Since I Last Blogged

It has been at least a week since I made my last appearance here. During the time I have been away I have taken a day trip on the Fast Ferry to Provincetown, down on the tip of the Cape (if you haven't been there, you must, it is lovely, a small busy town surrounded by the Cape Cod National Sea Shore, with dunes and beaches, and bike trails). Unfortunately the trip was a business trip so I didn't actually have time to enjoy anything P-Town offered. I have also been visiting with K, though not in Rhode Island.

Knittingwise, I have managed to finish, but not block the MS3. This is the finished "wing"

I picked up a sock that I probably never mentioned here, the Millicent Sock by the fabulous Cookie A. The sock is a knee high sock, which I knit using left over Naturespun from my Whiskey Sweater. It has what feels like miles and miles of ribbing, but some interesting shaping with the ribbing. These photos don't show what the ribbing does. I will post more complete photos once I have a pair to show off. I think that I have enough Naturespun to make a mate for this sock.

Finally, I have started the Snowflake Sock from the current IK. I have modified the sock by making the leg part considerable shorter than intended. I am making the two socks the revers of each other. I am using left over Louet Sales Gems Opal, which was originally used for the Anemoi mittes by Eunny Jang.

Thigns and Stuff

There isn't much I want to say today, so I am just going to share my progress on the Mystery Stole. This is the 5th clue, it is a "wing" which is being done using short rows.

To the left a close up of the lace motif on the wing.

Finally, finished Twisted Flower Socks.

I finally got around to blocking one of the shawls which I have finished this summer. This is the Spring Things Shawl, which I finished about a month or so ago. I have blocking wires, so I don't exactly know why I delayed blocking this. I made this shawl using about 2 skeins of a mohair blend yarn that was gifted to me by a fellow N. End Knitter, Lissy. It was a pretty quick knit. I used size 4 Inox "jumper" needles, which have cords

like circs, but which aren't joined together.

Now, I just need to get the motivation to block the Forest Path Stole.

This weekend I did manage to get some knitting done. I finished clue 5 for the Mystery Stole, and I picked up a sock, something I haven't done for a couple of months. I am now working on the second Twisted Flower Sock, by the fabulous Cookie A., which is being knit with some Lemongrass Socks That Rock. I am surprised at how quickly this sock is moving. When I picked it up on Sunday I still had a couple of rows of the ribbed cuff to knit, now I am already finished with my gussett decreases.

Slump

Do you ever get to that place when you are knitting where nothing seems to be worth working on? That is where I am now. I still haven't blocked my two newly finished shawls, that just seems like too much effort. I am slowly plugging away at the Mystery Stole. I am also working on a shawl that I am creating using Malabrigo lace weight yarn. I don't currently have any tops on the needles, though I am change that this weekend. I am going to make a tank from Knitting Lingerie Style, though I am going to use stash for that and the color I am planning on using isn't filling me with confidence.

Ah well, c'est la vie. Inspiration will come again. Hopefully, soon.

Clue 2

Clue 2 of the Mystery Stole 3 is complete now. The stole is about 150 rows long now. I have pretty much stopped reading the emails that go around with this group, there were just way too many, so I don't know if the shape I have pinned this to is the correct shape. The stole has moved quickly. I feel much more competent adding the beads now.

Here are a couple of details shots:

And a photograph of part of Plymouth, where I spent Sunday.

Progress

After seeing a mention of the Mystery Stole 3 group on a fellow Circle's knitter's blog, I decided that I needed to sign up, so I did. We were told that we needed 1,200 yards of lace weight yarn and beads. I decided to use the laceweight yarn that I bought from Elann for this project, and I thought that I had beads in stash (I didn't really). On Friday, the first clue came out. It had 100 rows of lace knitting. I started on Saturday and quickly realized that the beads that I had wouldn't work. Their holes were all too small for a crochet hook to fit. This meant that I had to make a trip to Beadworks in Harvard Square to find beads that worked. Christine kindly lent me a tiny crochet hook and showed me how to attach bead using a crochet hook. With these hurdles beyond me, I began my knitting. On Sunday, the first clue was completed. The next clue will be coming on Friday, I think. So far, all is going well with this project. The beads took a bit to get used to, but now I feel pretty comfortable and confident with them. This won't be a knit on the T project though because I can see my little tube of beads being knocked over and beads flying all over the bus or subway car.

I have also been working away at my Sunshine sweater. I am knitting this piece continental style (usually I knit English). I decided to go with Continental because there is seed stitch on this sweater and I have heard rumors that seed stitch is easier/faster continental. I am nearly done with the body now. I am using some reclaimed Calmer from a crochet project that I didn't have enough yarn for. I think I have about 5 more rows of seed stitch, then I use the "picot stitch" to cast off. Unfortunately, I have no clue what the picot stitch is, so I will look at the pattern to see if there is any hint (there isn't), then I will go for google.