My Stonecrop Journey - Slow and Steady, Respite and Refuge : guest blogger Jenny

I've just started the 4th repeat of the center block!  Finally :-)

This Stonecrop wrap has a lot knitted into each painstaking row.  Let me tell you more... Just prior to casting on my father-in-law passed away.  He was elderly and suffered with Alzheimer's for many years.  It was hard, but a blessing. 

Since casting on, we've lost a cousin to pancreatic cancer, experienced the outrageous joy of welcoming our first grandchild, said goodbye to our son who embarked on a year-long trip around the world, moved out of our home and are in the midst of a 3-month remodel, and I'm in the middle of a pretty significant job change.

I don't have a lot of time to knit.  But when I do, this Stonecrop has been an incredible refuge - a place to disappear for a bit, focus on the soothing repetition of the pattern, and give me a little mental space to process all that life has given me.  It's been relief, a harbor, and continuity.  In each row are the events of the past 6 weeks.  It will be a wrap that represents a lot of significant moments for me and as I wear it in the future (maybe 2017 at the rate I'm going???) I will remember the gift it was to have this piece to knit and help me navigate this exciting life.

I am using Brooklyn Tweed LOFT in Faded Quilt, purchased at Tolt Yarn and Wool in Carnation, WA.

Stonecrop KAL~ by Kelli

Such a fun knit! Grateful to have a knit along. 

Can't wait to see them all!

Finally Casting On! ~ Guest Blogger Sue

Finally getting around to casting on for my Stonecrop. I am using Brooklyn Tweed Loft in Soot. I love this yarn, having used it last year to knit Ludlow. It is nice and organic and tweedy, and I like the stitch definition. Softens up with blocking to a very pleasing knitted piece. 

I am so happy to be knitting lace again. I have always loved Jared's mix of lace with tweedy yarn. I really like working with charts, since it goes more quickly for me than written directions. I will definitely be making the longer version of this pattern. 

The only tip I have so far is that I am tying a knot in the tail of the provisional cast on yarn each time I complete a pattern repeat for the bottom border. Keeps me from having to write it down or count when I come back to it. Looking forward to seeing everyone's progress.  Thanks Melissa, for organizing everything!

Let's Get Caught Up! ~ posted by Melissa

My Stonecrop!  Slowly making progress, although the knitting goes rather quickly when I actually find time to work on her.  It's a lovely intuitive pattern and I've loved every stitch...even the ones I've had to redo...hehe!  Mistakes are so easy to see and quick to fix if you don't get too far away from them before you notice (note to self...sneak a gander more often...mistakes do happen!!).

I'm making the longer version and my yarn is Brooklyn Tweed Loft in 'Hayloft'.  I was so unsure about this yarn when I wound it as it came apart pretty easily more than once, but the knitting, oh the knitting.  It has not broken once and I do love its rustic feel and tweediness.  I will use it again and try to be more gentle when caking it next time.

My project can be found here on Ravelry and I'll start getting some notes up soon.  My to-do list has gotten out of control these days and knitting 'chores' keep ending up on the bottom rung.

And now a bit of business.  There are eight of us knitting Stonecrop.  So far we've only heard from Will, Kelli and myself.  Here's a list of all knitalongers (is that a word...well now it is!) with their Ravelry handles if you'd like to find each other on our favorite knitting site:

Me (Melissa) - twoknitwit

Kelli - oneknitwit

Will - WillyG

Andrea - aksaxton

Sue - purl3

Olivia - thishandmadelife

Gemma - gemma

Jenny - jenniferaguilar

If I've forgotten anyone, please speak up and I'll add you to the list!  Don't forget, when I sent you the invite it gave you all blogging privileges...please drop in and say hi when you get a chance and share your progress and materials and photos...don't forget the photos!

Guess that's it for now.  Hope everyone is enjoying this Jared Flood pattern as much as I am.  And yes, Kelli, I know you've already finished and thank you for waiting to post for a bit so the newbies don't get frightened and decide not to play anymore : )

Happy Sunday, all!

Melissa

The worst kind of knitting mojo - by WillyG

Sometimes I rely on different motivators to give me a little encouragement. A week or so back I finished my first time through Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities. I had always been curious about the fiendish Madame Defarge, who is always ominously knitting. Now it's time to revisit the story using a movie version, and perhaps get a few rows done on my Stonecrop.  Heh.

Happy knitting.

Getting started - by willyg

Happy New Year! I spent several hours of a quiet evening at home at the end of the year, mulling carefully over ideas for upcoming knitting in the new year. Perhaps I took it a bit too seriously, but that is one part of the process that I quite enjoy. For Stonecrop, I had three or four good options in stash that I was tossing about. In the end, I went with my first choice - Isager Strik Alpaca Merino 2 in a light blue. Like most everything else in stash, the original plan for the yarn had not come to fruition, so it was nice to find a good outlet for this yarn to get its wings. 

As midnight passed, kisses were exchanged, and a lovely peach apricot chardonnay was sipped to completion, I cast on using a crochet hook to execute the provisional portion. After a short bit of fighting with the decreases in fine yarn, I opted for the next needle size up in order to use some lace tips. I knit several repeats of the bottom border before we decided to call it a night, figuring the start on the smaller size needle will block out without drawing attention to itself. 

I decided to make the process easy by splurging on a magnetic chart keeper, and I feel pretty good about it. Following the chart is what bogged me down on Ludlow, and I have full confidence that I will make great headway with both projects. 

 

I'm loving the feel of the yarn and the lace, as well as the garter stitch. It's not as visually pleasing for lace, but I take comfort in the fact that the wearer will never have to fuss over turning the right side out before wearing it, and that it will have a bit of "body" or perhaps "squoosh."

That's all I've got for now... cheers, and happy knitting!

New Years Eve - posted by Melissa

“The artist is always beginning. Any work of art which is not a beginning, an invention, a discovery is of little worth.” 
― Ezra Pound

Spent part of the day with our knit group & was finally able to give this lovely person her 50th birthday gift.  Recognize???  It's SPIRE!!  My 2014 New Years project is finally done 2 years later and doesn't it look fantastic on Kelli?!

Looking forward to casting on Stonecrop with you all tomorrow!  Have a wonderful evening...the fun begins tomorrow!

Happy New Year!  Melissa

Annual New Year Knitalong - posted by Melissa

Hiya, knitting peeps!

Gonna reel it back in this year. Last year was out of control with too many people and too many different projects and not many of us finished so back to what works best! One design and a common goal and I bet we can do better!

Kelli & I chose another Jared Flood lace ... because of course, what would a Girls in Sheep Clothing kal be without him? Seriously. He's our fearless leader, although unbeknownst to him!

This year's choice, an Orenburg style lace rectangular scarf ~ Stonecrop :

(all photos used with permission from Brooklyn Tweed)

This should be fun ~ most of the lace edging is incorporated as you go, with only the top-border being knitted on at the end. It can be made in 2 different sizes so you can choose your favorite.

Pattern is available for purchase on Ravelry or directly from Brooklyn Tweed's website  - link here.

We'll cast on together January 1st, so everyone has 2 weeks to gather materials. Let me know on Ravelry if you're interested (you can send me a pm here) & I'll get your info so I can add you as an author on the blog. Remember, this is a no rule kal. No deadlines and knit at your own pace. 

Let's get this party started!

Melissa

Stonecrop :: guest post blogger Karen

Ta da!  The shawl is finished and as I type this it's folded up and waiting for July and the wedding to roll around.  I'm pretty sure I'll wear this shawl to my daughter's wedding, unless I change my mind. I enjoyed knitting this pattern and the challenge of following three charts at once was fun.  I think that's how us knitters get our entertainment.

I would have loved to make the longer version but I had no idea if I had enough yarn or not and knitting three extra repeats only to rip them out would have made me sad.  So I did the smaller one, but as you can see the small version is quite large enough!!

Ravelry notes are here and a blog post here

STONECROP:: GUEST BLOGGER TRACEY~CLOVER

My first Christmas gift for 2015
is complete, wrapped and waiting
until December to be mailed. I
loved knitting Stonecrop, really
I did. The charts were easy to follow
and like all of Jared's patterns the
end result is a treasure.  Thanks
for hosting another great KAL, it
was a blast.

STONECROP:: GUEST POST BY TRACEY~ CLOVER

Slowly, but surely my Stonecrop is
growing. I am now beginning the
seventh repeat, leaving only two more to
go before I can begin the top border. I
had planned to knit twelve repeats, but
this is a Christmas gift for my sister who
is a little on the short side ;) [ I'm two inches
taller] and I don't want it to be too long.
I am already trying to decide what color
I want to knit for myself.

Stonecrop Shawl ~ Guest Blogger Karen

I've knit the main chart three times through and finally I'm used to the pattern.  There are only a few places where I check and recheck the chart and my knitting but most of the time I'm happily knitting away enjoying the progress.  The cashmere is wonderful to knit with and I find the garter stitch lace delightful......as in.....no purling.  I'm not against purling and do like to purl but the not purling adds a bit of decadence to the knitting :)

Ravelry notes here.

Morgen's Machair Stonecrop - guest blogger Morgen

Greetings all!

I am a bit late to the blogging party, but I did start my Stonecrop on the first.  I did the lower border and then set it aside to finish up my Fir Cone Wrap (Churchmouse pattern, linked here) of which I have about 30 yards left, then to attach the upper border and block.  The Fir Cone Wrap I have done in Jamieson's Ultra.  I had never worked with Ultra before; lovely stuff it is!

I keep looking at my Stonecrop and doubting my judgement on the needle size.  I went down a size as I usually do because I like my lace to be a little tighter, but then I keep second-guessing myself.  I've been picking up the border I've already done and looking at it, stretching it and then deciding I am quite happy with it as it is.  I have gotten very little knitting done in the past week, but my guys are both gone this weekend to an archery tournament so I will have plenty of time to myself  and will be able to make some headway.  I'll post again after a repeat or two.

Wishing you all a warm cup of cocoa and relaxing knitting!

**My yarn is some of that Scottish Designer's Hebridean 2-ply in the colorway Machair which is Gaelic for a low-lying grassy plain on the northwest coastlines of Ireland and Scotland and the Hebrides.

Stonecrop progress - Guestblogger Maria

I am happy to be a part of this KAL. I cast on Stonecrop over the weekend and yesterday I finished the bottom border and started the main part, until my cat decided that I had knitted enough for the day.

First Week of Stonecrop ~ guest blogger Karen

I have been diligently knitting away on this gorgeous pattern.  I'm having trouble seeing the dark blue yarn and only knit by day.  Since I've completed the main chart section once, I'm feeling more comfortable with the pattern and the charts.

I dread if I drop a stitch.....So far I've been lucky and I hope I haven't jinxed myself!