Luna Moth Progressing

Luna Moth shawl is moving along, it is a pleasing pattern to work and, as always, I am fascinated with how the color changes occur. I know that I am approaching an area in the skein that changes from long lengths of solid colors to more blended colors. It will be fun (I hope) to see how that changes the character of this shawl. If it does.

The stitch pattern involves using knit 3 stitches together and in the mirror image a slip one, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over. This is appearing very nupp-like, with out the need to make a lot of stitches out of one stitch. A nice change from Madli's shawl, which I need to get back to. I am also making a pair of wrist warmers for a friend who will hopefully be able to use them before the weather warms up. It has been an unusually long and cold winter for us Gulf Coasters.

Finally, some tulips that I brought home for my husband who was home sick with a cold. As he is hardly ever sick, let alone sick enough to stay home, I thought he deserved some bright color on a cold and sleet-y day. And I got to enjoy them too!

During the Winter Olympics...

A while back I did some spinning from a roving I got from Taos Sunflower Too. This is #131 from Martie's Free Fall series and I was able to get 554 yards from 4 oz.
I started thinking about this skein this morning at knitting group at the Mockingbird Cafe when Eileen pulled out a shawl she's been working on called Luna Moth. Eileen mentioned that she would like to see the shawl made up in a multicolor yarn, something that would be like the colors of the moth. I didn't look up the colors of the moth, but she mentioned greens and browns, and though this doesn't have much brown in it, it came to mind.

This photo is a bit blurry but shows the effect of the two ply. At the beginning of the skein there are also longer expanses of solid color.
I visited the Yarn Harlot's blog this morning and read about her winter olympics challenge, (cast on a challenge to you pattern during the opening ceremonies and finish by the time the flame is doused at the end of the olympic games) and decided that I would combine this yarn and the Luna Moth pattern to see what the result will be.
Eileen assures me that it should be quick so I am hoping that I can meet the challenge and still work on Madli's shawl so as not to fall behind.
Sometimes deadlines help to get things done!

Madli's Progress

I am about to finish the eighth repeat of a twelve row pattern, only twenty-three left to go, if I don't make it longer. I am enjoying the pattern, especially the nupps, which show up on row five and row eleven. Twice I had problems with a nupp, once when I knit two of the seven loops for one nupp as separate stitches and therefore had too many stitches on the next row, and once I got too enthusiastic and knit the next stitch together with the loops of the nupp and lost a stitch. It is definitely not a pattern to work when sleepy, but overall is a relatively easy pattern to work, it has its own rhythm.
What makes lace so addicting? I hardly wish to knit anything else! Good thing there are so many intriguing patterns to make, as well as experiments in putting together one's own ideas to come up with a new twist.
Back to Madli's.

A New KAL

Yet another wip as I jump into a KAL on Ravelry: Adventures in Lace. It sounds about my speed as there are no rules other than to start February 1 or thereabouts and to have fun. Any pattern and any yarn can be used, so I decided to use the beautiful Copper colorway in Aurora Yarn's Whisper. I decided to start Madli's shawl from Knitted Lace of Estonia, another unusual step for me, as it is a rectangular shawl, and I seem to knit more triangular shapes. However this pattern has tons of nupps and who doesn't like nupps? I am not sure the nupps will show up very well with the handpainted yarn, but I am going for it and hoping for the best!
In the meantime I am still searching for stitch patterns to use for 'Dreaming of California Sunsets' colorway, and this one will be a triangular shawl.
Back to knitting.

This is from a couple of weeks ago when it was so-o cold here in Bay St. Louis and I wasn't sure anyone else would show up for knitting group. But sure enough, almost everyone came and we even had an out of town visitor! Everyone was bundled up and happily knitting away. I love being part of such a group!

This sweetheart I call my 'nieta' (granddaughter) as I was with her mother in the operating room when she was delivered by caesarian. Mom was numbed from the neck down so the doctor handed bundled baby to me and I was able to hold her up for mom to see and kiss and talk to. And then I got to do some cooing before they took her off to the nicu as she needed a bit more oxygen being five weeks early. That was two years ago and I have enjoyed the privilege of being the proxy grandmother, being part of her life on a regular basis as her two natural grandmothers live far away.

Mom is now expecting another little one and we are making the rounds of clinic visits and ultrasound appointments (next week) and trying to think out how to help this one deal with the arrival of a new baby at such a young age. (?) I was dropping mom and nieta off after the appointment and was surprised at la nieta as she didn't want me to go and started crying and calling for her 'buela' (her version of abuela, 'grandmother') not to go without her. That is as near as I'm going to get, not having children of my own, and I have to say it tugged at my heartstrings!

Three views of Morning Blush Shawl

Pleased with the way the blocked shawl turned out I lay it on the table and was caught by the tulips. The patterns chosen all came from Barbara Walker's Treasuries of stitch patterns, but not all from the same one. I chose to start with English Mesh, moved on to Eyelet and Bead with a variation, and then used the Palm Leaf Chevron, which worked from the top down appear as hearts. I enjoyed watching as the patterns developed and the colors changed where they would. It looks much better planned than it was.

I had to try it on right away, despite not wearing appropriate colors to show it to advantage, but this gives an idea of the size of the shawl. Relaxed it is about 60" across the top and 29" down the center point.

I am happy with the way the stitch patterns worked with the colors to give a very soft, pretty result.

Now to plan a shawl for the Dreaming of California Sunsets colorway. And to start knitting!

Roses

I smile every time I see these roses, and as they are part of a slide show as wallpaper on the computer I see them frequently. They were given to us at a surprise party a couple of years ago, so when I smile I am responding not only to the loveliness of the pink blooms and the baby's breath but memories of friends getting together and cake with thick icing roses and dancing in the garage as there wasn't enough room in the house, and all sorts of pleasant thoughts. Amazing what a photo can help recall.
What does it evoke for you?