Lead or Follow Scarf Finished

I have finished my blue lace scarf. The poor, oft-neglected, never top-of-the-list scarf.

With a recipient in mind and a deadline imposed (and a lot of knitting already behind me) I managed to get it knit to a length I liked, cast off, and blocked.

It turned out to not be quite long enough to wrap all the way around the neck, but it'll lay quite nicely with both ends in front.

The lace weight yarn is quite thin, but the scarf is wide enough that it still has bulk enough to be warm. The lace is very soft to the touch. (It is Mmmmmalabrigo, after all.)

I had my mother model it for me before she took it with her. A little ironic since I originally bought the blue lace with her in mind. But she didn't respond too much to the scarf when I showed it to her a year or two ago, and it's a little fussy for her. (Hand wash? Pin flat to dry? Nuh-uh...)

Project Stats
Started: 26 Jul '09
Finished: 18 Sep '10
Pattern: Lead or Follow by Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer ($6)
Materials: Malabrigo Lace in Jewel Blue 32, 1 skein ($12)

I have a conflicted relationship with lace projects. I appreciate their symmetry and geometric properties, but don't usually like the final object as a wardrobe item. Plus once you have the pattern sussed out, it can be a real slog to get the item done!!

On the other hand, I am constantly drawn to lace yarns because of their feel, colours and economy. (You can make a lot of projects from one skein which may be as little as $10--even for the "good stuff.") There have been several lately at Red Purl I've had to reluctantly put down. I'm trying to be practical..

Old Projects / New Projects

Even though I'm pretty good with dates, I still often have deadlines sneak up on me. And, not surprisingly, it's worse when I'm really busy like I have been lately with work. So the other day I was startled by the thought that when my mom comes to visit in a few weeks, I should have all my Christmas knitting ready to go back with her in case I don't make it home for Christmas.

So that go me to thinking, What do I have to finish for Christmas?

The first and probably most time consuming has already been finished! (And no, I'm not telling here what it is...she's probably reading.) But I do have to wrap it yet so it still gets added to the "to do" list.

The second is these hat heel socks:

I've been working on them since the middle of July. They've been my "car knitting" lately as they were easy to pick up and I knew the pattern. But I haven't had any car knitting lately. So they were languishing. When this deadline occurred to me, I started to focus on them and then they went like gangbusters!

I think I finished the second foot over an evening at small group. And then it sat in my car for a while because I had to weigh what was left to know how much I could use for the leg. When I finally dragged it all inside and got it together with the scale, I measured 25 grams left. Ok. I would knit the leg until 13 grams were left. Which I did. (I think in one evening again; these socks really are fast.)

Then I started the leg of the second foot, while not cutting the yarn. (I'm not pessimistic, I'm just cautious. And experienced.) And sure enough, the second foot was about four rows shorter! So I undid two rows of the first sock (while congratulating myself on not cutting the yarn), knit two more on the second sock. Then still ran out of yarn and had to undo one more row on each sock. Then they were even and done.

Now you know why they are attached like children's mittens in the photo. I just have to work in all the ends and these puppies will be done.

As I was considering the WIPs that I had and which had to be finished by this deadline, I remembered my blue lace scarf:

I started this scarf just because it was a nice pattern and I had the lovely blue Malabrigo lace wool. It's the perfect blue for my mother and that was always the idea in the back of my head. But she's not really a lace person (although she can certainly appreciate the work) and she didn't go crazy over it when I showed it to her. (I hope you're not too disappointed reading this, Mom!)

And then I thought of my grade school sewing teacher. I think I'll send it home with mom to give to her just as a thank you. I know she'll appreciate the work and I can't imagine the colour not really being to her taste.

I haven't worked on the scarf very steadily but I have managed to make progress. It goes a lot faster now that I've found my way in the pattern. I wrapped it around my neck tonight and I think it's just about long enough to hang around your neck and fill in the "crack" of your coat collar and that empty V above your buttons.

I looked at the pattern and it instructs you to make the scarf 68" long. That seems crazy long. I have about 35" right now:

and I think that's just about enough. I'll finish with the border soon and then block it. That will make it look a lot better, I assure you.

This lace weight wool is really lovely. (I know, I say that about a lot of wool!) It's very soft and as plush as string that thin can be.

While I love finishing projects, it usually frees me to think about starting other projects...

I follow a group on Ravelry called Obscuriousity. The group's goal is to promote great but obscure patterns. Their definition of obscure is fewer than 50 projects on Ravelry, older than 6 months and readily available. It's been a fun way to check out patterns that don't have a large "band wagon" to jump onto. (You know I'm really not into trends, right. Sometimes to my own detriment, but there you have it.)

I'm technically a member, but since I've only been lurking so far it's more "following" than "participating." Until now. Each round (usually 2-3 months) they run a sophisticated nomination process and I have occasionally voted my admiration of a pattern, but never a commitment to make it.

Well, this round, they just may have gotten me! I really like this sweater:

from Drops Design. I really like the style. Simple but not  boring. Feminine but not too girly or fussy.

And I voted for it. Not a vote for "I like this" but a vote for "if this wins, I will make this." (Not that they have police for this or anything.)

The second and final round of voting ended today and it looks like this pattern won. Now I feel obligated!! With a 2-3 month time frame I still have time to decide. (And the group actually does not enforce end dates at all. It's a very "whatever you like" sort of group.) I don't really need another project, but I don't have a KAL going currently and would enjoy the company. And I could time it so that I could make it for NaKniSweMo in November.

I'm thinking of going with the called-for yarn instead of finding a substitute at Red Purl (still deciding though). One advantage of this yarn is all the colours available. Check them out here (scroll down just a bit) and let me know if you think any of them especially suit me. (Nothing too dark, please.) Aren't all those delightful options just intoxicating?! I love options.

Watcha Working On?

As I intimated in the previous post, I have not been monogamously working on my Whistler. So what have I been working on?

One thing is the Lead and Follow scarf that I've been working on sporadically since last July. It's been my "last resort" project as it doesn't have a deadline, or even a sure recipient. Work on it was rather pain-staking in the beginning because of the 20-row repeat on the lace pattern, and the fact that the "return" rows are not plain purl (which is often the case with lace).

I've done enough repeats now that the pattern is "in my head"--not memorized, but the logic of the pattern has revealed itself. The 20 row pattern is broken down into four-row groups of similar shaping. It's been fun to see it grow. I don't think it's quite half way to its final length, but it's definitely getting there.

An extra spur to work on the project was seeing it in a yarn catalogue I got last week:

You can see it on the bottom right of the page. It was a fun surprise to recognize something I was working on being highlighted in a catalogue.

The second project is even better for travel knitting. I saw this sock yarn at Red Purl and could not resist it:

Pagewood Farm St. Elias Hand Dyed Sock Yarn in colour, Butterfly

The colours were perfect for someone I know. It's been the nicest sock yarn I've worked with yet--not only how it handles and feels, but the way the colours blend. It's beautiful.

The pattern is very pretty as well. (Firestarter by Yarnissima.) It's well written and the cable is charted. (Thank goodness! I love me a chart!)

Besides a pretty cable pattern running up the side, it has a unique and interesting gusset done in reverse stocking stitch.

Progress has been fairly steady on this project as well.

And, no, I haven't stopped working on the Whistler all together. It does seem I haven't had a lot of time to sit and knit at home, but I try. I have gotten the second sleeve past the first section of three-colour stranding.

The technique of intarsia in the round that I outlined here is still impressing me with its ingeniousness. It's getting easier and more natural all the time.

But now that I'm down to two colours again, things should fly until I get to the next three-colour section.

PS: There has been one other project, but that will have to wait for the proper time to be revealed...

One Final Vacation Post

I lacked an internet connection the last few days of my vacation, so let me sum up:

1. I finished the body of my Pioneer while sitting in the sun looking at the in-law's horses and cows and enjoying the company of their dog, Reba. She couldn't take the sun as long as I could, but sat as close as she could in the shade. She's was good company.

The edge is a sort of elongated seed stitch with two rows of K1 P1 that line up, and then two rows of P1 K1, repeat. Seed or moss stitch can "spread out" compared to stocking stitch, so I did some decreases before I started the edge stitching. I was going to aim for 10 per cent (a la Elizabeth Zimmermann) but it worked out better to decrease every 9 stitches. As long as I ended up with an even number of stitches so the pattern would work. I think it worked to keep the edge pulled in instead of stretched out.

I did not bring supplies to do the sleeves, so I had to put it aside.

2. I dug into my argyle vest as long as I wasn't in a car:

I got past the division for the neck and have started that steek (at the top--where you see the hole and yellow string). Things are moving along well but I am impatient for a darker red to show up.

3. I did get bored enough with the other projects that I started the lace scarf I had brought supplies for:

Here you can see the bottom border is done, and I'm barely into the main pattern.

There was a mistake on the pattern which pisses me off. After a lot of time was spent one evening figuring it out, I put it aside and went to bed. The next morning I actually backtracked and fixed the problem.

I've learned my needles are not really sharp enough for lace knitting, but I'm not sure I'm going to buy new needles just for lace. We'll see.

And the Christmas surprise? Let's see...I finished the yellow and orange unit referenced in Saturday's post. And one more just like it while driving around with Peggy on Monday.

She's running a sort of taxi business for some of the local Amish and I tagged along to the produce auction. I knit as we drove, and later in the day when we were waiting for the auction to finish I worked in the ends of all the units I had knit. Phew! was that a lot of work.

It needed to be done, however, and is not the sort of thing I can do while driving, especially on the crazy hilly and curvy roads of Missouri. While knitting I can look up and around me, but not while sewing in the ends. That would make me sick right quick.

After dropping off the passengers and produce, Peggy and I headed to a nearby town to enjoy some lunch and shopping in "olde time" shops. I did manage to find a fabric shop and picked up a nice red fabric. (I tend to buy for specific projects and don't generally build up a "stash" but I've been picking up reds here and there because I know I'll always find a use for a good red!) We had a good time.

On the long trip home, I got next to no knitting done. For one, I was tired and could hardly think straight. For two, I did a lot more driving.

We stopped to visit my sister who lives right along the way and I had a great time while she had "show and tell" with all her recent projects. I really wish I had remembered to pull out the camera and capture the 20 hats she's knit over the last year. She heard that the local library collects them for a cause. They lost their "big knitter" two years ago, so I'm sure they'll be glad to see them!

On top of that, she's been making bags and purses out of "found" fabrics (yard sales, second hand stores, etc). They are looking really good. And sorry again that there are no pictures; you'll just have to take my word for it.

Ok, this is long enough. We're home and I have to get back to work. First up: laundry and then some canning. I suspect a lot has come up in the garden while we were gone.

PS: I want to give a shout out to Myrna who dropped by Tom and Clures' and mentioned that she likes the blog. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you!