What's that saying about not being able to see the forest for the trees?  I think that's how it goes.  Tuesday night at the SKG meeting, one of my new friends asked me if I had ever written my own pattern.  I was a little distracted while I was talking to her since I had just cast on a project that I'm knitting up for a far away Ravelry friend that's going through a tough health battle right now.  I told her no, and that I probably wouldn't for a long time since I didn't feel like I was quite ready for that milestone yet.....and all the while I'm trying to figure out how to get the math to work so the lace pattern I'd like to use for this special project fits within my stitch count, and how many stitches I need to cast on to get the most use out of my yarn, and what my gauge is, and what I'd like to call this really neat thing when it's all finished and sent off in the mail for it's recipient.

It's now Thursday and, HELLO, I do believe that what I have been doing for the last 2 days, although unbeknownst to me, is working up my very first original creation.  Why am I always the last to know?  I'm often out of the loop on a lot of things but I don't usually leave myself out of said loop.  Good grief, I am a complete dork.

So, depending on how this top secret knit turns out, I think I may post it as a FREE pattern here on the blog.  It won't be anything stupendous but it's a start and something to be proud of, right?

The kal scarf is on hiatus until after our Portland trip this weekend.  Lace knitting just isn't conducive to visiting with 200 knitters while travelling and shopping.  We'll share our adventure and lots of photos when we get back!

Melissa

Amazing Lace~

Wowzie, loving knitting this. Had had had to block it last night. I'm on day 14.

Using this 2 ply lace weight is new for me. I really like the fabric it knits up. Since I'm limited on beads, I'm just beading the first and last six days. The weight it gives to the bottom of the scarf is great.

It reminds me of a ribbon.

It's my best piece yet. Seems I get a little better at this 'knitting thing' every year...go figure.

Day 6 and day 10 are my favorites so far. I get excited when a new day comes. Yesterday I got to sit in my sweats and knit all day. My husband would smile cause I was smiling, when I flipped to the next day of the pattern, and announced(as if the world was waiting with anticipation) which day I would be knitting next.

Oh I wish I could 'sweats and knit' all day today, but I'm off to work. I bring my scarf with me to show customers my progress and try to encourage them to try lace.

~Kelli

Extended forecast...

Calls for snow tonight and tomorrow ~ the way things shut down altogether around Seattle when we get this type of weather, I may end up with an extra day off work and another day to knit.  Hopefully if we do get anything significant it has come and gone by Saturday morning so our train trip to Portland isn't cancelled.  There will be 200+ very very sad knitters if that happens.....

I'm halfway done with my shawl ~ it's my favorite of all 4 lace samplers that I've done.  Lots of new patterns and a few new stitches, and I love it when I learn something new.  Morgen should be blogging along with us soon ~ her invite has been sent so I'm expecting to see some progress photos from her and she can share more of her great tips!  Karen is plugging along also and has posted some photo updates on her blog that you can check out here.  And Kelli, we haven't seen or heard from you lately but knowing you that means you're on a mission and probably close to finished already.  Am I right? ;)

Day XII

Day XI

Day X

HOW 'BOUT THOSE HAWKS!!!!!

That was an amazing game ~ 'NFL's biggest postseason upset ever' ~ yup, that's what they're saying.  The buzz here all week has been so positive and I guess we all had some sense that even though they stunk it up this season, they're rebuilding right now and things could click anytime.  Definitely the most fun game all year!

On the knitting front, I managed to finish Day 9 without messing up ~ my attention was a little divided today!  Day 7 & 9 look similar in the photos but the patterns are different.  Almost to the halfway point!

errata day 10 - the spacer section has you increase to 87 stitches (which is what I did) - I then counted the first row of the chart & the math doesn't work - I'm adding 2 extra k stitches at the beginning of every right side row after the edge stitches (so right side rows 1 thru 13 will start with k9 instead of k7 before the repeat section, and right side rows 15 thru 27 will be k2 & then the repeat section) - now to go see if my math works this way!  If you look at the written instructions, it looks like that's what was intended anyway.

Day IX

Day VIII

Day VII

Chugging along.....

Day IV

Day V



Day VI

Day 6 ~ Usually I love a more compact vs. spiderwebby lace but I think this would definitely look interesting on larger needles. I love this stitch ~ wish I knew if there was a name for this lace pattern ~ it's given me an idea for a project I may put together once I put more thought into it.....


I'll try and get better pics in the daylight but it will have to wait since the sun only shines when I'm at work these days.....

My Calender Scarf 2011

Yummy yarn and pattern. It's Dawn yarn. Loving the silk/wool,2ply,on size 2 needles, and the sweet creamy seed beads are adding an extra touch.
My husband makes blackberry milkshakes,from our homemade 'high fiber blackberry jam' Melissa and I made this summer. (High fiber cause we didn't strain any seeds.) While I knit on my scarf at night. It's a fun KAL, and the small group motivates me to get it done.
Will post more pictures as I go. Happy New Year.

~Kelli

Game ON!

Day I

Day II

Day III

This is (so far) my favorite of all the sampler shawls I've knit.  I hope everyone is enjoying knitting this one up as much as I am.  I love the pattern, the yarn, the beads.....everything!  Can't wait to see your progress!

Nupps: I didn't like the 7-stitch in my lace weight (too much like a giant bobble) so I tried a 3-stitch (couldn't see) and finally decided on a 5-stitch.  I think they look the best with my yarn and will also save me a little yardage since I don't quite have the recommended amount the pattern called for.  Hopefully I can squeak out day 23 and 24 now?

I'm also bumping Morgen's comment about her experience with nupps into my post so it will be easier to find for anyone that maybe hasn't done them before.  She has some great tips if you're struggling with them:

"For anyone who hasn't yet done Day 2's pattern, here are a couple of hints. I have taken a number of Estonian lace classes from Nancy Bush. One thing she always emphasizes about the dreaded nupps are that it is just about impossible to make the (in this case 7 out of 1) stitches too big. In other words, as you are drawing the yarn throught the front and back for the 7 stitches, pull each loop of yarn through towards yourself as far as you reasonably can. This makes it very easy to pick up all 7 stitches on the return row and purl them together. You can also neaten the nupps up if necessary by tugging gently from below to align all their loops.
On this particular set of nupps I have noticed that on the return row, the 7 stitches are purled together, and then the next stitch to be purled is a yarnover. It is very easy to accidentally purl that yarnover together with the nupp thereby messing with your stitch count. I have found it easier to hold that yo out of the way with my lefthand thumb as I purl the nupp. Quite honestly, I find nupps really easy if you just know ahead of timewhat to watch for. I hope this info helps someone!"              thanks, Morgen!

Karen has decided to post progress photos on her own blog so if you want to check hers also, here's the link.  She's already got a photo up, and also one of her finished shawl from last year's kal.  If you want to see everyone's finished 2010 shawl , they are all on this blog in the January & February 2010 postings.  Better get back to my knitting ;)

day 4 errata! ~ heads up ~ day 3 ends with 88 stitches ~ the first row of day 4's spacer section says to 'decrease by 1 st' to get the necessary 86 stitches for day 4....I counted chart stitches, you do need 86 stitches for day 4 so you'll need to decrease the first row of the spacer section by 2 stitches