Beginning of a Shetland Triangle

Yarn: Knitpicks Gloss - 70% merino 30% silk
Progress: Row 13 of body pattern

I cast on for this shawl a few days ago, and I love how it is knitting up! I was a little nervous about this project at first, as it is my first lace project, but it's turning out to be much easier than I thought it would be. I had a little bit of trouble when casting on and knitting the first 10 or so rows, but now that the pattern is established things are going much smoother.

Monkey off my back!

Yup, the sweater is done.
It's blocking right now.
I'll have some pics shortly.
Whew.

A peek at my Shetland Triangle WIP

I'm using Sundara Silky Merino Aran yarn and it's a very pretty color (Thank you Brooklyntweed!). I do have a big problem with the consistency of the yarn though, it's flecked with white spots of fiber missing dye. I guess I can say it's on purpose. The yarn is so silky though, like buttah!

I did an extra repeat, nine in all, and I only have eight rows left to finish it and I RAN OUT OF YARN! Shoulda' known. Jeez. So I'm waiting for Sundara to dye me up another hank so I can finish it. It's torture, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this pattern and the yarn is perfect for it. It only took me five days to get so close to finishing it after figuring out the crochet cast-on and the over all structure of the shawl. I brought it to my wonderful LYS to ask how I was progressing, and he said that I was doing so well and that I didn't need to ask him for help anymore if I was knitting this up (I had no idea).

I'm going to start up an other one, I have plans for two more. One in Rowan Felted Tweed color #147, a really pretty green, I'm going to try a swatch of it, who knows, I may not like it. And then another one in the Silky Merino Aran, I may buy the yarn undyed this time and dye it myself.

So until the yarn gets here I'll jut enjoy the raspberry bumps of my unfinished Shetland Triangle. I hope you don't mind the long post, I'm just so excited about this scarf.

Childs Turtleneck Shrug

This is my niece, it was her birthday present, she turned 5 in February. I altered the pattern to fit her with the help of much more experienced knitters. I used Knit Picks Swish in Bubble Gum Pink to knit the shrug and the beret. I think she looks adorable and she really liked them both. She said that she looked like an artist! on another note, I am half way done with my Lady Eleanor, I am pushing to get it completed by Easter so I can take it on my trip to Las Vegas.

Ene is finished!

I've been working on Ene off and on for the past 6 months. This project was really a challenge for me, and I'm so proud of myself that I actually finished it! There are a couple more pictures on my blog. Happy knitting, everyone!

Can someone help explain Wandering Aran Fields to me?

Ok, I understand the main body piece. I'm ok with knitting the edges for the buttons and button holes and then connecting that onto the main body along the collar. But when are the button bands ever attached down the front of the body? It seems as though they are only connected along the neck in the directions.

Thanks!

Lace Style KAL Open!

Hi everyone. With the special blessings of your moderator, Tipper, I've been invited to post about the new KAL for Lace Style, the next book in the series. We realized that all scarf knitters are not necessarily lace knitters, and it might be nice to distinguish between the two KALs. This new KAL is moderated by the folks at Interweave (basically one person - me - based out of my home in Louisville, Ky!). You'll be happy to know that the garments in Lace Style are designed by many of the same contributors to Scarf Style/Wrap Style, such as:

* Nancy Bush (Lace Style: Lily of the Valley Shawl, Scarf Style: Ene's Scarf)
* Annie Modesitt (Lace Style: Greta Garbo Hat, Scarf Style: Backyard Leaves)
* Norah Gaughan (Lace Style: Lacy Waves Top, Scarf Style: Here and There Cables)
* Kathy Zimmerman (Lace Style: Katharine Hepburn Cardigan; Scarf Style: Forbes Forest)
* Shirley Paden (Lace Style: Ooh La Lace Dress and Stole, Scarf Style: Interlocking Balloons)
* Pam Allen (Lace Style: Little Silk Shrug and Tailored Scallops, Scarf Style: Ruffled Capelet)
* Mari Lynn Patrick (Lace Style: Just Right Wrap, Scarf Style: Turkish Treasure)
* and more!

We hope these patterns will give you new ways to think about knitting lace. I'll try to get the designers to drop in and say hello every now and then on the KAL. To join the Lace Style KAL email me at knitalongs AT interweave DOT com. Website: www.lacestylekal.blogspot.com

Come to Me, My Sweet Lady E!

Lady Eleanor is finished, and I am in love! This is destined to become one of my favorite shawls. It was a pleasure to knit. The pattern is much more well written than other entrelac patterns I have seen, and I was in heaven, using all of my favorite colors.

Pattern: Lady Eleanor by Kathleen Power Johnson

Yarn: Silk Garden by Noro, 12 skeins, colors 244 and 249

Needles: KnitPicks Options size 8 circular, 32-inch

Dimensions: Length - 74-1/2 inches

Width - 24 inches

Modifications: Used a crochet edging on the short ends instead of fringe

More details and pictures are on my blog: http://mymerinomantra.typepad.com

How to make Diamond Edges for Lady E

In my last post I showed you my variation of Lady E's edgings.

Many thanks for your kind comments. Some of you wanted to know how I did the diamonds. In my knitting-blog I wrote down some instructions. It is easier as one might admit.

Happy greetings from Germany
Susanne

Newest Member of the Divine Lady Eleanor Ya-Ya Sisterhood!

I finished the knotted fringe Friday night; my Lady E took about 9-1/2 weeks from start to finish. I have to say, the completion of this project makes me feel like a True Knitter, not just someone who knits - and my beau no longer questions me lugging around my ever-present bright-red knitting bag.

Quick specs: 12 balls of Noro Silk Garden #86, size 10 needles (I have about 32 inches of yarn left after cutting a few extra fringes to use it up). I knit considerably more rows than the pattern called for to get to about 64-65" length, which after immersion cold-water blocking (NSG blocks wonderfully, by the way) relaxed to 72" inches. I also added an extra rectangle, so instead of casting on 56 stitches or seven 8-stitch blocks, I had eight 8-stitch blocks (I hate shawls that don't cover my bottom :). Also, I increased the fringe strip count to 60 to correspond to the extra rectangle.

It's pretty much already summer in SoCal right now (it was 80 degrees when I took the pic this morning), so I only have a few more evenings to wear it. Next up: Ene's Shawl!!!

Turtleneck Shrug

This was a great fast knit! The construction is really clever and easy. I knit it in the Rowan Kid Classic called for in the pattern. The shrug is really warm and comfortable. The only adaptation I made was starting at the wrists with smaller needles and working my way up two sizes as I reached the upper arm, so the sleeves would not be too tight.

Lady E Finished!!

A couple of pictures of my finished Lady Eleanor.

It took me 10 skeins of Noro Silk Garden in Color #37 on size 8 needles. The only modifications I made to the pattern were to knit a few more tiers of the pattern to compensate for my tighter gague, and to shorten the knotted fringe. I loved knitting this and loved the way it turned out, and if I could afford more yarn now, I'd knit another.

White Midwest Moonlight

I forgot to post this until just today. I knitted this is alpaca for a knitting friend for Xmas. I'm so glad to see that she wears it as a scarf and shawl all the time. And, she's very particular. As easy as this pattern was, I did a fair amount of frogging. Not sure why...

Tzarina Wrap Spotting

Last nite I went to Vickie Howell's booksigning in Denver, CO at the Lamb Shoppe (see more on my blog) and ran into this Tzarina wrap. I told her about our blog and asked if she minded I put her pic up with all the details. So, here goes:
Her name is Gayle.
She used 4+ skeins of Noro Kochoran, pink/aqua 535.
I forgot to ask about the needle and gauge.
Two Mother of Pearl buttons.
Gosh, isn't it pretty in front of all the Noro Yarn?

Looking for KAL member "ofthesun1"

This KAL member posted on February 16th about her Lady E done in Silk Garden #86. She doesn't list a blog or email address and I'd love to see a picture of it. I was thinkig about doing Lady E in that same colorway, and would like to see how the colors look before delving in and buying 10 skeins.....if you're out there, drop by my blog here or send me and email via my blogger profile!

Thank you!!
Stacey