New Spring String

Knitting on the blue stole is complete. The edging went on just fine. This was really my first time to knit an edging on at a ninety-degree angle and at first it was a bit confusing and fairly fiddly. It didn't really help that my chart was pointed in the opposite direction so I had to mentally reverse it. Fortunately it was a very simple and repetitive pattern and I was familiar with it from the other end of the stole. No FO picture for a bit. My blocking wires are out on loan.

I told myself that I was not going to start a new project. Stitches South is coming to town in less than two weeks. I wanted to be free to start any project that I may happen upon there.

I told myself this would be a great opportunity for me to spend quality time with my sampler.

Apparently I did not listen to myself. I did work on the sampler on Sunday and again after work yesterday. I even got the whole next band done, but it is only a bit of verse. Next up is a band of Holbein stitch. Done properly, this double-running stitch is reversible. You do every other straight stitch of the pattern on the first pass and come skipping back filling in the missing steps.

Now if you are Marion Scoular, blackwork embroidery is a piece of cake. Me? Not so much. Invariably I make a misstep on the first pass, find it on the trip back, and have to rip out a lot. So Band J was shaping up to be not so relaxing.

What I needed was a small knitting project. And New String! So today I picked up a ball of string. $1.97 worth of a springy Frosty Green and (on the third try!) managed to get going on a doily using Emily Ocker's circular cast on. Ahh....all's right in the world.

String! Good for what ails you.