The rainy weather seems to have finally broken, and we're right into summer. Time to start looking at that retro-fit air conditioning for my car.
So, it's been a while since I mentioned knitting, hasn't it? Shut up, it has so too! Anyway, no one's forcing you to read this. Hmph.
Here are my two latest finished projects.
The scarf is Faina from Fibertrends (100 g of a Saskatchewan-produced wool/alpaca blend, 3.5 mm needles). I am still undecided about the colour; I usually avoid browns/oranges because they cause people to rush after me offering me new livers, so this might be a gift. But it's a lovely yarn; a nice combination of drapiness and enough stiffness to hold the lace pattern.
Oh, and the second project, she says with elaborate casualness? Oh, just the FREAKING TABLECLOTH! Let's take another look at this puppy, shall we?
From Marianne Kinzel's Second Book of Modern Lace Knitting, the "Lilac Time" table cloth (#10 cotton (two head-sized cones plus a little one), 3.75 mm needles). There were over 2,100 stitches per round in the last 40 rounds. This photo shows it unblocked; it will actually look a lot better after blocking but I couldn't wait to see it on the table and blocking this will be a Major Undertaking involving the moving of furniture and the purchasing of more T-pins. It will also be bigger after blocking, which emphasizes my regret that I didn't use smaller needles and finer thread.* I started this in May of last year (as I recall). All unemployment and no friends make Amy a crazy knitter. :)
And come to Calgary on the May long weekend, or we'll crush this baby possum!**
* Like, #30 on a 3mm. I thought when I started that the bigger thread and needles would mean that I could end earlier (after the third tier of leaves) but when I got there the cloth seemed too small, so I kept going. So I ended up doing exactly as much work as I would have if I'd used the smaller thread. Oh well.
The other thing I'd do differently (just in case anyone else is crazy/bored enough to try this) is to use a provisional cast-on at the beginning and graft the centre hole together at the end. I used a standard cast-on and sewed the centre, like that pattern said, and I'm not really happy with how it looks. I'm probably not going to try and unpick the cast-on and graft it, though. Probably.
** No, that's not my picture. It's from Cute Overload, your one-stop shop for cute.
So you won't *actually* crush the baby possum because you don't *actually* have it in your possession, is that what you're saying? Because, you know, I can't come to Calgary that weekend. But I'm all up for starting a 'what kind of cute furry critter are we going to crush next if so-and-so doesn't do such-and-such' ring.
*I* vote for clubbing a baby seal if 'all of youse' don't come to the Regina games convention that same weekend. Yeah! And I'm going to club Paul McCartney and his little wife, too! Even though they're nowhere near as cute as a baby anything. And, AND, I might just step on some slugs while I'm ...oh wait... I'm off topic here.
Yeah. So just the baby seals for now.
Aw, how can I resist the baby seal? I'd probably have to raise you sixteen baby pandas, or something, and that would just end in tears.
So everyone, if you were planning on going to the Regina Con, go to that. It will be awesome. But if you're not, yet the warm breezes of spring rouse the faint stirrings of wanderlust in your heart anyway, consider a trip to Calgary.
Please, no! Don't crush him.
Holy Moly.
That table cloth is beautiful Amy. Wow.
Wow, nice table doiley...
Fantabulous scarf and table cloth. The table cloth has me floored. You should be unemployed and friendless more often. In fact, you should just never be employed ever again!
Rumour has it that the Regina Con has a Settlers of Catan 3D 10th Anniversary set as one of the prizes. Just so you know.
-Cara