Holiday lace

Oftentimes things - patterns, projects, materials - have to marinate for some time before bubbling up to the surface to be used.

I bought this Diane Willet pattern way back in April 2009 but have always found something else to do instead. [I bought pattern from Lacy Susan, but don't see it listed there now, and find no other good links for you.]

When the latest stole got put on hold awaiting a new, longer circular needle, I looked around for some project that I could make with string on hand and, hopefully, one that would not take too long. This seemed like a good possibility. We shall see.

ETA: The knitting finished up quickly and I quite like the little wreath. Directions have you whip the center to a bangle and stiffen the wreath before adding beads and bow. I'm not sure yet if or how I'm going to use it but the knitting sure was fun.

Holiday observations

1. It must be Christmas. I teared up last night over a Publix commer-cial.

2. My Christmas cactus and I have much in common. We both are growing whiskers.

Two readers (i.e. fully 100%) suggested I use the wreath for a centerpiece, so last night as I was hanging up the cranberry and popcorn garlands, I did. I love how the colors complement my M&Ms.

Experimentation

Day 2 of the Green Beaded Experiment.

I always feel that most of the time I barely have the time to DO a pattern, much less play around and EXPERIMENT with ideas that may not/probably won't work; thus wasting precious time. So working on an experiment is always fraught with uneasiness. When really it shouldn't be. It should be Fun and Exciting.

.

So far the actual knitting of this is Fun. This is my first time adding beads to knitting. I'm using the 'add as you go' technique employing a fine crochet hook to place the bead on the stitch. (Actually my finest hook was not quite fine enough and I resorted to the finer hook on the end of my tatting shuttle. Not only does it work well for this, the bulbous shuttle is easier and faster to pick up when I need it.)

.

I love the combination of the color of this thread (Forest Green - Coats Royale) and the bright, shiny, dark red of the beads (Blue Moon). In fact, I love it so much that I'm feared I might not be able to find more if this first try fails. In fact the Coats link does not show it in the current color list so I'm working with a discontinued color.

.

I've completed about a third of the repeats so far. I could pull it off onto a string to see if it's working but I think I shall plow ahead and postpone any (inevitable?) heartbreak.

.

"The guy who takes a chance, who walks the line between the known and unknown, who is unafraid of failure, will succeed. "

Gordon Parks (1912-2006)

Snowflakes in November?

Not real ones! Less than a week before Thanksgiving and it is quite warm - in the 70s from now through Turkey day.

These snowflakes are tatted and are on my contribution to the Woodstock library's Festival of Wreaths. Each year individuals and groups (such as Lions Club, The Tribune, etc.) can create a wreath for display during November and December. I've been contributing since it started, about eight years or so.

I generally decide what I'm going to do and then do all the handwork in the summer and get that well out of the way. Wreaths are hung over Thanksgiving break. You know how fast the holidays arrive. If I waited, it would be a burden to get it all done. Summer always seems like the perfect, slow time to casually and gradually make the ornaments.

This year I decided on tatted snowflakes and had fun leafing through pattern books and magazines to find patterns - some of which were more 'snowflake-ish' than others.

Last year was the first time I did anything knitted. I knitted angels from "Angels - A Knitter's Dozen" by Gerdine Strong. What fun they were to create!