#28 Lace Wrap

What a name, #28 Lace Wrap from Vogue Knitting. The lace wrap is coming along, I am almost finished knitting colorway #3 on the long rectangle. The piece is made up of two rectangles (1) with 3 repeats in each of 8 colors and (1) with 2 repeats in each of 8 colors. Then you block it and sew it together. It is an easy pattern. I know to check myself after rows 4 and 6 because that is where I forget an occasional yarn over. This is the perfect TV knitting, too bad there is nothing on TV!! I bought the Canadian series THE BORDER, hoping to find another Intelligence. NOT. The acting is luke warm at best, and there are some really stupid people in it. Weak character and mediocre acting. Unfortunately it was not available from Netflix so I had to buy it from Amazon Canada to find this out. OH Well!!!

Vogue Wrap

I am on the last colorway of the Heavyweight Socks That Rock Charlotte's Web shawl. I ran out of color 4, so I am sure I will have to delete at least 2 repeats in color 5. I anticipate a 202 row shawl instead of the 218 row shawl in the lighter weight yarns.

My next big project:
VOGUEknitting International Winter 2009/10 Page 71
8 complimentary colors of Merino Mia by Prism Yarns
Designer: Laura Bryant
Errata on the website - corrected chart
Original pattern colors:
(a) Terra Cotta
(b) Tumbleweed
(c) Thunderclap
(d) Nevada
(e) Senegal
(f) Woodlands
(g) Embers
(h) Smoke

Modifications:
I am replacing Embers and Terra Cotta with Alpine and Brass
I don't like the brightness of Embers and Terra Cotta. I want warmer muted colors for the whole wrap. I saw a finished wrap at Gail Knits and it was gorgeous. I think she switched some colors as well. I bought the yarn from Jimmy Beans Wool and The Loopy Ewe. I think I will cast on tonight, 97 stitches - wow. But that won't seem like such a long row after knitting these 400+ stitch rows on the Charlotte's Web. I am also itching to cast on some socks - I think I will do that after lunch.

Semi-Solids

My Wollmeise mystery colors have arrived. All semi-solids except one.

Turkis
Petersilie, Grashupher, Limone, Kuken, Clementine, Mohrchen, Hertzblut, Ruby Thursday
Feldmaushchen & Jeton

Back to Work

Heavy sigh, I still didn't hit the lottery and I did not win any money in Las Vegas. The only bright spot - I had mail waiting for me when I got back to work.
Yarnissima Kits
Wollmeise and Gummy Bears

Las Vegas Week

The week spent in Las Vegas was very productive. I finished the 2x2 ribbed scarf for Jo. I finished the Clapotis in Crazy Zauberball U Boot, I finished the Traveling Woman Shawl for the SF Ravelry meetup - with some modifications. I visited two yarns stores, Wooly Wonders and Gail Knits. So lets see what that looks like.

Lustra Yarn in Triomphe Teal [above]. I bought this yarn in three colorways, the other two are Burgundy and Turquoise. But the teal above is my favorite. This is a Peruvian and Tencel blend. It is unbelievably soft. Right now they are just collection additions. I will be keeping an eye out for projects.
Ty-Dy Socks Yarn in Panama [above]. There was a young lady at Gail Knits knitting a pair of socks in this yarn and I just had to buy a ball.
Whole bag of goodies from

Gail Knits, 8450 W Sahara Ave #112, Las Vegas NV 89117
www.gailknits.com

The striped yarn near the top of the bag is Merino Mia from Prism in the colorway Night Music. Oh my gosh, there were so many completed projects at Gail's in the Prism Custom Dyed Merino Mia that I cannot wait to get more colorways and knit some of them. There was a 5 color shawl, that is way more gorgeous than Charlotte's web. The pattern is featured in Vogue ( I will post more info on that when I locate it ). I bought the Night Music yarn for the Citron shawlette. On the very bottom of the bag are 4 skeins of New England Shetland in Navy. A basic 100% wool yarn. I want to make a mosaic slip stitch bag. I plan to use leftovers from my Starmore sweaters, with the Navy as the background.

Shibui Staccato [above] from Wooly Wonders 3421 W. Tropicana Ave, #H, Las Vegas, NC 89121
Ella Rae Lace Merino in a beautiful blue, also from Wooly Wonders.

Clapotis in Crazy Zauberball colorway U-Boot
2 balls on size US 6/4 mm Harmony Needles
I added three repeats in Sections 2 and 4 to make it the correct width, the gauge of Zauberball is not the same as the suggested yarn. I used all but a very small amount of the 2nd ball of yarn, maybe 3 yards. It was very close I was afraid I was going to run out. Love the yarn and the finished project. I immediately started wearing it, the wind was very cold in Vegas. Luckily I finished it the day after we got there.
Unblocked Traveling Woman Shawl by Liz Abinante in Sanguine Gryphon Eidos colorway Scylla on size US 6/4.0 mm Harmony Needles. I had to make a lot of modifications because I totally messed up the pattern. I did not knit chart A twice. I had cast off about 8 stitches when I realized this. I knit an increase row on the WS - purl side, then began chart A again. Followed by another chart B. I cannot wait to see what it looks like when it is blocked because I totally fudged this pattern. The yarn is WONDERFUL. I have two more balls, yay!!!

Simple, MINDLESS, 2x2 ribbed scarf in Lambs Pride Bulky on size US 10.50/6.5 mm Zephyr Needles. Used all of two hanks. One had a nasty knotted section which is all that is left of the yarn, less than 1 yard. The flying mohair fibers really bothered me. I had to wear a mask to keep the fibers out of my nose and throat. This is not a yarn I would buy for any of my own projects. It is very soft and has fantastic stitch definition, but I cannot tolerate the mohair.


Gail Knits was the most welcoming wonderful place. I was there for hours. I felt really guilty because my Mom was waiting in the car. But I could not tear myself away. The shop is packed with beads, buttons, books, yarns, patterns, comfy furniture, samples knit-up, and the friendliest group of knitters on earth. I had the best luck, TallGrrl who had e-mailed me the info on Gail Knits happened to be there knitting so I actually got to meet her. Gail was so helpful and she walked me through some of her designs and garments, that are featured in Vogue. It was great fun. They invited us to dinner with them, I so wanted to go, but I felt like I had punished Mom enough with the knitting mania for the day. I have planned a trip back for the Trendsetters trunk show in May 2011.

SF Ravelry Meetup

I have settled on a couple of projects for my trip. The SF Ravelry Meetup group is doing a KAL/CAL/LAL. The idea is to wear an item designed by a Bay Area designer, or use fiber dyed or handspun locally. At first I chose the Brandywine Shawl. But I don't want to knit that on a deadline, so I have decided instead to take along and knit the Traveling Woman Shawl by Liz Abinante. It just seemed fated - the Traveling Woman shawl on a road trip to Vegas. Another thing nudging me in that direction is the yarn the shawl is shown in on the pattern. I am either going to use the Sanguine Gryphon Eidos Scylla or the Schaefer Anne Bugs I just bought. I will knit swatches in pattern to see which I like most. I need to get this yarn wound tonight. I have lots to do before we leave.

I am knitting the K2 P2 Ribbed Scarf in Stitch N Bitch Nation for Jo. She bought the most beautiful LambsPride Bulky yarn in Blue. She never even cast on, and she says she has had it since the book came out I think. Many a year. So I told her to bring it in and I would be happy to knit it up for her. She and her husband are always spoiling me with Cadburys from England (he is an Englishman and goes home every couple of years) or unbelievable butter macademia nut chocolate chip cookies from Hawaii (just had some in Jan - Yum) or See Candies. Knitting a 2x2 rib scarf is a small favor. I was happy to see the yarn, I have never knit with LambsPride so this is a treat.

I knit a new scarf for Michael for Xmas, and I am whipping this one out for Jo. Jane says she is feeling a little left out. So I will have to knit her something too. I just gave them Ravelry daily fiber bags, they thought the handles were really cool. And hey, Jane hooks me up with Swiss chocolate whenever she and her Mom go home to Switzerland for a visit. Are you starting to see a pattern here??? Yes I will knit for Chocolate. I need to check Cafe Press and see if anyone has put that on a t-shirt yet, LOL 8-D

I am deeply saddened to be leaving my Indy behind. He has gotten to an age in his life where he suffers from extreme separation and abandonment anxiety. This is probably worsened by the fact that my Mom is home with him 6 days out of the week. So whenever I have to travel he gets very upset and clingy. I have not pulled out any suitcases yet because he knows the signs. I won't pack until we have dropped him off at my Counsin's Pet Resort. That is another thing, the kennel. Since he escaped from his last two sitters and tried to bring his little self home - we are taking him to the professionals. He will be in a completely different environment. He has stayed there twice, when he was younger. You know, it's probably just me projecting. I miss him so much when I am gone.

My Torch Went Out Early

Well I must confess that as far as the knitting Olympics went my torch went out early. I stopped knitting on the Glenesk Wed or Thursday and worked on my Zauberball Clapotis. I want to use the Clap during my vacation next week so I am trying to finish it. I never really got into the Olympics or the sweater, so it became a chore. Not fun. I knit for enjoyment. So I am going to pack up the sweater and take it on my vacation. I need to wind up the rest of the yarn so I have all of the colors with me. I still have about 40 rows left to knit on the body. Then I will be ready to knit the sleeves. I have a couple of button options, but I will wait until all of the knitting is done before making a decision. Luckily we are driving so I can take as much as I want to knit on. I may just take all of my WIPs and work on whatever takes my fancy. Nah, I better not. Too much of a good thing.