Going, going

This project with Evelyn is just The Best. Everything about it is pleasing. The pattern is wonderful and relaxing to knit. The yarn feels so wonderful sliding through my fingers as I knit.

I'm nearing the end and I'm already almost missing it. I know it is going to be hard to find another project that brings as much JOY.

Because, apparently I am so easily entertained, I have been especially pleased that carrying the project around hasn't not resulted in the little hand-wound ball getting smashed. It still is quite neat. That alone made me so happy that I had to stop and take a picture. It rests here on the Sofia shawl, blocked at last. Details on Ravelry.

No Cure

Sometimes I wonder what I'm a'gonna do
There ain't no cure for the
summertime blues
Eddie Cochran (1938-1960)


Evelyn and I have been getting along great. As long as we stay inside with the a/c (and sometimes a little fan to help keep the cool air stirring) we are happy as clams.

Fried Clams.


I am thoroughly enjoying this Classic Elite yarn, Vail. It may be too soft to really show the stitch pattern off to its best advantage, but I think it is going to be lovely to wear. Even though right now I cannot imagine wanting anything close around my neck, I live in hope that one day soon I might actually welcome such.

Last weekend I picked up a tube of beads as I think I'll add one at each point of the edging. It is fun to do and gives a nice bit of weight to the finished edge.

Vail

Do you get the weekly Classic Elite web-letters? I enjoy them. Who doesn't like to read about yarn? I enjoy seeing the new, free patterns. Several I have meant to try, but there are just so many hours in a day. Or so few it often seems!

I recently listened to the Webs podcast interview with Betsy Perry of Classic Elite where she talked about their new Mountain Top line, a collection of three natural, undyed yarns. I was anxious to try the Vail a light fingering weight of 70% baby alpaca and 30% bamboo.

So I got a couple of skeins (472 yards total) and have cast on an Evelyn A. Clark triangle. What could be a better companion for these dog days of August?

The ever-so-colorful Noro Wisp has finally been blocked. I couldn't be less enthused with a FO. Picture on Ravelry but I'm not even going to spend time posting here on the blog. Just not my thing.

The knitting of completely white Estonian is also finished, but I have no idea when I'll get the urge to block. I've spotted a problem with a stitch as well that will need to be addressed. Sigh.

Oh, Evelyn. It is so good to see you!

VW Cozy

I may be knitting a lace cozy for a Volkswagen. It's beginning to feel like it!

Around and around I go and each time I stop to coax the bunched up stitches around the still-too-short cable*, I wonder if that ball of yarn is going to last to the end. I have about 4.5 more rounds and a bind off. I'm guessing NO. We shall see.

And speaking of guessing, wonder what this thing is going to look like? Wonder what size it will be? Wonder if it will ever be cool enough again to even consider wearing it? So much to wonder as I knit around and around.

I guess if it turns out to actually be a VW cozy, I can give it to The Whole Nine Yarns for their bug.


*I did finally order the longer cables today. What do you want to bet they arrive the day after I finish?

Look and See

It's our knitting pal, Mary!

Have a great one!

91; Feels like 100

Although the post title is the current temperature, sometimes I feel like it could be describing me as well. It is hard for me to summon up much energy in this heat. This summer, especially following on the heels of last summer, has been difficult.

Certainly it is making me second-guess my hobby.

Knitting.
In Wool.

Not exactly the smartest thing I do. Ostensibly I do it because it is relaxing. However, I can't really say that getting the stitches picked up and the edging going around on the stole has been RELAXING. This is neither the fault of the pattern or the yarn.

As is true of most of my angst, it is all due to my innate IMPATIENCE. The longest interchangeable cable I own is 32" and I can't wait for mail order to bring a longer one. Still I think I'll order one so I won't be in this pickle next time.

And while I'm at it, I should just order some yarn, too, right? Yeah, what I really need just now is more WOOL.

More of a Good Thing

The current (Jul/Aug) issue of "Piecework" had a nice, long article on Italian embroidered ribbons by Jeanine Robertson. The 2009 lace issue of "Piecework" had an article by Jeanine Robertson on Italian needlelace. In all my searching around the internet last evening, I was lucky enough to land on Jeanine's blog. Oh, my! Now that is a Bookmark for sure.

Later I remembered that I should have included a few additional links in my previous post.

Interweave Press/Piecework has two online goodies. Yes, Piecework has so many good things that they can't even fit them all into the magazine. Fortunately they do provide them on the internet. Her article on Classic Italian Embroidery is here and she has a project and directions for stitching a biscornu pincushion here.

This design has many elements in common with Lefkara lace, including the hemstitch, and would give a good introduction.

The beauty of the internet

subtitle: the double-edged sword

First of all, let me get the weather whine out of the way. It is August. It is HOT. It is even hotter than it has been which was certainly hot enough! Why, oh why, can't August have 28 days and February have 31??

Now, on to the Good Stuff.

Dianne, my Enabling buddy, sent me an e-mail this morning with a link to a wonderful Etsy video on Lefkara Lace, a 5.43 minute film about the exquisite embroidered lace of Lefkara, Cyprus.


Well I was at work when I read her e-mail. You can imagine how long my day was sitting there crunching numbers thinking about getting home and tracking down my magazines. I just knew I had articles on this technique and I could hardly wait to get home and reread them.

I like to think of myself as organized. Ha! Would you believe semi-organized? Most of my needlework magazines are filed by type, in two file cabinets. I was sure one of the articles was in an Australian publication. I pulled all those out and didn't find it. This is what is referred to in Stringplay Land as Par For The Course! A few minutes later with lots of magazines pulled out, I recalled that I had one more Australian magazine in a project bag and, sure enough, that was the one. If you are wondering, it is Australian Embroidery and Cross Stitch; Vol. 8, No. 2 and has a two-page article by Christine Bishop.

Thanks to the internet, and in the comments of this great post on Lefkara lace, I read that there was an article in a back issue of the short-lived Treasures in Needlework. The photo at top is that article, by Kit Schlich. If you have those magazines, it is in the Winter 1992 issue.

The internet saves me time many a time by allowing me to find a specific issue. Sometimes even being able to see the cover helps me find it faster. It also costs me lots of time because I spend so much of it searching around and reading and watching all that I find.

But as Kay and I are always saying, so far we haven't misplaced our computers!