Adventures in lace knitting, part 3

OK, I admit it: I'm a glutton for punishment.  No, really?!?  But sometimes, just sometimes, you find that one seemingly insurmountable challenge that truly spurs you on to bigger and better things.  This was one of those challenges.  Yes, the Aeolian shawl.  Subject of at least one knit-along that I know of.  Its inventor is considered in more...seasoned?...circles to be a master of her craft, a magician with Estonian lace, a priestess of the sacred order thereof.  Or something like that.  What do I know?  Well, I do know that, worked up in a deep crimson true laceweight alpaca with matched beads, the pattern is breathtakingly beautiful.  I intend to adapt it to the round for sweater sleeves one day.  By the way, in case we've never met before, that is probably the highest compliment I can pay to someone in the knitting world.  After all, imitation--or shameless reproduction, as the case may be--is the sincerest form of flattery.  So take it for what it is, and enjoy the lovely pictures that should follow.  You know, eventually.

Oh, all right.  Here.

Adventures in lace knitting, part 2-3/4

And I think that's actually quite possibly the last of it.  "It" being awesome TARDIS shawl.  You know, I never thought I'd say it, but this could do with some blocking.  I officially eat my metaphorical hat.

I said "hat," not "cat," Raiden!

So what next for this yarn warrior (or weakling)?  Well, the Aeolian shawl, for starters.  I am now officially past the first 4 Yucca repeats, and I've only irretrievably lost 2 beads to the great void and had to fudge about 4 stitches or non-stitches where they didn't belong.  And the lace is, well, lace, and surprisingly forgiving.  Could even get used to this.  Let's not push it.

Also joining the project queue: new stash of heavy lace-weight (actually I'd probably put it about fingering or sock weight, but what do I know?) hunter-green merino that really wants to be a sweater.  Have I made a sweater before?  Prob'ly not.  Since when has that ever stopped me?  Now, ideally this will be a 1930s-inspired tunic-length deal with lace sleeves...assuming I don't run out of yarn while literally covering my behind.  Only time and knitting will tell.  Which means you'll just have to stay tuned.  You know, only if you want to.  Till we meet again!

Progress tweets to the rescue!

It's midnight the night before the night-float stretch of pain, and I have a bunch of pictures in search of a post.  Well, not a bunch, precisely.  My craptastic camera was quite willing to take gorgeous photos in the Old-Hollywood lighting of Comrade's wedding venue...assuming you turn the flash off and have the hands of a neurosurgeon.  Shall I mention my impatience with this utterly unpredictable action tremor?  But if you don't mind the smudginess...

 This was the dress I made for the wedding.  Turns out Old Hollywood was a decent way to go.

 This was one of the wedding presents in progress.  Note the lack of chart by this time 'cause I've given up and started pulling it out of my head.  Or other regions.

And this was the finished product.  Crammed with much cursing into a standard picture frame.  I fully expected to get a "Goddamn it, Comrade!" when this was opened.  The fact that I haven't yet means that either they haven't opened it or it didn't get the reception I intended.  Either way...?












And now I'm going to get back to my goal of finishing TARDIS shawl by the end of the night.  If it kills me.  I'm tired of 311-stitch rows, especially of purling.  Why couldn't I pick up a normal hobby again?  By the way, if you're in the same boat I am (the monotonous knitting, at least, if not the night schedule) and are a "Doctor Who" fan because of the awesome storytelling, check out Steven Moffat's other series "Sherlock."  Season 2 available for viewing through June 19 on the PBS website, for those of you who, like me, live on the wrong side of the pond.  Sheer brilliance.  And I will never make a plug on a blog again.  Promise. At least...not when I'm not in braaaaains mode.  Ask the interns about braaaaains mode, aka me at 6AM at the end of a night shift.  It really does happen.  And you can go back to St. Louis Children's Hospital in 15 (?) days.