ice, ice, baby

Posted on Posted in designing, lace/shawls, projects

oooh, it’s a miserable day . . . just the kind everyone hates to go out in. the temps are hovering around 32 degrees and we have an icy coating all over the shrubs and trees.

brrrr.

i have a severe case of nothing new to show you. i mean, you don’t really want to see the inch of knitting that it took me 4 hours to do last night, do you? you do??

see, it looks just the same as it did two days ago—but a little bigger. we’re getting there though.

i don’t know if i mentioned this lately, but there will be a triangle version of the snow shawl too, in case my square one is scaring you a little (but really you shouldn’t be; i mean, yes it’s an endurance project, but if it was smaller and you finished sooner, you’d be knitting something else anyway, right? it’s not like you make a shawl, step back, and don’t cast on again for a month because you’re busy catching up on the housework you neglected, right?).

on sunday i knit for 10 hours on the beast shawl, finished the trees and started the last section. last night, instead of getting a lot of knitting done, i worked on the triangle pattern for a while.

which was such a waste of time—after a day of classes and running about, i could not get my mind to process a mirror-image chart for the edging. by midnight i was fried to the point of staring dumbly at the page so i decided to retire to the TV room and pull out the second violet sock.

so charming . . . just the thing to make me feel like a person again.
and i finished the tesserae sock in class yesterday morning

i love how it looks like a trout swimming in this photo . . .
once i get a few modeling shots, i’ll post the pattern—maybe later tonight even.

oh, speaking of socks, chris at briar rose, who dyed the yarn for these

is so bowled over by how supportive you knitspot readers are, that she is offering you a 10% discount on any order until march 22.
when you go to her shop to make purchases, use the code knitspot to get the discount. isn’t she good to us?
(looks like she did a big shop update, too—i noticed that the pavé color and the dolomite color are in the sock yarn selections today)

i have to show off some pictures i took in class yesterday . . . we don’t do this often, but it was a birthday (AND i needed something to blog about, don’t be fooled), so i grabbed the camera.

anne C showed up in her newly-finished Twist Cardigan

how cute is it in that color??? anne used auracania DK yarn, and because the gauge was a little less dense than she liked, she opted to knit a sweater one size larger but on a smaller needle to make that work. look how beautifully it fits

(there was a much prettier picture of anne, where she was smiling, but the sweater was blurry, and i know where our priorities lie)
we’re all completely jealous of it.

janet is knitting a honeybee stole

she’s the birthday woman and i think i got distracted by the cake because in every shot her head was cut off at the top a little (sorry janet).

and debbie is knitting oh! canada in judy’s artisan merino silk yarn

tonight melissa is having an open house at yarnia, where we will celebrate the appearance of my Bleeding hearts Stole in IK. please come if you live nearby.

i’m finally starting to feel like myself again . . . for a couple of days there i had the strange sensation that my mind and body are in two different locations, but i think now i’m all in one spot and “seeing” the world the way i’m used to.

it won’t last long though . . . we are going away again friday to visit my brother’s family in austin, texas (we’re gonna see the kids, we’re gonna see the kids!!).
and on that note, anyone who lives and might want to meet up to show me the local yarn shop or invite me to a knit night is welcome to get in touch!

29 thoughts on “ice, ice, baby

  1. ooh oooh oooh! love those tesserae socks. And the trout seems to be my totem recently, so they are sooooo perfect! Yay!

  2. What impressive work! Your students definitely know what they are doing. Yet another tribute to you, AH.

  3. I’m glad someone else feels weird after returning from traveling. We went to see my parents last week, and ever since we returned, I’ve felt like the wind got knocked out of me. I am just so out of sorts. I seem to finally be getting my groove back, though. Hopefully my knitting life will follow suit…

  4. The tesserae socks are so so lovely!! Pretty please post the pattern tonight, I can’t wait to knit them!

  5. Ugh. It’s crap weather here, too. I’ve been watching undergrad crossing the quad below my window, bent double into the wind. I have to go out there in two hours. Bleah.

    I love the pave sock! Add another to the queue… 🙂

  6. You’re going to Austin, TX? I love that place1 Be sure to visit Hill Country Weavers while you’re there. The UT Campus is beautiful too. You’ll see the stadium quite easily. Have a great time!

  7. I would love to be in one of your classes! Weee! You have cake too?! My kind of class! I was wondering about the snow shawl last night. My big question is: where are you going to block this??? It’s huge! It’s so pretty, though. Do you know how many yards you’re going to have in it? Hours? Stitches??? Oh, my gosh! At least a million!
    Can’t you just post the pattern for the Tesserae sock without the extra shots? You could add those later! I’m very eager to get your patterns, you know. Oh, and the weather you have is coming our way. Enough!!

  8. Austin! You have family in Austin?! Wonderful, but unfortunately I’m several hours away. My son goes to college in San Marcos at Texas State(between Austin and San Antonio). Have a great trip, and do visit Hill Country Weavers. I’ve only ventured to that one shop in Austin (dragging along my reluctant son). The night life and music scene is supposed to be wonderful by UT and along Sixth Street. Enjoy your visit. BTW, I’m working along on my Twinings Stole in Fearless Fibers merino laceweight “miracle” between other WIPS. I think it’s coming along very well.

  9. Just wanted to let you know that your blog is one that I HAVE TO READ every day!!! It is wonderful!
    Your designs are just beautiful – want to do them all – need more time!!! Please never stop keeping me company daily.

  10. Hi Anne,
    Thanks for sharing your pictures and progress – – the socks look great and so does the shawl! Wondering the Twist Cardigan, what color is that and where did she get it? I must make that sweater in exactly that color – – I love it! Thanks so much for sharing and inspiring us once again!

    Rosalia

  11. I fear the ice is headed my way! I also believe some of Chris’ fabulous yarn in your colorway is headed my way too : )

  12. Tesserae looks like the absolute perfect pattern for very lightly variegated yarn, of which I have a GREAT quantity in stash… 🙂

  13. The shawl is very impressive and gorgeous, but I really like the socks as well! I love seeing what your students are doing, too. Darn it all, I am just too far away to attend your classes!

    Boy, do I understand about that post-travel weirdness. It does take a few days to subside. (And have a safe trip to Austin!)

  14. Though the violets socks are not my usual type of color choice, I am so charmed by them that I will just have to change my preferred color palette! My feet are longing for them. Tesserae and pave socks are wonderful, too. So many socks to knit, so little time. Thanks for all the inspiration.

    It was fun to see one of your classes, too. Anne C’s cardigan is fabulous.

    Have a great (safe) trip to Austin – hopefully an ice-free winter escape!

  15. I’m going to Austin this weekend, too!! A friend is taking me to Hill Country Weavers on Saturday at noon; she has a follow-up to a weaving class at one, and we both “need” to look at yarn :D. If you can tear yourself away from the family, I’d dearly love to meet you, soak up some wisdom, shop for yarn…..
    I’m looking forward to seventies this weekend down there…it’s been way, way, too cold for way, way too long….

  16. You know that you’re heading to Austin during SXSW festival, right? That’s a huge event! (Wish I could go.) And you already got pointers on Hill Country Weavers, so you’re set.

    All those shawls and lace being worked on in the pictures make my fingers itch to knit. Unfortunately, I’m not currently working on a lace project and my sanity is best for this.

  17. Alas, Austin isn’t *quite* close enough for me to make it 😉 Have fun on your trip, though – I hope it doesn’t cause head/body separation again!

  18. Besides Hill Country there is a cute shop north of Austin called Bluebonnet Yarns and a new shop that I haven’t been to yet on the south side of Austin called The Knitting Nest. Enjoy Austin! It’s one of my favorite towns, and a great place to eat!

  19. Oh my….Anne, so much lovliness in this post! I really, really, really like the tesserae socks.

    Austin sounds like a great trip come this time of year…you will have a blast!

  20. It’s interesting how, sometimes, the very same thing that makes for a miserable day also makes for a beautiful picture! I love the shot of the swimming trout, too!

  21. I’ve been lurking and reading for a while, now. I live just outside Austin, in Round Rock. If you need a tour guide to the LYS, I’ve enjoyed both Hill Country Weavers and Bluebonnet. It is South by Southwest time, so you will have lots of other tourists out and about. Let me know if you want other pointrs and/or a tour guide.

  22. Okay, that Tesserae sock is way cool. And Anne C’s sweater is very cute!!!! And I’m glad you’re making a triangle Snow!!!! Thankyou!!! And, um, I wish I could share some of this 75 degree san diego sunshine with you….I really would love to trade ONE snow day for one SUN day with you Anne….. but just one….

  23. hmm…looking at that pic, i think my biggest concern regarding the snow shawl would be its wearability – maybe it’s the angle or the fact that yours really is bigger than you’re aiming for, but…well…it’s looking like it’s taking on afghan proportions! of course, maybe that’s the goal…

  24. So close but so far! I’ll be sending mental hellos from Houston!

    While you’re in Austin, if you have a chance to visit the Umlauf Sculpture Garden, it is a truly beautiful place.

  25. I just started the bleeding hearts stole yesterday. i have grand plans to finish it for my mom’s birthday in mid april but i am the world’s slowest knitter. but it is so gorgeous and i know my mom will love it.

  26. Hey, I’m in Austin! Are you coming for SXSW? (The whole country seems to coming here for the music festival this week. It’s also spring break.) We have had two new yarn stores open here in the last year, Gauge and The Knitting Nest. You should drop by. 🙂

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