Swatching, Still

I am not going to win any speed records with this mystery shawl. Not that I was interested in that anyway---and it is sure a good thing!

My Knit Picks Shadow, in Jewel Heather, arrived in good time. I got one skein of it rolled into a ball and was ready to start. Well, after I made a side trip to Joann's and got some smaller size circulars with longer cords. The smaller sized ones that I had were only 16 inches long and I knew that wasn't going to work.

I really hoped my size 4 needles were going to work, as they are the Knit Picks Options and I love them. They are so nice and sharp! I started a swatch with them, and knit several rows---till I made a mistake that I found I could not fix. I had knit enough that I already realized that size 4 wasn't going to work. Too big a needle for the way I knit.

I started over--another day---with the size 3 circular. The difference was almost immediately apparent and I knew this was the right size needle. I also knew, while knitting the first row, that I needed Knit Picks needles, and I think I had ordered them before I had knit 3 rows. I have sort of gotten used to knitting the swatch with the blunter needles, but it is a chore and makes those decreases much more tricky. I did keep working on the swatch, for the experience. I got to "that" row, I don't remember which number---it is the one with the s1k2togpsso. I got to the end of the row, knit the purl row, and found I was two stitches short. I put it away for a day, then tinked back. I do not yet have enough experience to successfully tink back a row of lace with so many decreases in it--especially with this fine a yarn. Especially with dull, blunt needles. I frogged the swatch, and will try it again after the new needles arrive. I should go ahead and use life lines in the swatch, if I ever want to complete it. I am not sure I really care about completing it now? I can successfully knit the required stitches and have found the right needle size, and those were the main reasons for doing a swatch anyway.

I think any further knitting on this project will have to wait till after the wedding.

Secret of the Stole 2

I really needed something else to do, right? Jo mentioned that she had signed up to do this KAL, and it sounded like fun. So, I signed up too! The first part of the directions are up and I am waiting for yarn to arrive.

I had considered using some alpaca cloud that I have, but I saw a scarf that Penny from knitting group is working on, made from alpaca cloud, and it is knitting up fuzzier than the yarn looked like it would knit. So, I will be using Knit Picks Shadow, if it arrives--haha.

I still need to put photos up, I will get to it eventually!

Our knitting group went on what Anne calls a "yarn crawl" on Wednesday. We went to Orlando, to check out a yarn shop, a fabric shop, Joann's and Michaels. We had a good time! We had lunch at a place called Sweet Tomato and I highly recommend it! They have a great selection of fresh foods--they specialize in salads, soups, and pasta. They have a great selection of low fat foods too, so it is a great place to eat healthy.

Well, there will be more later, and I promise I will get photos off the camera and onto the computer so they can be put on the blog!

WIP's

I guess I am getting the new year off to a good start. I ended up the old year by actually finishing both Christmas stockings and getting them in the mail in time for Christine and Michelle to actually use them! I did take photos, they are still on the camera instead of on the computer. That will be remedied soon and I will post pix.

I started a mindless knitting project last year. It is a baby blanket, in pink acrylic, to work on at knitting group. I am doing it in basketweave, and that takes more than enough attention as it is--lol.

I just wound up into a ball a skein of alpaca cloud from Knit Picks. It is going to be a lace scarf when it grows up. It should be really pretty?

I will take pix of everything that hasn't already been photographed and will get them up soon!

Do you think the earth will stop spinning if I start knitting the scarf? (haha)