Lyra, Row 72 (Nieblings Are Addictive)

Yeah, I know. It's a bunch of leaves, but they are pretty leaves! This is up to row 72 of Lyra and I'm really enjoying this pattern. I've received quite a few really helpful e-mails from people who have already made Lyra as well as from people who will be making her too! I stuck this on a longer needle so I could get a picture but as I go on it may not be so easy to get a shot. Interestingly I heard from the lady who sold me the pattern and she felt kind of bad about what I paid for it. Let me just say for the record I am GRATEFUL to have this pattern and I feel fortunate to be able to knit this lace. I have no problem with what I pay for my pastimes. I'm afraid I have neglected other lace projects in favor of this one. I just can't stop knitting it for some reason. I love how each row is different from the next, I love how I can see the pattern emerge and I really like that I get a break with a plain knit row in between pattern rows because I can check my knitting during that row and correct my mistakes before they get out of hand! I am still knitting the edging for Boundary Waters and have 2 sides left to go. I will be gone to Tahoe for 5 days with my friend, Louise so Lyra and Boundary Waters will go with me. WRS will not be going with me. I feel a little guilty I'm not working on it right now but I just don't feel like knitting that one in this heat. Maybe a little later. Good Evening!

Closet Femme (Who would want a doily?)

I finished my doily last night and let me just say that doing crochet for the first time to cast off was NOT fun. I will not be taking up that particular craft in the near future. You can see the doily here blocked last night. I washed it in Soak, then pinned it out as you can see. I did not use starch or sizing and when I went to un-pin the doily it was not really holding shape well so I steam-blocked it. The doily now looks as if it is holding up pretty well but it still does not have that crisp look which I would like. I have this fear that putting in starch will degrade the threads or attract bugs. I brought it this morning for my good friend, Louise to look at. She does a lot of hand work and her sister used to make extravagant and beautiful doily's. Only a few of those survived and she attributes it to the use of starch. So I asked her what else I could do. Maybe you all know about this technique but I'd never heard of it. Most likely because I've never made a doily before. She said I could "wax" it. You take an ironing board, cover it with cloth to protect it, and either sandwich the doily between wax paper or else use wax paper only on the back of the doily, cover that with additional press cloth and then use the heat of the iron to lightly touch the doily as to melt the wax. You are not to press hard you understand. You are not trying to iron the work, just melt the wax. She says women used to also wax their veils on those small hats to keep the veils stiff and off their faces. I was going to give that a try with this doily but when I got to work this morning, one of the women I work with, someone I would never have guessed was a "closet femme", admired it and so off it went with her. I will be making a second one with a slightly different color center for Louise in the same pattern. Maybe then I can try the "wax" trick. Still working on Boundary Water edge but at least something is finished. It's so small, I can't count it to start a new project. Once Boundary Waters is done I will start "Heere Be Dragone" in black. Yes, I said black since it's for my niece Jessie and she is a young teen and so is "goth lite"rather than a true heavy metal goth. Got to go knit now. Good evening and Good knitting!

Edging Alone Is Not Enough (Relief From Tedium)

I have rounded one corner of the Boundary Waters Shawl, I have picked up three sides of the Sampler Stole and will begin that edging this weekend as well. I'm 8 rows away from finishing that doily even though I ran out of that color of tatting thread (I'm using white now) and I have no idea how to crochet so finishing that will be such fun and I break out into hives when I even think about picking up the Wedding Ring Shawl. How do you relive tedium? So many different ways. As long as it's fun because believe me, edging is not fun. Legends Shawl is on hold until I finish knitting edging but that does not stop me from blocking my sister-in-law's sisters first lace shawl. Millie bought beautiful yarn from "Toots LeBlanc & Co. at Stitches West. Its a Jacob/Alpaca/Mohair Fingering Weight yarn in a lovely dark grey and she knit it into this lovely shawl. The pattern is Field of Flowers by Evelyn Clark and I think she could have gone up several needle sizes because it turned out to be a really warm and sturdy shawl that took some muscle to block wet. Still, she said this was what she was after and who am I to second guess someone when what they knit comes out the way they want? And no, I did not use my shawl frame. I didn't want to risk pulling out any of the nails with this relatively "heavy in weight "shawl. It was worth all the effort though because it's really beautiful and she wants it to keep her shoulders warm this winter which it will do magnificently. Bravo to Millie on her first bit of lace!

And now to confess my sins. I bought a 20 year old magazine on E-Bay just to get this one pattern. It's called "Lyra" and quite a few people have knit this in a variety of yarns/threads/needle sizes. It's beautiful in all it's incarnations. This would be my first Niebling pattern and thank the Lord I got a magazine that is in English . Yes, I paid a lot for it. No I don't regret it. I'm way too old to wait for someone to publish the complete works of Herbert Niebling. Maybe I'm paranoid, but after I hit 50, I realized I don't have forever to indulge my passions and pursuits. My eyes, my hands, my brain, something is going to give out and I will be pissed that I never got to knit this bit of lace. The lovely woman I bought the magazine from even threw in a freebie. Another pattern for a Niebling tablecloth that I don't have. I am using a Cashmere/Silk yarn from ColourMartUK that will fluff a little and become a little bit more shiny once it is washed so the lace won't be as stringy as it looks right now. I'm using US 2 needles and this such an enjoyable pattern to knit that it actually makes me want to cry. It's heavenly to knit. I'm up to row 40 of a 170 row pattern and thank you Laritza, you were right. It's not nearly so difficult as knitting a Sharon Miller Pattern because every other row is a plain knit row. Apparantly, according to this magazine, the original was knit using ANCHOR-Coats Mercer Crochet Cotton no. 100 using 1.5 mm needles and was 60 x 60 cm or 23.5 x 23.5 inches. Mine, of course, will be larger. In addition to this, I decided that spinning is not the same as knitting and that I can spin with impunity without breaking my resolve not to start another knitting project. Yeah, right. Anyway, I have started spinning the lovely dark roving I bought at Lambtown in Dixon. I believe it is from a Shetland ewe and it almost spins itself it's so easy. It does not want to be a thin yarn but it will be a lace weight for a more substantial shawl. I actually have something in mind for it but I might re-consider once this is spun, plied and washed. This is a very clean batch with very little vegetable matter in it and what there is just falls away while I'm spinning. Really a pleasure. I will now do my penance and go knit more edging with the memory of knitting Lyra to sustain me :-) To all of you out there, have fun. that's what makes it worth while.

Edging, Edging, Edging (And A Little Something Else)

So, as the Borg would say, I have done "One of Four" sides of the Boundary Waters Shawl. Did I mention that doing edging is boring. So I took a break and did some of the Legends of the Shetland Seas stole. I was not going to post progress on the edging as I imagined it might be as boring to see it as it is to knit it , but missalicefaye says she enjoys the posts none the less so I go ahead with short posts. Enjoy!

Dear 2trees

Since I accidentally erased your e-mail address I will post this information here in hopes you will check in or check fleegles blog. The two Japanese books I purchased at Lacis. The ISBN number for, Knitted Lace Designs Of The "Modern" Mode by Kazuko Ichida is (ISBN 978-1-891656-81-1). The second book is not the newly published one on the Lacis site but the original one I bought many years ago and does NOT have the translation in English of the stitch chart. My copy # is (ISBN4-529-02531-4). However, I suggest you look it up at the Lacis site to see if they have the ISBN number listed there for the second book. As for the Italian Magazine, it has NO ISBN# on it at all and you may only be able to get it at Lacis. Hope that Helps!

Slave to Edging (Border for Sampler Stole Done)

Three blog posts in a row. Why you ask?

I'm going to be knitting edging for awhile. Edging for Boundary Waters, Edging for Sampler Stole and if I'm not careful, I will end up finishing Legends of the Shetland Seas just as I finish the edging for these two and then I will have to do that as well. Finishing off work is obviously one of those things that is the hardest for me to do. Still, I will not start anything new until the edges are done so it gives me incentive. I have several projects I want/need to start so enjoy these posts because it will be awhile before you will hear from me as I slave away on the edgings. Hence three blog posts in a row. I didn't want to leave you without giving you something to tide you over :-) Much Later!

Lambtown Part One (What I Bought In Dixon)

OK, OK. I know I was not going to buy more yarn but I didn't have any "Angel"of my own and Yarn Place was right there and it was on sale and the red was really pretty and the Orange was the color of Orange Sherbet and yes I do expect you to be supportive and if not supportive at least not to condemn me for such paltry purchases of essentially what would be considered my hobby because you are all such lovely people. Only kidding guys. That was just a taste of my James Joyce Stream of Consciousness justifications for purchases I make. I bet you do something similar:-)

We went to Lambtown in Dixon California. A small but very nice fiber fair where they had prepared fibers, fleeces you could buy and prep yourself and various supplies for spinners and other fiber artists. There were a few other non-fiber related vendors but they were kept to a minimum. My sister and I had never been to a fair just for fibers. We usually get to Stitches and the Knitting & Crochet Guilds yearly fairs but that's it. And let me say, there is not enough fiber at those events so off we went to Dixon to this nice, if smaller fair. We knew it would be hot and I forgot my camera so the few pictures that actually came out you see here and are not very clear. Along with the yarn, I purchased what my sister refers to as "Proto-Yarn" ie, "Not Yet Yarn". We bought fiber. It was not cheap fiber but it is really soft and will essentially spin itself. I bought the dark alpaca from Spin Web and it's already pre-drafted and so fluffy I know it will be a pleasure to make yarn with it. The 6 ounces of white Baby Alpaca is a first sheering and may be the softest fiber the alpaca will produce. It's baby fine and will make spectacular lace weight yarn. The niddy noddy is a smaller one to make smaller skeins. It was not cheap at Carolina Homespun but the man who makes them is getting older and "slowing down" so is not making many now. The orange fiber is merino and silk. Its Summer and had a yen for bright colors that I don't have already in the fiber stash. They did not have a large number of sheep/llama etc as they could not have that many animals at this location, but they did have classes in spinning, weaving, lace knitting etc.They showed sheep shearing, had judging for fleece and a raffle for a donated Sonata Wheel. I had a great time in Dixon, avoided heat stroke and will plan to go again next year.

Lambtown Part Two (What My Sister Got In Dixon)

At the top, you see "Triple Play Roving" from Crosspatch Creations that my sister got at Carolina Homespun. It's a mix of wool, Bobyx Silk and Silk Noils and reminds me of the midway at a boardwalkfor some reason. Below see fiber my sister got at Royale Hare. It's Superwash Merino because she wants to spin yarn for socks. She went for bright colors because she usually knits socks for me and I'm all about the loud colors on my feet! The two spindles with decorative inserts were made by Ken Ledbetter Turnings. One has a Jasper insert with Maple and Purple Heart Woods. The other has a Dichroic Glass insert with Wenge, Maple and Purple Heart woods. The other two spindles are from SpindleWood Co. The one on the left is made from Bubinga/Maple/Leopard wood. The other is made from Spalted Birch and Maple. When my sister becomes addicted, she does not fool around. The video is "Spindles Around The World" by Barbara Clorite-Ventura and is from Copper Moose. It shows many different types of spindles and how to use them as well as basic info for the beginner spinner as well. It's terrific and well worth viewing if you are into spinning with a spindle. The one pound pile of Dk brown and chocolate Llama & Merino is from Spin Web in El Dorado Hills, CA. and is soft soft and yummy and my sister and I sounded sounded like Meg Ryan in, "When Harry Met Sally" (you know, the deli scene). This has to hold us until Stitches next year so no guilt for having bought what we did. The Knitting and Crochet fair next month does not usually carry much in the way of fiber so that does not count. Though small, this was a fun fiber fair and it was so hot that it was better that it was smaller because we would have passed-out from the heat if we had to stay longer. Enjoy!

I Feel A New Addiction Coming On (How the heck do you spell Doily?)

I guess it was inevitable that I would knit a doily (did I spell that right?) but missalicefaye sending me that cone of delicious Habu that has a precious 155 yards on it, pushed me over the edge. She suggested perhaps a doily? Maybe from one of my new "languages not English" books? Lets face it kids, I'm old (at least I feel old) and have not really been knitting lace all that long. Cables were my thing for years and years. That and spinning in the 1980's when it was considered aberrant behaviour. It's only recently I dove head-first into the wonderland of lace. Before all this, my biggest lace project was from Gladys Amedro's beautiful book and that shawl has been gone for years to the aunt of a friend (I plan to make that shawl again and keep it this time). Still, in my knitting library I have always collected lots of books and magazines on Lace. Much of it I have never actually knit from except for the odd "shawl from a doily pattern" type of thing. I like to collect things I'm interested in and then I appear to reach a "tipping point" where I topple into a new activity or look at an old one in a different light. I think I've reached that point with the doilies.

See above a lovely little Italian lace knitting magazine that has no English translation or legend in it. I bought it at Lacis, of course and their knitting group is working from it. I discovered which pattern the group is working on from Sandy's blog. She had a great description of her day at the shop and great pictures! Anyway. I am up to row 32 of a 83 row doily and the nice part is that this pattern is not very difficult so I've been able to figure out the most common stitches. Every even row is a plain knit row so you get a rest from the pattern. Thank you Laritza for telling me about the plain knit row so I could loosen up the old sphincter and take a chance. The nice thing about the plain row is that you can move your row markers over when needed in that row. Now I know I have broken the rule I made about not starting something until I finish something, but come on. It's a doily. I don't think they actually count when they are so small, do you? Of course, I have no idea what I'm going to do with the thing once its done but if I was really practical I would not be knitting lace :-)

I'm using a cotton thread that I have used before but for the purpose of tatting. Flora HH # 50 in a pale variegated green. I am using US 0000 needles just for laughs. It's a nice break from the other projects. WRS is torture but pretty and very very slow, I'm almost done with one side of the edging for Boundary Waters so will post that some time next week I hope. I have a quarter of the border for Sampler Stole to go and then I will post before picking up the side edges for the edging. I put a hold on the Legends of the Shetland Seas until something is finished. Spider Queen and the Tea Shawl and my albatross the Peacock Feathers Shawl will all wait their turn.

Have a great weekend!