Posted: June 23rd, 2009 | Author: admin | Filed under: lace, projects: ishbel(s), scarves&shawls, srk on your toes bamboo, tanis fiber arts blue label, things i knit, yarn i use | Tags: bamboo, craft, handmade, ishbel, knit, knits in progress, knitting, lace, purple, shawl, srk on your toes, yarn | 1 Comment »
I’m back! My trip to Nova Scotia was, quite possibly, the best vacation I’ve ever had, but it’s still nice to be back home. (With my kitten, who is extraordinarily needy after my absence. It’s getting a little over the top.)
As I mentioned before, I finished my first Ishbel fairly early on in the trip, but now that I’m back here where my SLR lives, I can show you good-quality photos of it. This is before blocking, but you can sort of see the lace pattern detail here, and the photos are remarkably colour-true: the yarn really is that purple.
I worked this up in the small size on 8mm needles instead of the suggested 4mm, which got me to the correct stitch gauge, and the yarn is SRK On Your Toes Bamboo, a 75/25 bamboo/nylon blend. I’ve never blocked bamboo before, but I have a sneaking suspicion it’s going to grow a lot.
The skein claims to have 328 yards in it, and I’d seen some Ravelry entries claiming to have knit the small-stockinette/large-lace variation of this shawl, with close to that amount of yarn, but about halfway through I realized I wouldn’t have enough for that and stuck to the small size, which I’m glad for – I have maybe 10m of yarn left over.
I’ve also started a second Ishbel, this one for myself. I’m working it in delicious, dyed-in-Canada wool from Tanis Fiber Arts, and it’s going just as quickly as the first one did. It looks like garbage, as all lace still on the needles does, but I swear it’s going to be cute.
Song of the Entry: Farewell to Nova Scotia (Listen)
Posted: June 17th, 2009 | Author: admin | Filed under: projects: ishbel(s), stuff i didn't make | Tags: adult tomten jacket, bella's mittens, chevalier mittens, craft, crafty, flickr mosaics, handmade, ishbel, knit, knitting, links, linkspam, print o the wave stole, to-knit, wishlist | 2 Comments »
So I’m in Halifax right now, relaxing on my generous, benevolent host’s couch while he’s at work. Since my last entry I have, in fact, started and finished an entire Ishbel, which for the record is the single fastest shawl in the entire world. (Although being trapped with it on an train for 30 hours may have had something to do with how quickly it seemed to go by.) Anyway. It’s done, and I’ve actually started a second one (out of yarn from The Loop! I love The Loop!) but I don’t have my camera cable with me, so I can’t show you how pretty and finished it is until next week.
I can, however, talk about other things I want to be knitting in the future.
1. IMG_7448, Bella’s mittens. I’m not really much of a Twilight fan, but I love horseshoe cables. 2. Print ‘o the Wave – Body Lace, Print ‘O’ The Wave Stole. This is something I’ve already started, and I think I can finish it by Christmas. Hopefully. 3. Tomten Detail, Adult Tomten Jacket. This is what I want to do with all of that Eco Wool I bought a few weeks ago: lots of cozy, sheepy garter stitch. 4. Chevalier-mittens, Chevalier Mittens. I’m really just in the mood to knit some chunky, cabley mittens this winter, and this pair and the Bellas are both in the running.
Also on the wishlist, but not pictured because I have my own patterns in mind, I’d like to make myself a giant, hideous tea cozy (for my teapot, obviously) and gift-knit a pair of flip-top mittens for my dad for Christmas.
Oh, and because I know lots of you are the kinds of people who might think this is cool: Cylon-themed desktop icons. You’re welcome.
Song of the Entry: The Boy Least Likely To – Rock Upon A Porch With You (Listen)
