i just want to say, in my own defense, that i DID work on other knitting last night.
ok, i didn’t really “cook” for dinner, and i didn’t finish my sweater, even though i am literally one inch away from the finish—the truth is, i did not even touch it (how twisted is that??).
and also in my own defense, when i showed the scarf and the blocked swatches to my class yesterday afternoon, they all but swooned right there in my so-called dining room (i even think i caught susie debating about putting the big swatch in her pocketbook, but then deciding not to).
it truly is to-die-for gorgeous fabric, and i don’t blame them a bit. or me.
it’s just that it would be ever so helpful if someone would lock the scarf up and only let it out when i have nothing else to do. because i am addicted—believe me, i know the signs.
for now i have it under control mostly—but just by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin. i could go over the deep end, i really could. especially now that i am more than halfway to the finish. you know me—that is the point where the intense need to achieve glory see the final result kicks in big time for me.
(oh, and it doesn’t help that like five of you are perfectly willing to indulge in plotting the stole version with me, just as a hypothetical construct, just in case i do finish the scarf today, and am experiencing withdrawal effects. jeesh.)
yet, i did manage to work on the snow shawl for a few hours, which i find to be an equally compelling knit, though more calming maybe, since it is much less far along in proportion to its eventual finished size. and then, the sweet, calm color is so soothing.
i know.
it looks exactly the same as yesterday, right? it’s going to be that way for a while . .. these square shawls tend to have photographic growth spurts. one day it looks the same as the three previous days, and then the next it suddenly looks much bigger.
anyway, this is some of the nicest lace knitting i’ve experienced in a long time. it’s so easy to settle into and work with. i do have to keep an eye on the chart and always on what’s happened in the row before, but i find i can listen intently to a book or talk on the phone while knitting it and not have to block out anything to do the lace.
knitting it feels ike being inside on a snowy day . . . um, knitting. just right.
i worked on the lady cardigan sock for a while in classes yesterday, too
i got past the heel and about halfway down the gusset. i gotta get some inches going on though . . . or ruth anne (my student) is SO going to beat me. how embarrassing would that be? she’s making her cardigan socks with dream in color smooshy and it’s, well, smo-o-o-oshy. i like the way the yarn variegation works up in her sock.
speaking of ruth anne, i finally got on the bandwagon and ordered some harmony wood DPNs from knitpicks, based on how much i liked the ones she has. rachel has some too and she recommended them, but when i saw and felt them in person i was won over (though i haven’t used them yet).
they are nice and sturdy and have a tapered point that is not too sharp. the photos on the site show them to be very brightly colored (which worried me), but in person they are not. i have been a little disgruntled about the plymouth DPNs that i use a lot . . . the sets i have purchased more recently feel flimsy and get warped or bent very easily. my old sets are straight and rigid, even after a number of years, but the newer ones are just kinda junky, and i am really not that hard on my needles. since they are the same price, i’m hoping the harmony sets will be a good replacement. i also saw some bryson rosewood wood needles at yarnia that i’m going to try out—i heard they have a great feel, but smell weird . . that should be interesting.
i will be teaching a class at the library on saturday which is free to the public. we will be exploring short-row shaping by making the multi-directional scarf. pre-registration is required and participants will need to bring some materials. click here to find out more.
we did a learn-to-knit session in the summer that was great fun, and this scarf class will expand on those skills.
and lastly, debbieKnitter has started blogging again and it would be real neighborly of you to go over and say hello (hint: she has food pictures up today).
20 thoughts on “back away from the scarf, m’am”
Very pretty!! For some reason bloglines wasn’t updating you for me, so imagine my surprise when I saw all of the loveliness you have been knitting!
Gott in Himmel, that’s some beautiful lace going on! Who says you have to put all that pretty down?! Even for a moment.
Ditto on the Bloglines. I just thought I’d check in with you.
The ice lace is gorgeous. You have to show the skeins of that stuff. They glisten! I wish you would hurry and finish that little scarf! I can’t wait to see it.
Too funny, that scarf really has a hold of you and fair enough, it is very special. The white blob looks bigger and I am looking forward to seeing more. I love the harmony needles, they are lovely to work with. I love their circulars too. have fun with everything.
Google reader is picking up your feed just fine.
I’m not much for wooden needles, but I have Knitpicks options and they’re great. I hope the harmony needles work as well for you.
How does Judy make the colors glow like that?
I was about to tell you to simply go ahead with the scarf and finish it, so that you could go back to your other stuff with your mind free – but when I read you were thinking of a stole version, I realised it was maybe not such a good idea to encourage you to keep going down that route if you want anything else done in the near future… because, well, what is it going to be after the stole? A shawl version? You’re right, you certainly should back away before it’s too late!
How can you not finish the scarf now that you’re on the downhill slope, so to speak? Oh, wait, that’s not what you want to hear. Try this: Step away from the scarf. Go finish the sweater. It’s calling your name, can’t you hear it? It’s saying, Annnnnneeee, Annnneee… come finish meeeeee…
I’ve been eyeing those harmony needles. My birthday’s coming up, and I deserve new sock needles, doncha think?
Oh this nothing looks so much like a real something to me! soooo tempting,,,
And I forgot to tell you I really like knitting with the harmony DPNs they feel more stable and smooth compared to Plymouth and yet they have this warm feeling of wood compared to the harshness of metal, it is hard to explain, I am sure you will understand after a few rows of knitting with them, have fun!
p.s.: do you want to send the nothing over so I will guard it while you knit what you need to knit before it? 🙂
Ok ya’ll Anne is small, I say we all get into a big group and charge her….then while you guys hold her back, I’ll come in and take the knits and food….*grin* of course I’ll share them with all of you;)
So weird that Bloglines isn’t picking up your feed any more. Frustrating. Bah. I’ve added you to my browser’s feed thing-y. Hope I remember to look there as well.
Love the ice lace on your windows, and the white square shawl, and the new scarf, and… LOL I have one set of Harmony needles, tips for my circulars. Love them. The colors are fun, aren’t they? Not as bright as I thought they’d be, either. And glad of it.
This little nothing has really got a hold on you, LOL ! I just can’t tell you to step away from it though, because I want to see it finished too 🙂
In fact it looks so good I ordered some yarn from Judy too,
The scarf is just gorgeous.
I have the KnitPicks wooden needles in the small circular sizes, and I like them very much. For DPNs, I have complete sets of Brittany Birch, and they are very sturdy, light colored, and nice to work with. They replaced my Clover bamboos, which tended to split at the tips and catch the yarn. If I were buying new wood DPNs now, I guess it would be a toss up between KnitPicks and Brittany.
I have the perfect solution! Send me the scarf. I’ll keep it nice and…safe. Yeah, that’s it. That’s the ticket.
Would you come to our library for a class? We’re not that far. Really. ; )
I love all of it. The scarf, the square shawl, the poor languishing almost-done sweater, the lady cardigan sock! You come up with this stuff much faster than I can queue it, let alone knit it (I still have to start my poor bee!)
The square shawl is going to be so lovely–you know I have a thing for your edgings, and the one I saw in the swatch the other day was deeply compelling.
I have just started a sock on the new Harmony dpns, & really like them so far. The circs are great for lace, too!
I bought ebony Lantern Moon dpns last spring–wonderful! Later, I got a set (not Lantern Moon) in rosewood, and before I turned the heel on the first sock, one had broken. Don’t know if it’s due to the wood or the brand (which I can’t remember). Just a heads up.
what a surprise – bloglines must not have caught your feeds – I opened up to 6 new posts!!!!
I love my harmony needles – I have the fixed circulars for magic loop, but I love the feel and the points are just perfect!
I’m not getting notified by bloglines about you either and just dropped by – so glad I did – YOU WILL LOVE your Harmonys! I just ordered all the 16 inch circs and the interchangeable set based on the dpns I had…LOVE them!
(((hugs)))
I just bought a set of Harmonys, actually. I haven’t had great experiences with wood needles in the past (they’re just so darn BENDY!), but the lovely ladies at KnitPicks have yet to steer me wrong (plus they’re pretty).
I adore the new scarf! Any ideas how many skns I should get? will the maker of the yarn be selling kits or should I just get yarn and wait for pattern?
Lovely scarf pattern and breathtaking colors!
Comments are closed.