Life LackaDaisiCal

So this was our homework for the WWS (Wise Women Scarf)  - I refuse to call it "Foolish Virgins" LOL! We are supposed to do the skirt for our next meeting - the challenge!

This is me fooling around with my camera.  In addition to everything else that I'm attempting to knit, this is the start of a challenging intarsia project.......it all started back in October of 2008 - at a workshop with Brandon Mably . Carolyn at Main Street Yarns had collected all 23 of the shades required for.... this!  Quite a few of us in the Rowan Club bought the kits. We decided as an off-shoot of the club group  to get together to support each other to knit  - the Foolish Virgins Scarf. The pattern is in "kaffe KNITS AGAIN" - and it uses 23 shades of Rowan Scottish Tweed 4-Ply  - a long discontinued yarn.

I didn't cast off the facing stitches - just sewed them down live for a neat finish.

What will they think of next? http://www2.thebay.com/Dyson/video/video.html

It's always a miracle to me when you cut the front and back neck steeks and reveal the neckline opening. Then I picked up all of the stitches the were on waste yarn, and a stitch for every row - using Colour A - on the first knit row I decreased by 8%, adjusting to fit the 12 stitch pattern repeat. The body was knit on 3.5mm needles, so I picked up and knit the first 4 rows of the neckline with 3.5mm, then 3 rows with 3.25mm and the last 4 rows with 3mm needles - purled a row (the fold row) and gradually went up in needle size again when knitting the neckline facing. Here''s the inside - neckline facing folded down and pinned ready to be sewn in place. I don't think I showed how the shoulder "seam" worked out - this pattern has 2 centre rows and when they meet at the shoulder - wow - a perfect motif!  

Don't you find the things that stump you are usually much easier than you think? Finished my "Warm Lindisfarne" neckline shaping that is.  Doesn't it look odd LOL?  I had to tuck the magic loop part of my cable into the bottom of an armhole steek to keep it out of the way! You can see the front neckline steek and kangaroo pouch sort of at the 10 o'clock position on the needle - and the back neckline kangaroo pounch at the 4 o'clock position.  I will 3 needle bind of the shoulders tomorrow, cut the steek and post and update photo.

The Knitter magazine, Issue 29, leads to.... The Mason Dixon Knitting Notebook article, which included..... A photo of a fair isle dress by Misa Erder - a book jacket designer, who I googled.... which led me to her blog Craftivore  - where you see all her craftiness - knitting, quilting and other interesting aspects of her craft life... and with discreet poking around, I found this link to her "Owl and the Pussycat Dress"  which led me to find out that... she's Craftivore on Ravelry. This is my way of procrastinating - I still haven't started the neckline of my Warm Lindisfarne.......ok, it's now or never - update soon!

Once I've swatch and I'm happy with my shades, I cast on and the knitting flows effortlessly. All my shades are sorted in a drawer organizer box  - one of those fabric things with divided sections for socks or ties. I knit right on.....setting up armhole steeks, knitting away.....until the neckline.  Then I seem to stall for a while - it's been a week - time to get on with it!

Snow, snow, snow - I really like snow, but I'm ready for Spring. I just love those red branches on what looks otherwise like a black and white photo almost. More snow than I thought...........on a day like this you just have to.... Bake something! Like these rich scones - with raisins. (Because we do not buy store-bought cakes or pastries any more.) I had to make scones, because the cake I made on the weekend - Walnut cake with fudge icing in the middle..... is all gone! (Sorry - this photo was taken through the glass top of our cake stand.)

I'm not usually a multi-project type of knitter - but lately, I must say, variety has proved to be very productive. My Warm Lindisfarne to satisfy my Fair Isle stranded type of craving, my Kidsilk Haze Striped scarf when I want something luscious and portable, and my Mahonia just because it was one of those sweaters that called to me - something modern in styling, but traditional in the yarn used - a great combo. I love Rowan's Purelife British Sheep Breeds Chunky  - this is the Shetland Moorit shade ! Funny that darker stripe just above the ribbing. It does't show in normal light.........

A little while back it looked like Bloglines was going to disappear - but Merchant Circle saved Bloglines and I'm happy they did. It was easy to "migrate" my blog list over to the new Bloglines - and I love the new look.  My favourite view is the "Mosaic" view where you can go to quickly look back at posts. It's great to get a snapshot of what you've been posting on your blog, or what you've been reading on a blog that you like to follow!