish. These are handpainted and imported from Italy. I love the colors, and the top of the cruet has an ingenious spout. It is a cork with a hole through the middle. The steel spout is centered through the cork. This way, I can remove the cork to fill it, and use the spout for pouring a fine stream. Very nice!

Some Italian food smells must have been wafting through the air when my friend Marjory thought to give me another piece of Italian art pottery. This cup and saucer are from the same region as the olive oil cruet and dish. I'm a lucky gal! Marjory owns the Tranquilitea Tea Room in Pacifica.

In the cup and next to it are two skeins of delicious 10/2 hand-dyed tencel that I found at Stitches West.

The tencel is from Just Our Yarn, an effort of two women who have built a reputation for the most glorious hand-dyed yarns. Even though the camel and wool and yak and other fibers tempted me, I couldn't put down this silky tencel. It's similar to the white tencel I purchased from Halcyon Yarn, but with fantastic subtly blended colors. I think these two colorways are similar enough to be part of the same garment. I haven't decided what to make of them yet, but don't you think they'll make a lovely lacy something?

Stitches West is held annually at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, California. My pal Tina of KnitWhits had a booth this year, and I worked all day on Friday. What a wild time!

The Stitches crowds were relentless, partly due to a convention gimmick that brought tons of people into the booth. Attendees had Ravelry "passports" -- little booklets that looked like passports. We were one of the booths that offered passport stamps, so not only were we selling hat, purse, scarf, sock, and Easter Egg kits like crazy, but we were also stamping passports.

Speaking of yak, I bought this terrific yak pin from Gita Maria at her booth. She designs "eclectic and whimsical" jewelry and charms. This one she said she brought to a cattle or yak (?) convention, and all of the cowboys wanted one, but in a smaller size to wear on their hats! I was pleased to have the full-sized version to wear on this lovely alpaca scarf, given to me by my friend Suzy.

Last year, Suzy visited Winters Gone Farm, an alpaca farm in Wiscasset, Maine, and thought this alpaca scarf was perfect for me. I love it! It wraps around and has a few buttons to snuggle it up and keep me warm.

In addition to the yarn and yak pin, I picked up a few more things at Stitches West, including this small African basket and a bunch of really cute glass beads. I may ask my sister to make me some new stitch markers with these.

I also picked up the Hydrangea Scarf pattern, the newest lace pattern from Eugen Buegler. He was there, sitting at the Lacy Knitters booth, with his pal Lew and several others. I asked him if he would honor me by signing his latest work, and he couldn't have been more delightful.

Bobbins of the Past

2008-02-12T22:17:00.000-08:00

I started working on an intarsia hat pattern. Why? Someone would like me to knit it for her. And I like the pattern.

It brings back memories of knitting strange intarsia punk patterns in the early 80's. I remember knitting leg warmers in orange and black; a grey and burgundy hound's-tooth vest; a black stockinette sweater, knit entirely of Bernat Bucilla, with a stark white "A" in the middle of a white circle; and a baby blue, pink and white Fair Isle sweater in acrylic, with bristly hot pink mohair accents. I had gotten the acrylic at the Emporium on Market Street in San Francisco and the hot pink mohair from Marks and Spencer's in London.

Anarchy, man. It was anarchy.

But, I started to think, did I ever use bobbins? Did I? Didn't I just let it all hang out (the ends, mean?) I remembered some bobbins, stowed away with the oldest of the old knitting needles I'd inherited from various relatives and from friends' mothers.

I poked around in the old Castile Soap box from I. Magnin that my great aunt had given me to hold my knitting needles as a child. The corners are taped together now, and I have newer and shinier places to store my knitting supplies, but I can't bear to throw away the old Castile Soap box.

The bobbins were right where I had left them years ago, tucked under old needles and pins and things. I gathered them together and lined them up. They were all of the same genre, mezzo-opaque or mezzo-transparent. How had I acquired them?

Funny how these things never get thrown away. They are passed along from person to person until someone finds a use for them, or like me, someone can't bear to toss them out. And what of the white wool yarn wrapped around a couple of these ancient bobbins? It certainly wasn't a remnant of anything I had knitted. Had my great aunt given me the bobbins with this tightly wound white wool yarn clinging to them? I feel like I should leave the wool on them and keep them like good talismans, warding away evil mojo.

Okay, I had found these ten bobbins, made of tiddlywink material, sort of like bakelite. But I needed 16 bobbins. I probably could have jimmied a few, but I knew I had more somewhere.

And after some rummaging, I found these Jiffy Bobbins stored in the stationery cabinet in the den. Don't ask me why I put them there. I thought I had consolidated all my knitting paraphernalia, but these were strays.

The lid of the box says they are "automatic." This makes them sound somewhat mechanized, but I'll forgive the manufacturer for that. In fact, they are quite usable and ingenious little things.

All is well in Bobbinlandia. I shall persevere at maximum bobbin capacity.

Published!

2008-02-10T11:14:00.000-08:00

I came home from work one day last week to find a corrugated cardboard package had arrived for me. The return address read MBI Publishing, or something like that. I put it aside and made dinner. I had gotten home later than usual and was in a hurry to put something edible on the table. We sat down to eat, and I stopped in mid-chew ...

The book. The book had arrived. What was I thinking! I ripped open the cardboard and found three lovely advance copies of Knitting Through It: Inspiring Stories for Times of Trouble.

Long ago (October 2006), I had submitted a draft of my story "Sofia's Hands" to Lela Nargi who had announced her plans for a new book on Knitter's Review. Lela, a successful editor and writer, had produced Knitting Memories: Reflections on the Knitter's Life and Knitting Lessons: Tales from the Knitting Path, both well-received by the knitting community, and much beloved for their warmth and ingenuity.

The new book was in its formative stages, and she wanted some fresh stories to add to the collection. I was indeed "fresh" and somewhat timid about the entire publishing process, having no real professional writing experience. I had written a few essays published in local mags when I was in my twenties, but since then, my writing had been sequestered to business reports and an occasional blog entry. When Lela asked me to expand my original submission, I was excited and more than thrilled. She offered great suggestions for improving my idea, while still keeping my prose intact. Published friends had told me horror stories of their words slashed to ribbons, but this was not my experience at all. I was relieved and elated.

Upon opening the package, after carefully wiping my hands, I found that the cover was different than the advance cover I had seen on Amazon a couple of months ago. The new design is sweet and tantalizing, and the heart shape formed by a strand of yarn hints of the tender stories inside. (Barnes & Noble has it, too, and you can read the table of contents there.)

The stories come from various sources, including new authors, veteran writers, and the WPA Federal Writers' Project. A number of black-and-white photographs from the Library of Congress and a few patterns are great complements to this volume.

One interesting note: I had included a reference to the Oomingmak cooperative in the first draft of my story. This knitting cooperative I visited in Alaska produces knitted items from the underwool of the musk ox to supplement the income of their subsistence communities. Lela had been looking for stories about native American knitters, and this spurred her to contact Donna Drachunas, who had just published the book Arctic Lace, and had done extensive research on the Oomingmak. Donna contributed a story to this book, and I was pleased that Lela added a reference to Donna's story in "Sofia's Hands."

My story is personal. It relates the trials of dealing with my own mother's illness and caring for my mother-in-law in her last years. Knitting was my solace and a my distraction during that time, and with every fiber of my being, I am grateful to the knitting community for helping me through it.

In the back are "Notes on the Contributors" -- mine is a little frivolous, but I had to say something!

It's not a hat

2008-01-22T08:51:00.000-08:00

For all those people who have seen me knitting lace in the round;

For all those who think knitting on a circular needle is weird;

For all those who have asked me, "Is it a hat?";

For all those who think my pile of lace is a baby blanket;

For all those who have asked, "How long does it take to make that?";

For all those who tell me, "That's beautiful, what is it?" ...

I say to you:

It's knitting, not crochet.
It's about as weird as brushing your teeth.
It's not a hat.
It's not a blanket; it's a shawl.
It takes as long as it takes.
Thank you. I like it, too. It's lace.

Spring Blossoms and Stash

2008-01-11T08:21:00.001-08:00

I must be ready for warmer weather. The Spring Blossoms Shawl by Eugen Buegler has been on my project list since I picked up the pattern at Stitches West last year. That project list never seems to get any shorter.

I dug into my stash and found this gorgeous violet/purple/periwinkle laceweight merino from Inspirations Yarn. Margaret hand-dyed this especially for me in her "Espresso" laceweight. I think the subtly blended colors are just perfect, and they are not so disparate that they detract from the lacework. I hope Mr. Buegler would approve. The yarn is very soft, and the shawl will be amethystly cozy. My birthday is in February, and I've always had a fondness for all things purple. My birthstone is amethyst, and my favorite color is violet.

Since I've started organizing my stash on Ravelry, I've begun to make some real decisions about what yarns to use for projects. Thus far, I've used Ravelry mainly for organization and reading about other knitters and projects. The socializing part of Ravelry is great, but it just adds another "thing to do" to my list of groups and forums.

Digging into my stash was particularly therapeutic and delightful. In recent years, I've earned some yarns by knitting samples for designers, and other yarns I've found by chance while visiting a yarn shop or a knitting show or conference. I gave up the idea of just buying yarn for specific projects long ago.

Now, my stash is my yarn shop. It's not as big as some knitters' stashes, but certainly respectable as far as stashes go. I've already photographed about 40 different yarns for my Stash organization project on Ravelry. This may be about half of my stash, but I won't know until it's all categorized and labeled. Do not judge me, lest ye be judged.

Ravelry's Stash tool allows a member to post a photograph and all the details about the yarn, including quantity, color, content, weight, gauge, etc. You can make notes about a potential project or anything else pertinent. In many cases, the yarn is already listed in Ravelry's database, so entering a yarn description is simple -- just modify the sample information to fit your specifications. If the yarn is not in Ravelry's database, you are given the option to add yours as the first example.

The entire Stash is then downloadable to Excel for data manipulation and sorting by color, fiber content, manufacturer, etc. This is a great tool for planning projects. Sometimes, I remember a color or type of yarn in my stash, but then I don't know how much I have or even where it is located. My overtaxed brain can use all the help it can get.

Ravelry's Stash tool has opened my eyes to my own stash. I have new appreciation for the yarns I've collected, and now I can see them all in one place. (Okay, two places. I did have to upload all the photos to flickr, the prefered photo host for Ravelry.)

Springtime Jacket

2008-01-11T08:21:00.000-08:00

Springtime, you ask? With all of the wild, woolly weather we've been having lately, a little springtime might be in order.

This is the Springtime Jacket by Melissa Leapman (modified with cables and applied I-cord trim). It was a freebie pattern that came in the mail with an advertisement to subscribe to Knit 'N Style magazine. It's also in their April 2007 issue.

I liked the simple lines and that it was all moss stitch. The texture makes it feel a little more substantial than plain stockinette. The longer length and the bell sleeves seemed right for me. I actually started this a few months ago, but other deadlines took precedence, and I just finished it during our most recent wet and stormy weekend when the power was out.

As usual, I decided to modify the design a bit. See that wavy cable? It wasn't in the pattern, and I added it after I made the two fronts and the back. I knit it separately in one long strip, using short rows to turn the corners at the neck, and then I sewed it on with a whip stitch making a slight ridge where it meets up with the body. The wave cable panel is a slightly wider version of Barbara Walker's. I added two sts on each side of the cable, making a nice ridge along the outer edges, for a total width of 12 sts. It goes like this (cn = cable needle):

Multiple of 12 sts
Row 1 (WS and all odd rows) -- p2, k2, p4, k2, p2

Row 2 -- k2, p2, (sl2 to cn, hold to back, k2, k2 from cn), p2, k2

Row 4, 6, 8 -- k2, p2, k4, p2, k2

Row 10 -- k2, p2, (sl2 to cn, hold to front, k2, k2 from cn), p2, k2

Row 12, 14, 16 -- k2, p2, k4, p2, k2

Shortening Sleeves

The yarn is Cascade Dolce, a luscious, soft wool, alpaca and silk blend. It knits up beautifully, with a pretty drape. BUT it doesn't have as much memory as 100% wool, so the sleeves hung a bit too long.

To remedy this, after I blocked the pieces and basted them together, I measured the length of sleeve I wanted and then pinned where I wanted to cut off the cuff. Yes, I said CUT off the cuff. I had done this before in stockinette, but not in moss stitch which is a little bit trickier. This seems like a drastic and scary thing to do, but it's a great way to shorten or lengthen sleeves on a finished garment. I suggest experimenting on a swatch before doing it on your beautiful sweater.

First, I opened the sleeve seam about four inches. Then I counted up 11 rows from the bottom of the cuff to where I was going to cut and marked the row with a safety pin on both the left and right sides of the piece. This has to be precise, or you'll end up cutting threads on two different rows.

Then I snipped the yarn on each end of the row. I gently pulled it apart a couple of stitches at a time, careful not to let the stitches start to ladder. Once I had a good five inches or so of the snipped yarn to hold onto, I wrapped it around my fingers a couple of times and slowly but firmly pulled the snipped yarn (one row) completely out.

This is where it gets tricky in moss stitch. After the row is pulled out and the bottom of the cuff is separated from the sleeve, the live stitches are ready to be picked up. In this case, with moss stitch, the stitches twist every which way making it harder to pick them up in a straight line. With stockinette, this is much easier, as the stitches all stay lined up like little soldiers.

Basically, I just put each live stitch onto a circular needle, making sure not to skip any. I wanted a somewhat firmer edge at the bottom of the sleeve as well as the bottom of the sweater itself. I chose to add an attached I-cord as a finishing touch.

The attached I-cord is easy to do, especially when you have live stitches on a circular needle. For the sleeve, that's just what I had. For the body, I had to pick up stitches all around the bottom.

The other thing to be aware of is the bias stretch. With moss stitch, the knitted fabric will naturally stretch "on the bias" or diagonally. The pieces will look completely misshapen and weird until you block them. The cable trim and the applied I-cord help to keep the jacket in shape.

This was an easy sweater to make. I'd recommend using wool. Alpaca is lovely and soft, but it will droop, especially with the extra weight of bell sleeves. Also, if you make this one, don't forget to check the errata. I sent in a correction to the shoulder shaping, and they posted it on the Knit 'N Style corrections page.

For convenience, here's the edit I sent them:

APRIL 2007, Project 1: KNITTED Springtime Jacket

BACK

Shape Shoulders

BO 4 sts each armhole edge 3 times, then BO 3 (4, 4, 5, 6) sts each neck edge once.

(By the way, does it bug anyone else that the only apostrophe used in "Knit 'N Style" is before the "N"? I mean, if an apostrophe is a substitute for missing letters, shouldn't there be one after the "N," too? I digress ... )

Eastern Lace Sweater

2007-12-17T19:30:00.000-08:00

I've finished the Eastern Lace sweater. This one was so much fun to make! The pattern is from Y2Knit. Two sisters run the business, and they have some lovely, creative patterns, in a wide range of sizes. While at the TKGA conference a few months ago, I ran into Jill at the Y2Knit booth who showed me some of their gorgeous designs. This one is absolutely one of my favorites.

The faux wrap is ingenious. It's knit as a V-neck sweater, with set in sleeves. The "wrap" is a strip of seed stitch picked up and knit from the bottom hem, then at an angle up the front and around the neckline. With a couple of sewn tacks at strategic spots, the wrap looks just like a wrap should, but without the possibility of gapping open. (Busty gals take note.)

The great thing about this Y2Knit pattern is that it is written out line by line. In addition, they provide a schematic with measurements for each size, and a lace chart. What could be sweeter? The designers are very accessible and helpful if you have any questions.

The yarn is 100% linen and has a nice, elegant drape after it's washed. Linen is always a little tough on the hands while knitting, but the finished product is gorgeous. I really like this soft blue, which goes with so many things.

The sleeve has an elegant detail -- a seed stitch vent that lets the sleeves drape open at the wrist. Here's one photo of the sleeve as it was being blocked. (I was playing with the settings on my camera, so the color looks different in each photo. I think the second photo looks the closest to the actual color.)

Next up, my moss stitch cardigan has been waiting for sleeves, and sleeves it shall have! I'm almost done with sleeve #1. Two sweaters completed in a month? Do you think I can do it?

Remember me?

2007-12-04T08:36:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's December! Where did November go? Much knitting has been in progress including two baby sweaters and the swatch pictured here. No baby sweater photos as yet, but hope to have some soon.

This lacy swatch was completed on November 1, and since then I've been working on the _____ ______ ______ which will be completed by the end of this week. I'm very happy with the pattern. It's fun and a bit challenging. I'm fascinated by the way this lacy pattern twists and turns and still knits a straight path.

Can you guess what I'm making? Bonus points if you know the name of this lace pattern or the designer. More photos to come, as I am almost finished with this project.

This past Saturday, I was planning to go to the Lacis Lace Knitting Group meeting in Berkeley, but something happened and BART went awry, so ... we went to Nine Rubies in San Mateo instead.

What a great place! Nina and I must have touched every type of yarn in the shop. The woman who helped us (not the owner) was very knowledgable and gave good advice. It was rather busy, with a class in the back room and several knitters occupying the seating in the "living room" area.

I wasn't really in the market to buy any new yarn, but just try to stop me when I incessantly fondle something new. Cascade Venezia is 70% wool and 30% silk. It's absolutely luscious, soft, and has a gorgeous sheen. The silk gives the color depth, and I was swimming in it before I decided to purchase a few skeins with which to experiment. I like the indestructible shopping bags the store provides with purchase -- great for use as auxiliary project totes.

I promise not to be so silent this month!

Candy Corn Hat and Moss Stitch Cardigan

2007-10-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

Has anyone else noticed a recent baby boom? This time around it seems to have proliferated amongst my friends' younger sisters and my younger cousins. One of my many cousins is due shortly, and she asked if I might make her a candy corn hat for the infant-to-be. It was easy as pumpkin pie to crochet using Lion Microspun - very soft yarn, readily available now in Halloween colors.

But oops ... that baby isn't quite ready to say hello to the world. I do know of a recently sprung baby who might just like to wear this on Halloween. It's definitely infant sized. Now, what to do with the remainder yellow, orange and white microfiber yarn? Hmmm ...

I've stalled on a couple of projects, namely the Lavori doily and the Boho Blocks cardigan. Both will be completed (when I get around to it).

The slightly chilly nights encouraged me to dive into some dark green wool/alpaca/silk blend called Dolce, from Cascade Yarns that had been hibernating in my stash. This freebie Melissa Leapman pattern, Springtime Cardigan, came in the mail (also available in Knit 'N Style, April 2007). Remember to check the Errata page at Knit 'N Style for corrections to this pattern (sent to the publisher by me!).

It's an easy moss stitch pattern, with set-in bell sleeves and gentle waist shaping. The Dolce yarn is just like it sounds - sweet! It's lovely and soft on your hands.

I'm debating whether to add a cable border strip to give it a little something extra, but for right now, it's just moss stitch.

I'm glad I've had experience knitting moss stitch before, because the bias stretch is somewhat unnerving. It looks completely misshapen until you block it. A border strip would help define the shape and square it off, while reducing the effect of the bias stretch.

I'm also thinking about my next lace project. I have some wonderful new yarn to fondle, and it's got me dreaming about lace.

The first is Louet's Euroflax 14/2 linen. This is laceweight flax that has a soft glowy sheen in navy blue. A half-pound cone has about 1,300 yards. I'm thinking about making the Paisley Long Shawl from Fiddlesticks. I know, I originally picked the red cashmere from Colourmart, but I think I'd rather see this shawl in a darker color.

The yardage should be enough if I don't add fringe (and I'm not a fringe-y person, although some may disagree).

Another wonderful yarn with which I am unexpectedly enamored is also from Louet. It's called Kidlin, a mohair-wrapped linen, which is absolutely ethereal. The color is Bryce Canyon, and it couldn't be more aptly named. The linen base yarn is a soft rose color, and the mohair fuzzy fiber wrapped around it is a warm tan color - an inspired interpretation of a canyon sunset.

I'm interested to see how this will knit up. Linen and mohair just don't seem suited to blend together, but this yarn begs to be knit up into something angelic. I'll report back when I have some experience with it.

TKGA Knit and Crochet Show

2007-09-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, September 29, I went to The Knitting Guild Association's (TKGA) Knit and Crochet Show in Oakland, CA. I met Jeannette, Marty, Tara and Matthew (aka DoilyDude) of IBKC Yahoo group at Daly City BART, and we happily knitted on the way over. The 12th Street BART station is right across the street from the Oakland Marriott.

The attendee line was fairly long at 10am, but I scooted up to the exhibitor desk which had no line and got my badge. My friend Tina of Knitwhits had asked me to work in her booth, so I spent the majority of the day there amongst the adorable hat, scarf, sock, purse, and other Knitwhits kits. The scarf above is one of her lovely crochet patterns called Ella. Some of the most popular items were the Flore (the petal hat at right) and Ripley hat kits that come in a variety of color combos. Purse kits were also flying out the door, like Lexi the houndstooth bag suitable for work or play. What a busy day! I didn't think that TKGA would be as busy as Stitches, but for the first few hours I was having flashbacks. The shoppers were out in force, credit cards in hand, and they were definitely buying.

When I had time for a break, I walked around and visited the usual suspects, plus some others that were new to me. The Y2Knit booth was right across from ours. Jill Wolcott is one of two sisters who own the business. The designs were lovely, inventive, and many of the sweaters were sized from small to 3x or 4x. Jill lives in San Francisco and her sister has a shop in Maryland. Jill was wearing this short Latice Lace Wrap, which was simply charming. The lacy insert has a twisted open stitch that looks much like broomstick lace.

Another exciting booth was Gita Maria, whose wares include enameled shawl pins and shawl kits in beautiful packaging. The shawl designs are wild, open and lacy and the shawl pins are gorgeous like this autumn inspired pumpkin pin.

I also enjoyed revisiting Geddes Studio, where I had bought gorgeous handmade glass buttons at Stitches West. Nancy Geddes' shift from engineer to artist is fascinating and compelling. She had discovered the beauty of dichroic glass while working as an aerospace engineer, and extrapolated her nascent art project into an idea for a growing family business. Her buttons, as she mentioned to me, end up on coffee tables as conversation pieces as often as they become attached to finished garments. I must admit, my favorite Geddes button is waiting patiently to be affixed to some future sweater. I fondle it from time to time and bring it out to watch my visitors ooh and ahh. The photo is an example of Nancy's artwork.

Due to my recent yarn spending spree, I decided to forego any new yarn purchases, but I did pick up a pattern for the Spring Blossoms shawl, by Eugen Beugler, from Terilyn Needleart. Lynn Curry, the proprietor from Redwood City, offers a lovely selection of her own lace shawl patterns, plus Fiber Trends and others. At present, the business is Internet only, but she does attend shows like TKGA. Lynn is a member of The Lacy Knitters Guild in Mountain View and the editor of their newsletter. What stopped me in my tracks was her display of the lace doilies knitted by Marguerite Shimmons. The Shimmons doilies are legendary and a number of them have been donated to the Lacis Museum for posterity.

I also ran into a few friends from the knitting world, like Ann of afghans for Afghans. (The first "a" of "afghans for Afghans" is intentionally lowercase to differentiate between the blankies and the people.) I don't know how she finds the time to do all that she does, but there she was, shopping in the market after attending a class. Ann is coordinating a big shipment of handknitted items to be sent overseas to Afghanistan in October to help clothe the Afghan orphans during their very cold winter. The deadline for contributions is October 12. They can always use extra hands for packing, so if you have a free afternoon, drop her an line. She graciously invited me to join her and some other knitters at a pub after the show, but I was too pooped to party.

On the BART train, a few knitters and I sat together discussing the show, and of course, the knitterly camaraderie made us instant pals.

Tribbles

2007-09-22T14:56:00.000-07:00

I may be dating myself here, as I compare my latest project to an episode of Star Trek. In the episode entitled "The Trouble with Tribbles," an enterprising trader sells a few harmless looking pets to members of the Starship Enterprise's crew. First, Lieutenant Uhura becomes enamored with the round, fuzzy, earmuff-shaped creatures. The Tribbles emit a soothing purr which the crew finds particularly charming.

The Trouble with Tribbles is that, as Dr. McCoy states, "they are born pregnant," and the growing population soon threatens to consume all of the starship's supplies and patience. To add misery to their mischief, they physically enter the ship's systems and basically wreak havoc, while poor engineer Scotty mutters Scottish Gaelic curses.

To spare you all the pseudo-scientific details, let's just skip to the end of the story. Scotty finds a way to beam all of the Tribbles onto a Klingon ship, where, as he quips, "they'll be no tribble at all." Actually, Klingons hate Tribbles, and vice versa. In fact, Tribbles emit high-pitched shrieks when coming into contact with Klingons (a nice finishing touch to the story).

Now we come to my own Tribbles, i.e., Boho Blocks. It started out innocently enough. I had acquired some lovely 3-ply hand-dyed silk from Interlacements. It was a "Dyer's Choice" blue/violet/dark grey batch that was never replicated. But I saw it and fell in love. The amazing thing about it was that each of the three plies was itself a lovely 2-ply silk thread, heavy enough to be considered fingering or light DK weight.

Thus began my troubles. I began by UNPLYING, the considerable yardage. I figured that with the yarn unplied, I might have enough to do the main body of the Boho Blocks Cardigan fr om Interweave Crochet, Fall 2006. I calculated how many yards of a single ply would be required to make one square. Then I hung the whole skein around my swift, unwound the required length, enough for three squares, cut it, unplied it, and rewound it into three little skeins. I felt so smug having figured out how to increase the yield of my lovely Interlacements silk.

Yet, my troubles were not over. The pattern requires 144 squares, but I only had enough yarn to make around 100 or so. No problem. I promptly ordered a few mini-cones of 2/12 Gemstone Silk from Halcyon Yarn in Maine. I loved the way the woman answered the phone, "Halcyon YAHN," in her comforting I've-heard-it-all manner. The colors I ordered were blue, violet and magenta, plus a big hank of black to sew everything together. I checked the site today, and it seems not all of my colors are still available. A lesson here: always buy more than enough to finish your project!

I thought I had saved enough of my main color (the Interlacements silk) to crochet around all of the final squares. Nope. Ten of them needed a little finagling. I scrounged scraps of silk from the bottom of my knitting bag and cut off long ends from the early squares where I had left generously long unused ends. And still, to make ends meet (pardon the pun), I dared to border a few of the last squares with a little of the blue Cascade silk I had remaining from the Myrtle Leaf Shawl.

Never you mind! It will all be okay, I promise. Photos of the finished cardigan are forthcoming. Sewing has commenced. And I love each and every little square, no matter how troublesome. Replication has ceased. End transmission.

A little bit more

2007-09-15T00:07:00.000-07:00

The Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, 100% washable, fingering weight, merino yarn arrived. I ordered it during the Handpaint Heaven Labor Day Sale at quite a discount, so it was especially satisfying to see this luscious yarn in my hot little hands. The color is "Old Rose" -- and the photos of the dye sample on the HH website do not depict the color acurately.

It is ... absolutely ... gorgeous. With two skeins, 420 yards per skein, this is going to make something lovely.

Okay, enough with the new yarn already! Somebody stop me!

I see yarn ... all the time ...

2007-09-09T20:44:00.001-07:00

You have to understand my consternation. That gorgeous Alchemy Alpaca Pure yarn at the Greenwich Yarn Sale on Sunday was not my first bit of conspicuous consumption in recent weeks. Nope.

On Saturday, I received this wonderful 100% merino laceweight from Margaret at Inspirations Yarn. The colors are violets and plums, beautifully blended. Margaret dyes the yarn herself in small batches, so every skein is unique and lovely. This one is her Espresso weight, that comes 1,760 yards to the skein! That's enough for a nice big 100% merino shawl.

The yarn arrived in the mail while I was out at the third meeting of the Lacis Lace Knitters group in Berkeley. I can't be blamed for additional fiber purchases if I didn't know I had a yarn package waiting for me at home! Lacis has a wonderful selection of threads for the lace knitter. I picked up some threads for future doily knitting, including some Flora thread from Germany. The rose color might make a pretty center for a floral doily and the green may make some interesting leaves. I'm going to look through my doily patterns to see which one might be appropriate.

In addition I purchased some navy blue thread. I've never made a doily in a dark color before, so I thought it would be an interesting experiment. White or light colored doilies and tablecloths are the most common, mainly because that was the prevailing color of thread available in years past, and also because the light color is enhanced by the dark wood of a table underneath.

Besides the threads, I picked up a couple of fun things: an embroidered velvet eyeglass case on a cord. It's made in Guatemala, evidenced by the bright colors of the embroidery (and the tag inside). It can hang from your shoulder or neck, and it has a zipper compartment that can hold other items, too.

And finally, I couldn't resist the little fuzzy wool sheep I found sitting on a shelf all by his lonesome, near the Zephyr yarn display at Lacis. He now has a home on my fireplace mantel.

As long as I'm confessing, I'll let you know that I'm expecting additional packages to arrive for me sometime in the next few days. One is the Cherry Tree Hill yarn I purchased at the Handpaint Heaven Labor Day sale. Another is yarn I earned for test knitting a sample. And I'm sure I'll pick up something at the TKGA Knit and Crochet Show in Oakland when I go there on September 30.

Woe is me. Or should I say, WHOA is me?

Five Stages of Yarnaholism (or how I couldn't resist Alchemy at 25% off)

2007-09-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

Denial

Suggest problem has corrected itself and it will soon be over
“I need this new yarn to make the shawl I saw in that book, that’s all. I will certainly not buy any more yarn, after today.”

Exhibit apathy and numbness
“No problem. I have the cash. It’s no big deal. So what if it doesn’t fit in my yarn closet or in the basket in the living room or in the Rubbermaid storage bin in the garage.”

Rationalize
“I’ll make it fit. Heck, I deserve this. It’s only yarn.”

Anger

Sabotage the change effort
“If I go to the yarn sale, I might buy yarn. But if I don’t go I’ll miss seeing my knitting pals and having a good time. I’ll go to the sale.”

Play "shoot the messenger"
“Damn that salesperson. If she hadn’t told me the Alchemy was on sale, I never would have bought it. Well, I might have. I would have. Damn her.”

Withdraw from society
“Okay, fine. So, you want to make something out of it? Get outta my way; I’m going shopping.”

Bargaining

Cut a deal to spare others harm
“Honey, I know I said I wouldn’t buy any more yarn. But see, this yarn I’ve looked at so many times is on sale. And I’ll never-ever-ever find it on sale again at this price. And, you know, they discontinue yarns all the time. So, if I buy this yarn, uhm, you can buy that baseball card you’ve been wanting. And we’ll both be on purchase restriction after that.”

Suggest other concerns to redirect problem solving
“Well, I’m just glad I paid that insurance bill. Don’t have to think about that any more. Isn’t that great? Oh, and I have to remember to pick up the dry cleaning. Did I water the tomato plants today?”

Depression

Express a loss of control
“I admit it’s getting a little out of hand. The yarn in little pyramid piles on the floor was cute for a while. I just don’t see it as a design element anymore. I’m never going to be able to knit all this yarn.”

Withdraw from society.
“I’ve now officially got SABLE (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy). I’m just going to have to forego any more yarn sales. If I go, I’ll buy. I’ll just become a hermit. That’s all there is to it.”

Acceptance

Express ownership for solutions
“I do not need any more yarn. I must take a stand.”

Focus on achieving benefits
“When I finish using at least … 30% of my stash, then I can buy more yarn. But not until then! Okay, 20%.”

AND I GOT IT AT GREENWICH ...

Greenwich Yarn End of Summer Sale is from September 7 - 23. Topnotch yarns from 25%-70% off, including Alchemy, Debbie Bliss, Noro, and many, many more. I'm not kidding -- it's an extraordinary sale. If you're in the Bay Area, it's worth a trip.

Greenwich Yarn
2073 Greenwich
San Francisco, CA 94123
415-567-2535

San Mateo County Fair Ribbons

2007-08-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Ottawa in Canada, where I attended my cousin's wedding. We stayed at a chateau by White Lake, about 45 miles west of Ottawa, the capitol of Canada. During our trip, we missed the opening of the San Mateo County Fair on August 10. I had entered three items:

- Lyra, the large table center designed by Herbert Niebling

- A smaller doily, also designed by Niebling

- Swallowtail shawl, designed by Evelyn Clark

The Fair requires that the items entered have been completed within the last year. This was the first time I had ever entered anything at the County Fair. The fine knitters at IBKC (Itty Bitty Knitty Committee) who meet in San Bruno had entered items at the 2006 Fair, and it sounded like so much fun! I decided to do it this year, even though I wouldn't be around for the majority of the Fair days, August 10-19.

When I got back from Canada, I found a note from Jeannette at IBKC who told me I had "cleaned up" at the Fair. She told me to read Erica's report about the IBKC group's Fair winnings. WOW! I couldn't believe my eyes! So many of us had won ribbons!

We decided to go to the Fair on Thursday, the day after we got back. When I had dropped off my knitting for judging before we left, I was given an envelope with two tickets to the Fair and a free parking pass. One great thing about exhibiting your work is that you can attend the Fair for free. The cost of entering is only $2 per item, so my three items only cost $6 to enter. The Fair tickets cost $9 per adult.

We took 280 South to 92 East and exited on Delaware St. After parking, we walked in the front gate and were greeted by two dandy cowboys on stuffed horses, handing out the daily schedules. The first thing we noticed in the schedule was: "Pig races?"

Okay, we would have to see those.

Then we wandered around looking at the livestock exhibits. The camels and goats were penned outside one of the buildings. Inside another were cows, chickens, ducks, sheep, and turkeys. We almost entered the "guess the weight" of the steer contest, but then wondered where we would put it if we won. Seriously, I don't know what the prize was for that contest. The hogs were pink and black and lying on their sides in the shredded cardboard that covered the pen floors. We read in the San Mateo County Fair brochure that recycled shredded cardboard would be used in the exhibits instead of straw, in an effort to keep the Fair "green" -- but I did see some straw.

Next we walked over to one of the outdoor music areas. The forlorn band that was playing only had a few people sitting in the audience. Of course it was midafternoon on a Thursday, not a peak time for rock audiences. We stood and watched for a little while, even though, out of the corner of my eye, I could see the name of the adjacent building, "Oak Hall." My knitting was inside, and I could hardly wait.

Inside the door was a table hosted by the Peninsula Quilters. These quilters were sponsoring a number of special prizes at the Fair, so quilts were entered in abundance. They literally covered every wall, and a special standing display in the center of Oak Hall. We saw some of the knitting, some baby things and afghans, and then I spotted - Jeannette's Valkyrie hat! I also found Erica's baby afghan which had won a blue ribbon and some other entries by the IBKC group.

We walked up to the Lace Museum table, where two women were working busily on some amazingly intricate Torchon (bobbin) lace. I love intricate lacy things, and these ladies must have infinite patience to work the beautiful edgings with such tiny threads. This is the lace made on a special pillow, using many pins and bobbins to shape the lace.

Then my husband tapped me on the shoulder and whispered, "I found it." He walked me over to the display cases which held the tablecloths, doilies and other laces. There they were!

My small Niebling doily had won a 1st place blue ribbon.

My Swallowtail Shawl had won a 1st place blue ribbon and a Judge's Choice, Special Award rosette.

And my pride and joy, my Lyra table center, had won a 1st place blue ribbon and the "Best In Show" rosette!

Each award has a monetary value, only about $10 to $25 each. But that wasn't my reason to enter. The fun of seeing my work displayed in an exhibit dedicated to earnest amateurs in various arts, is more than enough compensation.

After visiting Oak Hall, we sat down for a traditional carnival lunch of Polish and Italian sausages, fries and lemonades. The Fair is only once a year, okay?

Suddenly, we heard screams and squeals of enjoyment -- the pig races had begun! We quickly ran over to the pig racing area and saw the little pink squealers running for the finish line! I didn't have time to pick a favorite, but it certainly was a highlight of the Fair.

The bucking Mechanical Bull riders were having their share of fun. I have to say that the fellow operating the bucking controller must be a sadistic fellow -- either that, or he just wanted to move the line along a little faster. Young riders began on a slowly rocking steer, and gradually were shook, bucked, and thunked, harder and harder, until they fell off. Hm, not so good for the sciatica.

So, now I'm thinking about what to enter next year.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention, our little pooch Duke was so happy to see us when we got home from Canada. He really is a wonder. He's 12 years old, and still acts like a puppy, jumping up and dancing on his hind legs whenever we come in the door. Here's a photo of our best pal during a quiet moment.

Myrtle Leaf Shawl ... Finished!

2007-08-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

Just in the nick of time! I'm on my way to Ottawa for my cousin's wedding ... with the completed Myrtle Leaf Shawl from Victorian Lace Today!

I don't have time for long descriptions, and no, I didn't even measure it. But it's longer than my blocking board and not quite as wide (about 22" x 70" I'd estimate).

The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Cascade Lace (100% silk). The color is Moody Blues, which lends itself well to lace - soft, watery blues with just an occasional hint of teal. Contrary to other silks I've used, this color did not run at all when I wet it before blocking.

When I get back from vacation, I'm off to the San Mateo County Fair to visit my entries: the Lyra doily, another Niebling doily, and the Swallowtail Shawl. Wish me luck!