a big surprise

Posted on Posted in designing, lace/shawls, projects

i’m so happy my taxes got done in february; today i can concentrate on knitting and not worry about them.
several of you wrote me to ask about this yarn with which i am beginning my next sock. it is a custom color, grey poupon (this photo is closer to true),

that the amazing adam, AKA yarn nerd, dyed up for me last summer in exchange for some tree scum handspun i sent his way.

i have been eyeing the grey poupon all this time, intending to knit it up into sock using a caterpillar stitch from my 365 stitches calendar (see may 15; in fact, i’m gonna shoot for having the pattern ready to release that day, now that i see the date is drawing near).

i also started the second sock de la mer (sock of the sea)

and am happily winding my way down the sea-weedy leg toward the heel.

it got cold here again and this morning it was just 29 degrees. and yet, amazing things are happening out in the garden. see this??

something’s happening there. something good is going to erupt from that spot soon. it’s either a hosta (maybe my little lime one!) or a toad lily, not sure. far be it from me to mark out where everything lives. and then there are the asiatic lilies.

they are coming up in droves all of a sudden. i think these cycles of very warm days alternating with colder ones, and sun alternating with rain are really making things move along. the on saturday there was one solomon seal just breaking the ground, and today

an entire brigade of them.
the epimedium is just barely raising its head, but shows promise of a great spreading out

but most heartening was what i found today—a much-awaited sight

i was a little worried about the asparagus bed. i think of it as a spring vegetable, and the markets have been filling with it for the last couple of weeks. but our own asparagus showed no signs of life, and since we started with purchased crowns last year, i had no idea when to expect them to show up. hopefully there are lots more to come.

it promises to be a good gardening year

so far everything that’s comes up is thick and lush. let’s hope it’s the same for the veggies.

ok, now for the big surprise. it’s something i know you’ve been awaiting and we’ve all been very patient. the other night (late) i got the important email i’d been wishing for. amanda had grafted her whispering pines triangle edging just moments before.
after i squealed out loud, i badgered asked her when we could block it—how about now??

we made a date for last evening and put it up to soak while we had tea and knit for a bit.
then we got to work
and man, was it so fun! i had never done a blocking ménage à trois before, but i highly recommend it. the only drawback was that it was over so fast.

a shot of amanda’s favorite section—the snow drifts just above the edging. and a bit of the pine forest which is my favorite.
here is the edging

and what about that color?? yowza. michelle outdid herself with that one . . . we just love it.

don’t laugh or scoff at me, but i really love how it sorta looks like a bandanna.
i’ve always wanted to do a manLace triangle that looked like a bandanna and this one is pretty close to that idea (but i have an even better one in my head).

here are a few morning-after shots

i could go on and on, but i think you get the idea.

all in all, a good night’s work

37 thoughts on “a big surprise

  1. That is really stunning. I love the triangle shawl. For me, I think it would be more practical to use. The square one, if you hade the fortitude to get it done, might be great in a heavier weight as a throw or a bed spread. Love that color. Mel

  2. I already love both socks and the shawl is a STUNNER! I think the edging is my favorite part…

    I don’t think i have ever seen asparagus in situ. Great pictures of the garden! I went out and checked, my hostas are FINALLY coming up and I have a few mystery-sprouts that I am watching like an expectant Mom. Yay Spring! 🙂

  3. By Jove! I think you’ve done it! I think you finally came up with the perfect pattern for some laceweight yarn I have! On the other hand, you might come up with something better. Hmmm, what to do, what to do?

  4. Oooh!

    Aaaah!

    Garden looks good.

    Love the morning after photos – nice to see the drape and lightness of the finished blocked shawl.

  5. The joys of spring…your garden is looking beautiful, I can’t wait until some of my plants start coming up. The shawl is just gorgeous, the color is perfection! 🙂

  6. Ooh! Ooh! It’s gorgeous! I really do love that edging, big time. (I’m entertained by the gratuitous wheel shots in there, too 🙂 ). The garden’s looking lovely, cold weather notwithstanding, and that asparagus looks good enough to eat. I’m off to check on my irises, now…

  7. I like the shawl very much. I have a couple of cones of Habu silk lace weight (red) waiting for the right pattern and I think this may be it. I hope I have a enough.

  8. Lovely stuff, as usual. I’ll be looking forward to your garden shots again. This year I have one lone tomato that is going crazy and has buds and buds and more buds, but it’s close to the end of flower season for us.

  9. I almost fell off my desk chair when I saw the shawl. Coworkers would of wondered why I passed out. That is just stunning. I can’t wait for that pattern! Socks are nice too. Guess I’ll be adding those to my pile.

  10. The shawl is just awesome! Love the color too!!

    Your garden is coming along great. I was so inspired by your garden last year, and how you literally made dinner from what you picked. We are going to try a small garden this year too!

  11. The shawl is fabulous! Wow. I’m lace inspired. And I’m excited about the garden, too. I keep poking around ours to see what’s new, and it’s lots of fun.

  12. Ahhhhhhh, this is even better than the square one. Stop!!!! I don’t have enough hours in the day to get all these projects done.

    OK so I have to do them. Once again a must have. You’re amazing! And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

    I love it!

  13. Wasn’t it Henry V who said “Once more, into the queue, my friends…” I know he was referring to this lovely, lovely shawl and those socks!!! 🙂 Fabulosity!!

  14. i love how the color lets design really jump out. the snow colorway is awesome, but i almost like this version better because the pattern shows up. although one could always wear the snow over a dark top too 🙂

  15. Did you notice how the colors of your eager little shoots match the stunning shawl? A nourishing post.

  16. Ooooooh! When will that pattern be available? My clicking finger is poised and ready to purchase ; )

  17. Anne, you amaze me. Your socks have these wonderful flowing themes that keep sucking me into them, and the shawls, well your shawls are awesome and unmatched. I’m addicted to your patterns, and Kim’s yarn.

    The triangle version of the shawl is gorgeous, and the color really pops! Wonderful, again.

  18. Beautiful!! Sigh – guess I shoulda waited to order more bee copies, eh? OK – no matter. I will add that to my next large order.

    There is nothing better than asparagus out of the garden in the spring. Nuttin.

  19. Not sure what made me salivate more, the nascent aspargus or the gorgeous Whispering Pines. I have yet to knit a shawl because I’m not exactly the shawl type and I think I’d find it very difficult to give away a piece of knitting like that.

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