I now have my voice back and have returned to my spinning and knitting so Thank You to everyone who expressed concern over my condition. As the year comes to a close I may have some difficulty finding time to post as the Holidays will take up a lot of my time but I hope a few pictures of what I'm up to now will help. As you can see from the top shot, I got my copy of "Knitted Lace of Estonia" by Nancy Bush. If you want a look at the inside, here is the link for the preview of the book. It's a very nice book with assorted scarfs and a few shawls as well as good information about the techniques and traditions of this type of lace knitting. The patterns are well within reach of an intermediate lace knitter or an adventurous beginner knitter. Most of the projects use US 2-5 needles though you could go bigger if you wanted and it gave me an opportunity to look at some of the yarns I have that had no particular project in mind when I got them. The first shot is of the Trinnu Scarf that I'm knitting with US 3 needles. The yarn is from "Just Our Yarn" and is 100% Cashmere, 500 yards in "Myne". Though this yarn is very colorful, I think it looks pretty nice and it knits up quickly too. It gave me a chance to practice the 7 yarn over "Nupps" that this scarf requires. Mine are not very "pluffy" but they still look pretty nice. Next up, a few skeins of 100% silk lace weight from "A Verb For Keeping Warm" in colorway "Chocolate Cherries." I could not help myself though I have a very large lace weight stash. I have no idea what I will do with it, but that hardly matters at this point now does it. It would appear I have no will power when it comes to lace weight from "Verb" As the next shot is of the border of another shawl from "Knitted Lace of Estonia". It's the Crown Prince Square Shawl which I'm knitting on US 3 (it asks for US 4) using "Holding" from " A Verb For Keeping Warm" 100% Baby Alpaca Lace Weight yarn in colorway "Twilight". Shots of the yarn and skeins follow. It has good body when knit, a lovely subtle color and the alpaca has a nice halo as well. This shawl is on the cover of the book knit in white, but you all know that I was not going there! Next I have a shot of a type of tatting shuttle. I had never tried this type before and got it on E-Bay. It's made of giraffe bone and malachite. It's a little awkward for me to use but I just wanted to try one out in this style. Below that I have some pre-washed Moorit Shetland Fleece that I got on Etsy from skippysmom. She was really accommodating even after the first 2 pounds of fleece she washed for me were found by her chickens and used for nesting material! I don't mind competing with people for my fiber but I refuse to wrestle chickens! She washed me up 2 more pounds and the locks are long and lovely. I will be spending a lot of the winter spinning and I'm still loving my mini combs for fiber prep :-) Lastly, I have been spinning and plying the Rambouillet from Sue Givens at Wind River Woolen and I only have a small handful left. She has a small farm in Wyoming where she raises not only the Rambouillet but Churro as well. This fiber was such a joy to spin that I have bought a white fleece as well which I will be washing up in spite of the cold of Winter when I have a vacation day. Unlike some of my other spinning, I washed this yarn so that the crimpy fibers could show off. I love how this yarn came out and I really have to think what to do with it. It has great body and might look really good with the textured stitches of a Niebling
PROJECT UPDATE- I have to say that I have finally frogged the Shetland Tea Shawl. I started it in 2005 and never finished it. I have given away the yarn since I know I will never knit with it again. I just did not "feel the love" for it and I just couldn't stand having it lay around any longer. That leaves only the Wedding Ring Shawl as a hibernating project. I just can't admit defeat on that on yet. I am on row 121 of Goldregen (it goes to 227) and have bought a new pattern by Sharon Winsauer called "Dragon of Happiness" . My niece has decided she likes this dragon better than the triangular shawl that Sharon designed.I will be casting on with black Cashmere from ColourMartUK since my niece is kid of a "goth light" girl. That's all the news that's fit to print for now. I hope all of you enjoy the end of the last few months of they year and STAY HEALTHY!
24 comments:
Glad to know you are well - being sick does not bode well w. wanting to knit and spin does it? As always, love your showing of goods - you always manage to convince me I do need something (I will have to order one of the new lace yarns from A Verb since I can't wait for Bazaar Bizarre or their birthday bash). Terry
You are a busy girl! Love the shuttle, I wonder if it is meant for bead tatting? Crown Prince is the one shawl I will knit from the book for sure. I am not too much into scarves and the other shawl is a bit too small. But who said I can't alter the pattern? I feel like I have not done a thing all year, immersed in Princess. I have three more pattern repeats on the center and then the dreaded edge again! Congratulations on frogging the Shetland Tea shawl, getting them out of the way finished or otherwise feels good.
I really like the Dragon of Happiness pattern MUCH better than the triangular one.
Glad you're on the better side... and you've certainly been busy I love the colours in the Trinnu shawl you're doing but I do like the pattern from the Estonian Lace book it's on my Christmas list I've a lot of special birthdys coming up and would like to knit them handspun handknit shawl and think this book will be ideal...
The Rambouillet looks lovely and I've yet to try it but I'll fo and have a look at her site in a minute... because of you I've already suggested DH goes look at a Verb for ideas for Xmas ;o)
Nope still can't feel the love for the dragon shawls although I think this one is better than the 1st...
All the best to you for the end of the year... just in case you get 'tied up' with the holidays...
Your scarf is gorgeous! But I do so love red lace. And the yarn I dyed for the Dragon shawl is about the same color as your scarf yarn.
Your Crown Price shawl is beautiful! I doubt I will knit it, so I can sit back and enjoy yours instead :)
First time I've ever seen Giraffe bone anything. Makes you wonder what else is out there from giraffes. Perhaps we are on the cusp of a new fad of giraffe yarn...
How cool, a Giraffe bone tatting shuttle! I have a Buffalo Bone tatting shuttle. I wonder if it's almost better to just know it as a "bone" shuttle than where it's from! LOL!
Your tatting shuttle is lovely. I love tatting shuttles, they are like little works of art!
It is always lovely to hear from you. Your exquisite projects are quite inspiring!
beautiful everything, of course! and fabulous work on those nepps! :)
I look forward to watching your Dragon progress. That is a great pattern!
your blog is always such a delight to visit. everything is such a treat to the eyes!
i'm happy to hear you have your voice back!
it's good to hear you rid yourself of an old project that was just taking up space. it's quite freeing don't you think?
Wow, everything is just lovely. I think I hear my combs calling to me now.....
After looking at that preview, I must have that book. I want to cast on that Lily of the Valley shawl now. I like nupps.
Lovely pictures as always. Hope you continue to feel better over the holidays.
Dear Terry,
I really enjoy knitting with the lace weight yarns from "Verb".It almost takes the sting out of having been sick. Almost :-)
Dear Laritiza,
The Prince shawl is not difficult to knit so it may be a nice easy going project once you are done with the marathon that is the Princes :-) There are not very many shawls but all those scarf patterns can indeed be made into shawls so all is not lost. The tatting shutting is very odd indeed though I imagine using it with beads would be a big advantage. I've been knitting and spinning all year and also feel like I have not actually completed very much. Maybe 2009 will be more obviously productive!
Dear Janice,
I like this one too. The other Dragone shawl is still nice but I may never get to it at this rate.
Dear littleberry,
I agree that handspun would be great with lots of these shawls/scarfs. I can't wait to see what you do once you get the book.
Dear fleegle,
I love Red anything too so I am happy I finally found a project for this yarn. Since I frequently sit back and watch you knit you are more than welcome to look on at my efforts :-) This is actually the first time I've ever heard of anyone using giraffe bones for anything and I feel kind of weird having it as a shuttle. I'm not sure I like this style of shuttle better than the standard shuttle shape so this may be a one time only purchase!
Dear TattingChic,
I love shuttles too and I wish I was a more talented tatter than I am. The giraffe bone is sort of unusual but it's very sturdy and heavy for it's size. I think Laritza is right. I might use it with beads.
Dear Yarnlot,
Thank you! It's nice to hear I inspire more than the desire to dive for the nasal spray :-)
Dear missalicefaye,
Those nupps really are not bad as long as I do them loosely enough but I confess I could not face knitting some of the other shawls in the book that have billions of nupps to them. Give me a good old Niebling with narry a nupp in sight!
Dear Badcatdesigns,
I like this pattern a lot but all those extensive charts are a little intimidating! I need to buy more rolls of Highlighter tape :-)
Dear Opal,
I'm glad I'm better but there are lots of people at my sisters workplace that appear to have what I had. Thank goodness she never got it! I appreciate the support you and Laritiza are giving me about ripping out the Tea Shawl. It was really never going to be finished so now I can move on :-)
Dear Lisa,
Since Wool Combs have teeth, I guess they would be able to talk :-) I know mine are always telling me to go make more roving with some of the fleece I have packed in zip lock bags. It's amazing how great it looks once it's all done and it spins beautifully. Have fun!
Dear Denise,
If you like nupps you are going to love this book! I think this book made it onto a lot of wish lists this year :-)
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