I've moved!

Hello all - sorry for the radio silence for the last while (catastrophic computer meltdowns make it difficult to get all bloggy). But I'm back with a quick announcement - I 've made the switch to wordpress. This is my new home. I've been thinking that I needed a fresh start and maybe a new blog direction for a while now - I feel guilty about not blogging, but get frustrated when I do. I blog about knitting, but I want to branch out a little - maybe through some of my life in there, some photographs (my other favourite thing to do) and whatever stikes my fancy. So, a switch I made. I hope you'll come a long!

Come and visit!

Whoo, whoo

Okay, so this "post more often" thing hasn't exactly panned out lately. But, here I am, with a new project to tell you about (and a few more waiting for their turn).

Since last we met, my needles have been furiously clickety-clacketing along and I've managed to turn out a couple of projects. The project that I'm most pleased with is my Owl sweater. When it came time to choose a calendar for 2009, I knew that this would be the year of the owl. I love owls. So, with a Great Horned Owl gazing out at me from the kitchen bulletin board, I set out to search for a new project. Then I found it, the Owl sweater. Perfect.

I love this sweater. A lot. It was a big departure for me in terms of yarn weight and needle size - I must admit, it is pretty sweet to watch a sweater just fly off the needles. This was my first go with a bulky yarn and I enjoyed it. This is a great yarn - soft, chunky, super cosy, but not heavy. The itch factor that I always associate with bulky yarns (probably unfairly) is happily absent. It also has nice stitch definition and shows off the cables well. So, a pleasant yarn and big needles, coupled with a good pattern made for a happy knitting experience.

It's the design elements of this pattern that really made me happy - I like the fit first and foremost. It's a body conscious design - close fitting, but flattering thanks to the clever use of shaping in the back and the short rows under the bust and along the neck in the back. I lengthened the body and the arms to suit my preference, other than those minor mods, I knit it as is. I'm also in love with the cabled yoke - it's like a nice parade of owls. It's a fairly straight forward cable and it may very well make an appearance in another form in the near future, so stay tuned. The fact that this sweater is knit in the round makes me love it even more. I hate seaming and cannot understand knitting anything in pieces that could be knit in the round. The only seaming necessary were the two gaps under the arms. Sweet.

To give those owls their peepers, I sewed on the buttons using embroidery thread that matched the yarn as closely as I could. I apologize for the lack of cable close-ups, but I live in a black hole and it's been gloomy around these parts lately. The sewing on of the eyes took me forever. I am not a speedy sewer by any means, and I wanted to make sure that I did a good job. It must have gone alright as none of the little guys looks noticeably bug-eyed.

In our next installment we will explore a winter necessity - the hat, both knit and sewed.

I've been hibernating

Where does the time go? I swear, last time I looked, Christmas was on the horizon, holiday parties were starting to pop up and I was in the midst of gift knitting. I hope everyone had a good holiday with lots of tasty eats, family and friends. And knitting, lots of knitting.

I swore that this year I wouldn't knit for anyone - too much work, too much stress, not enough appreciation, blah, blah, blah. Then I got an email from my dad telling me how much he was looking forward to his Christmas socks and how his partner loved last year's socks so much - what's a girl to do? Knit some socks of course. Socks that I knit, wrapped and delivered without taking a single photograph. Awesome. Take my word for it, they were plain, but handsome socks - good for hiking, which is what those folks like to do. They were well received and next year I'll know better.

There was a lot of knitting this Christmas. Lots of last minute I-will-finish-this-before-the-29th-if-it-kills-me variety. You see, It all started with the Laminaria shawl that I knit for myself. My globetrotting friend was home for one of her infrequent visits and was admiring it. Would I make her one she asked, sure I said. And so it began. I started in late September and worked away on it in fits and starts, all with the intention of mailing it to her when it was finished. Then came the surprise Christmas visit and the shawl was so close, but not quite done. I was knitter obsessed. I was driven. I was sick of looking at this lacy purple beast and I wanted it gone. So I knit. I knit the full shawl version in the Fleece Artist's Suri Blue. This time around I knit it up on 4.5mm needles and was much happier with the result - slightly more open, but not too fluttery, if that makes any sense. It blocked beautifully and my friend was thrilled. Of course, I don't have any photos of it either. She has promised to take some pics for me in the foreign and exotic places she'll be travelling to in the coming year - knits on the move!

Lest you think that I spent my holidays knitting undocumented items for people who live far away, behold! Another neck warmer!

But not just any neck warmer - I knit this out of some luscious, luscious yarn that I've been hoarding for just the right project. For Christmas this year I gave myself a copy of Luxury Yarns One-Skein Wonders. What a great book. I am a collector of single skeins of yarny goodness. After a while, a girl likes to actually use those single treasures and this book has a lot of good ideas for yarns ranging from lace weight to bulky. I chose Cheryl Oberle's Yak Neck Cuff. I wasn't seduced by the name, but the picture. It just looked so soft and cozy and I decided I too must make one. I modified the pattern to knit in the round on 4mm 16inch circulars needles and had to fiddle a bit to get the knitting to match up with the project photo. And, true to the title, I used the entire skein. The entire skein. I may have had 3 inches left over after I wove in the ends, I didn't want to waste an inch.

The yarn I chose is Fibre-Isle International's Mooi- a medium weight blend of bamboo, bison and cashmere. It's pretty much like knitting with a little bit of heaven. Something this soft absolutely belongs next to the skin. There are several things that I love about this yarn - the combination of the rich colour, the sheen of the bamboo and the fuzzy halo of the bison is fabulous. It knits up into deliciously fat stitches and has a lovely drape. It also light weight and quite warm and as such I think this yarn would be best suited to projects like scarves or simple shawls. Because it's pretty fabulous on it's own, I would keep the stitch pattern uncomplicated- maybe a simple cable or something of that nature. I really can't say enough how much I enjoyed this yarn, if you can get your hands on some, do it. But don't be fooled by the picture, I'm not keeping the neck warmer, it's going to be gifted to a friend in the near future. I was thinking of her when I cast on, and am hopeful that she'll enjoy wearing it as much as I enjoyed knitting it. If not, I'll steal it back ;)

Well, Happy New Year from TBL and hopefully this year will bring all of you peace, joy and good knitting.

Winter has arrived

Winter has made it's presence felt this past weekend - blowing in with 30cms of snow and some nippy temperatures. What's a knitter to do? Knit a neck warmer of course!

I decided that it was time to dip into the stash and make myself a quick and cosy project - a cowl was just the thing to help me use up some of those odds and ends. I used three strands of DK weight yarns (Fleece Artist leftovers of blue face Leicester and a kid/silk blend that I've had for ages. No really - I think it might have been one of the first skeins that I ever bought as a knitter) and an 8mm circular needle. I used seed stitch for the edges to prevent curling and plain ol' knitting for the body. I love it. It's thick, soft, drapey and a whole lot of neck-warming awesomeness.

Not content to just wear it around my apartment, I wanted to put it to the test:

Success! I now understand why people like these things so much. I can see more of these little stash busters in my future (and maybe under someone else's Christmas tree). It is one insulating cowl. It kept me cosy while I tromped through the snowy woods.

After my snowy winter hike, I think I need legwarmers to keep the ankles warm. Maybe.

Stay warm and happy knitting!

All apologies. . . .

. . . I didn't intend to be away this long. Really. Just until I have something to blog about I told myself, you know, something interesting, then I'll post. Well, that didn't work out like I planned. But I am here now, with progress, even if it is the stockingette-in-the-round variety.

I mentioned in my last post, what seems like a thousand years ago, that I had a hankering for a new sweater and was soon to cast on for one. I wanted a warm, comfy, practical sort of sweater. You know the kind - just roomy enough to pull on over a long sleeved t-shirt, but not a shapeless sack, looks good with jeans, not too fancy but not so dull to knit that you want to poke yourself in the eye. You know that sweater, everyone has one. I chose Salina by Kim Hargreaves in Rowan's Vintage Knits. It's has what I'm looking for - so far. I haven't quite finished it yet - all that remains is a sleeve and some sewing, but as it's so close to the end, I figure I'll share my thoughts with you anyway.

This is my first Rowan experience both in terms of pattern and yarn. It seems like Rowan inspires a great deal of knitterly loyalty, bordering on cult status at times and I had to see what I was missing. I've checked out their patterns before and generally like the simplicity and classic quality of their garments, but hadn't knit any, for whatever reason. I like the styling of the photo layouts in Vintage Knits and the colour of the yarn for Salina (and for the record, the yarn colour is not officially Swamp Pickle as I had been calling it, but Avocado). I even used the Rowan yarn called for in the pattern (Felted Tweed) which is not something I generally do, but I figured go big or stay home.

The pattern is well written and I've followed it almost exactly as written. Almost I say because I cannot bring myself to knit flat what can easily be knit in the round. This is my one gripe with Salina. The sweater has minimal shaping which is the same for both the front and back pieces - why not knit it in the round and save yourself the hassle of all that sewing and seaming? While it may take longer to cast on and get going, it's worth it to my view as it saves me from the tediousness of the finishing. I knit it in the round to the armhole shaping, the separated for the front and the back. Easy peasy. I knit the sleeves in the round too, using a provisional cast on so as to avoid sewing the cuffs to the sleeve. It just made more sense to me to do it that way, rather than knitting the cuff separately and sewing it on. Too much extra work.

The yarn itself is nice, a nice ratio of soft to scratchy, and I like the bits of blue that show up here and there in the midst of the avocado. It knits up nicely and I do like tweediness of it, it feels very fall-ish to me. However, I feel like I must mention the knots. Knots happen. I know this, I've mostly accepted it, but when each of the 6 balls that I've used so far has had one, and sometimes more, I become less understanding. It is particularly irksome when the knotty yarn is the product of a "big name" with designer status. Perhaps I got an unlucky lot, but it doesn't make me want to buy it again, pleasing soft/scratchy ratio aside.

With my sweater almost finished, a new winter coat bought and winter on it's way, I need some snazzy new accessories! I've taken an inventory and I am sad to report that I have only 2 knit scarves - lacy silk ones at that! I need something cozy and warm to keep the chill off and I think the stuff below just might do the trick:

It's soft, bulky, green and alpaca. Perfect! Now I just need to find the right pattern . . . .

Fall - the Best Season

I love fall - it is by far my favourite season. The colours, the cool, crisp air, it's an all around awesome time of year. Naysayers will point out that fall is quickly followed by winter, the longest, coldest season, but fall is where it's at. What's not to love about crinkling leaves underfoot? Wood smoke in chilly night air? Unexpectedly warm afternoons? Tasty warm beverages? It's all good according to us here at TBL. I took these photos on an afternoon hike on the Thanksgiving weekend. It was a beautiful day - gorgeous colours and warm sunshine. It was the colours that inspired me to knit these:

These are Nutkin socks by Beth LaPensee, knit up in Fleece Artist merino sock yarn that's been marinating in my stash for ages. The pattern is, as LaPensee suggests, easy to memorize and quick to knit. I enjoyed pattern/colourway combination immensely. I did make a few modifications to the pattern - I used 2.25mm dpns, substituted a flap heel for the short row heel and a round toe for the short row toe. Hmm, it seems that I wasn't feeling the short row love this time around.

I'm pretty happy with these socks, they already have good memories attached to them - I knit most of the first one at the Maritime Fall Fair while watching large horses pull large wagons while I ate some tasty, tasty fudge. A good way to spend an evening if I do say so myself. My only issue is with the fit of the sock - I have found that they tend to twist slightly on the leg. I like to have my socks stay in one place and I wonder if a ribbed cuff instead of the folded cuff would help to keep the sock in line so to speak. A minor quibble as I am pretty pleased with them.

So, it's almost Halloween, it's almost November - it must sweater season. I've got one in the works - do you?

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a WIP

A small project to keep me from succumbing to lace overload. Stay tuned for the finished object.

Socks by the sea

My Snappy Sweater wasn't the only knit to get some sun on my photo shoot - my Noro socks got in on the action too. I finished these sometime in late spring and they've hibernating until this week. They fit me better than the photo shows (I had just taken my shoes off and was goofing around with the settings on my camera).
What can I say about these babies? It was a simple ribbed sock, knit from the top down on 2mm dpns. Good and mindless. The colour changes kept things interesting - I love watching the colours play out, it's brilliant. The Kureyon sock yarn has the same issues that the worsted variety does - that irritating thick and thin business and off course those breaks in the yarn that mess up the colour patterning. But, we all know it and we keep going back for more. It's those colours, they sucker me in every time - this is funny because for those of you who know me (Mammals, this one's for you), you know that I'm not into "colour." I prefer monochromatic colour schemes, subtle shading, nothing too "loud." Except, it seems, in my socks.

Happy knitting!

A Snappy New Fall Sweater

Here is the latest addition to my sweater wardrobe, the A-line jacket from Drops. I love this sweater! I'm a big fan of the Drops patterns, but this was the first one that I have actually worked up. I searched it out on Ravelry and read all the reviews and they were right - it is an easy knit. I will admit however that I did not strictly follow the directions. There were a few modifications - I lengthened the body by a couple of inches, did a three needle bind-off for the shoulders and knit the sleeves in the round to save myself the seaming. I also decided to omit the buttonholes. This was not some clever design element, or an attempt to improve the pattern. This was me not paying attention. I didn't even notice. I happily knit all the pieces, seamed them together and THEN noticed my mistake. Sheesh. Well, there was no way that I was going to undo everything I had just done to add buttonholes so I decided to fake it. Under those big silver buttons lurk some shiny silver snaps. Cheating? Probably, but they work and you can't notice, so good enough for me.

Harrisville Yarns Orchid with Cashmere was the yarn of choice and a new one for me. This yarn is okay - not super, not sucky, but okay. I found it almost like a pencil roving - a little weak in spots, but easily fixable with a good spit splice. I'm betting that this stuff felts really nicely. I also have a feeling that this yarn will pill (think Malabrigo), but I'm hoping not too badly. The stitch definition is nice and I really like the way the double moss stitch showed up. The sweater is lightweight and warm and I'm happy with the fit. The only changes I would have made, aside from remembering the buttonholes, would have been to knit a few rows of double moss stitch instead of the garter stitch/2x2 ribbing along the bottom edge. Minor stuff to be sure.





Ah, the hazards of the self-portrait. Me, looking pleased to at the beach in my new sweater.

What's next for Through the Back Loop you ask? Well, I've still got a major commissioned piece to start, finish and mail, but I need to knit for me too. This morning was chilly and I was reminded that I really need a new scarf and some mittens. I'm also feeling the need for some colour work, so mittens it is - easy to carry around and relatively quick to knit up. An excellent alternative to all the lace coming my way. Now the hard part - picking the pattern and choosing the colours! While I struggle with these momentous decisions - I'll wish you warm hands and happy knitting.

It's in the bag

Hurray for pretty patterned napkins - they're just the right size for a project bag.

I dug out the sewing machine this week and made myself 2 zippered bags to carry my knitting around in. I modeled them after those super handy zippered pouches that sheet sets come in. Sewing is something I enjoy, but not something I do on a regular basis. It would probably be easier if I ever used a pattern, but I tend to make it up on the fly. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out, but I do need some practice putting in a zipper and there is a reason that there are no shots of the interior (somebody needs to work on prettifying the seams and that's all I'm going to say about that).

Then I decided that if I had fancy new knitting bags, I better have some knitting to carry around in them - my Conwy socks from Knitting on the Road were just the thing! I had admired the pattern for a while but a crazy notion that they would be too hard. I was happily proven wrong. The pattern is easy to follow and the yarn was lovely (and continues to be so, as I have quite a bit left over).

The colour is most accurate in the third pic - rats to living in such a dark apartment!

I used Fibre-Isle's Lovit Yarn (100g - 450 meters). It's a blend of merino, Lyocell and Canadian Bison. It felt a little twine-like in the beginning, but after being handled, it softens up considerably and feels pretty darn luxurious on my tootsies. With the 30% Lyocell content I was worried about elasticity and wanted to make sure that my socks wouldn't end up in a puddle around my ankles - to that end I think that Conwy was a good choice. The twining cable pattern hugs my leg pretty well, so far no slouching. I almost wish that I had made them longer, but I'm an impatient knitter and I wanted them finished now. The natural oatmeal colour of the yarn was also a factor in the pattern choice - it was crying out for a nice textured pattern to make it come alive. Plus, texture makes for a more interesting knit.

I really like the idea of having bison socks, it some how makes my feet feel warmer. This yarn was part of a present from my dad - he may not knit, but he's got good taste. This summer the Man and I, along with my sister and nephew, visited my dad in PEI. I had hoped to visit the Fibre-Isle mill, but after hayrides, giant potlucks, sightseeing and general vacationing, there just wasn't enough time in our weekend for a trip to the mill. Since I couldn't go to the mill, the mill, in a way, came to me. I was spoiled rotten with a gift of Bison sock yarn, 2 skeins of Niji lace weight and the Baby Cable shawl pattern. Bison-o-rama here I come! I'm hoping to have the shawl finished by the end of November so I can show him what it looks like, but it may not happen - I've got a time sensitive project on the go and it gets precedence for the time being.

Well, that's me for now. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get out and get some photos of my Drops sweater, snaps and all. Happy knitting!

I'm glad I went...

... to Pacafiesta. Despite the threat of tropical storm Kyle, Mammals, the Man and I hit the road in search of alpaca goodness. And I'm happy to report that we found some.

While the Man went off to talk alpacas with the exhibitors, Mammals and I made the rounds. After today, I have decided that I most definitely need me some alpacas and cashmere goats.

I spent a bit of time talking to the woman with the cashmere goats and got to pet them for a bit - very friendly little critters. I was trying to convince myself that I could take one home and pass it off as an exotic breed of dog, but decided against it. It was the horns. Dogs just don't have horns. Or cloven hooves.

The Man has discovered a love of alpacas and has declared, on the record, that they are in fact cool, and that he would like to have "some" in the future. To which I say, sweet! Think I can train them to sleep on the futon?

Alpacas and goats and bunnies. Oh my!

In addition to soft sheep and awesome alpacas, there were also a few angora bunnies. I'm fairly certain that the bunnies are actually very small under all that fuzz. I have a love of angora - so soft! So luxurious! So incredibly bad for my allergies! It seems so unfair to react so badly to something so soft (picture swollen, itchy eyes and itchy, runny nose. Beautiful). But who can resist those twitchy little noses?

Lest you be misled into the belief that it was all animal gazing, we ogled some yarns too. Oh the yarns! Rich, chocolate browns, creamy natural whites, silvery greys and that was just one booth! I steeled myself against temptation and was pretty successful. I could not resist the colourful sock yarns of the The Black Lamb Hand Weaving and Spinning Shoppe. They had so many lovely shades that I had a hard time picking just one ( and I am proud of myself for only purchasing one single skein - we all know how I feel about sock yarn). I chose one in a various shades of grey, pewter and blues - picture the ocean under a cloudy sky. It's pretty soft and I'm looking forward to knitting it up some time in the nearish future.

The fibre fondling didn't stop there - I also picked up 2 skeins of a 50% alpaca 50% merino blend from Legacy Lane Fiber Mill. Two squishy skeins of grey/blue softness. I haven't really decided what they'll eventually become, but as Mammals says, anything that soft belongs around your neck. I do need a new scarf - well, can you ever really have enough scarves? I say no. Mammals, not to be outdone, scooped up 2 skeins of chocolaty brown alpaca and some crazy -coloured sock yarn too. She's on a serious scarf kick right now and I'm looking forward to seeing what

she comes up with.

Mammals and I cuddle up to some yarny goodness.

I've pretty quiet lately - as in I'm sure some of you might have thought that I fell off the face of the earth - there has been lots of knitting, just not documented knitting. I finished the Drops sweater a few days ago - all finished except for the buttonholes which I forgot to add. Dumb, dumb, dumb. I didn't even notice. Instead of unseaming and ripping back, I've decided to fake it - snaps. After bar hooks failed to work out, I'm confident that snaps are the way to go. When all is washed and blocked, a fashion shoot and post will be in short order. I've also got some hats to show off and some other goodies in the works. So please stay tuned. Until then, happy knitting!

Pacafiesta 2008! Woot!

Save up your pennies - Pacafiesta 2008 edition is September 26-28th. I am excited! See you there!

Fun with blocking and a Trellis update

A few weeks ago I ordered a blocking kit from Knit Picks. I wanted to see what the fuss was about. They arrived in their nifty mailing tube and sat unopened and neglected for a few days until I had the time to block out the Trellis scarf. Trellis, if you remember, was not an inspiring sight fresh off the needles, all wrinkly, bunchy and scrunched up from being lugged around in my purse and whatnot, lace never is. I broke out my new blocking wires and got to work. What a difference between blocking with wires and using pins alone. Blocking wires can accomplish amazing things, transforming one's knitted lump into a piece of open, lacy goodness.

I'll admit that threading the wire along the long side of my scarf was not the most fun I've ever had, but the patience paid off. Using these wires means goodbye to puckered, uneven edges. No more scalloping! It's much easier to ensure that your item is a consistent width from top to bottom and allows you to adjust things as needed. So much better than the alternative of using a million dressmaker's pins. I am a convert. Trellis is now washed, blocked, wrapped and ready for gifting. I'm always a little anxious when knitting for someone else - I know what I like, what colours and patterns that I prefer, and therefore tend to second guess myself when knitting gift items. I'm reasonably confident that I've chosen well in matching up the pattern, colour, fibre and recipient.

After putting the finishing touches on Trellis, I returned to a project that I had begun for myself but had put aside. I bought a skein of the Fleece Artist's Suri Blue in the marine colourway. I love that yarn - slightly fuzzy, light, warm and beautiful. I chose to knit up a shoulderette version of Laminaria from Knitty. I was intrigued by the Estonian stitches and was looking for a challenge. It was an enjoyable knit - even if I did have to frog the whole first edging because I couldn't find my mistake. Unlike Trellis, where I found it easy to "read" what the stitches were doing because of the predictable geometry of the pattern, I found it much harder to do that with Laminaria due to the organic nature of the shapes and therefore harder to find my mistakes. After I got used to the pattern and could "read" the situation better, it was smooth sailing.

The pattern is well written and the charts are clear and error free. I did modify it slightly by taking the suggestion of a knitter on Ravelry and changing the k3togs in the second half of the Star chart to sssk for a more balanced pattern - a minor element, but one that I'm glad I did. I was completely underwhelmed when I cast off - so small! So uninspiring! So not what I was hoping for. Blocking saved the day (or is shawl?). Blocking was essential. It totally opened up and the designs that I had been trying to read were suddenly very apparent and beautiful. I am pretty happy with my version of Laminaria and I recommend the pattern to anyone who wants to learn a new thing or two and is looking for a more challenging lace project. I'm looking forward to wearing this one!

After all this lace, I'm looking for a bit of a breather before I plunge back in. Today I cast on for this after hearing that the Farmer's Almanac is predicting a really chilly winter. No holes, no double yarn overs and no k3tog, ssk combinations, it should go pretty quickly (or should I say that out loud? Did I just jinx myself?).

Happy knitting!

Old MissKnit had a farm. . .

. . . and on her farm there were some sheep, e-i, e-i, o. After all the intense lace activity of recent weeks, I really wanted a fun, easy project and these sheep by Fiber Trends were just the thing. I love them. I intended to just have the one, but quickly realized that one is the loneliest number and that he needed company. Then I thought some more and thought that a third would really round out the group. The fourth, made of left over Noro, is a gift for a friend who is more than a little obsessed with that crazy colourful yarn. Good times all the way around. After all the laceweight it was pretty nice to have a heavier weight yarn and needles in my hands. Plus, knitting a three dimensional object is pretty satisfying. As an added bonus, I've got myself some sheep friends. Sweet. Now I just need to name them. . . .

In which I attempt to sew.

No, it's not knitting, but it is related to yarn. Kind of. Last night I broke out the sewing machine and made myself some lavender sachets to nestle in the stash in an effort to a) make the yarn smell nice and b) guard against moths. I don't have a moth problem and I intend to keep it that way. I am not the seamstress that decodaco is, but I try. I figure I can only get better with practice, so stay tuned for adventures in sewing (for yarn!).

Where yarn comes from. . .

. . . it comes from Woolly Boy.

Helloooo.....Is anybody out there?

I blame you not if you've abandoned me for greener pastures, blogs that are you know, updated and current and stuff. I fully intended to be post-y and whatnot, but summer got in the way. I could justify the long absence with the somewhat flimsy rationale that I've been working on long-term projects that required the full extent of my focus (partially true. Kinda), or that one of them is a wedding gift and the bride might discover my posts (not even a remote possibility), but really, I've got no excuses. So, if you're still around - you're a wonderfully patient person and I hug you from here.

My biggest project to date - in terms of size and stitch count - has got to be the Bird's Nest Shawl from Cheryl Oberle's Folk Shawls. I love this shawl. It's my favourite kind of lace project - not too fussy and easy to memorize. Knitting this does require patience and perseverance as it's knit length-wise, but I think the results are worth it.

I used 6 or so skeins Drops' Alpaca on 4mm Addi Lace needles and am really pleased with the result. The pattern is clearly written and easy to follow. Oberle suggests lace weight held double throughout for this project, but I found that the alpaca produced a nice lightweight fabric that drapes beautifully and is very warm. It's also considerably less expensive than cashmere. But splitty and sheddy. It hurts me to say it, as I love Drops Alpaca and possess a considerable amount, but I will admit that it sheds like mad and can be a pain in the arse with the splitting. My solution? Refrain from wearing dark colours whilst knitting and pay a little bit of attention to what you're doing. Not exactly a revelation, I realize, but it works for me.

Blocking, as with any lace project, really opened up the pattern. Even my Man was impressed with this one (no small accomplishment in itself). There are more photos of it in all it's purple glory here. [Photos.Photos are one of the main reasons that I don't blog more. Dealing with photos in Blogger makes me want to chew off my own arm in frustration. It doesn't need to be this difficult. Just sayin'.]

Also on the lace front, I decided to knit a lacy scarf as a gift for a good a friend's wedding. I gave myself a month to finish it. I managed to complete it 2 weeks. I showered and ate and had a life and stuff, and still managed to get the Trellis Lace Scarf finished with time to wash, block and wrap it. Not that I have actually wash or blocked it yet, but for good reason. The blocking wires I ordered from KnitPicks are due to arrive tomorrow and I really want to try those out. So, as it stands, the Trellis Scarf is a rather unappetizing rumpled lump, desperately crying out for some finishing touches.

I chose Jaggerspun Zephyr 2/18 in Lady Slipper pink for the bride-to-be. It is not a colour I would choose for myself, but I think that it suits the recipient pretty well. This was my first time knitting with it a true lace weight and I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought somehow that lace weight would be more difficult to work with, but not so much. It did take some getting used to , the thin yarn on 4mm needles (Addi lace needles again. I have some to appreciate those pointy brass needles - particularly when knitting 7 stitches into 5), but it wasn't as difficult as I thought. The yarn itself doesn't really set me on fire - it's nice (and I have 2 skeins in the stash), but I'm not in love. I found it prone to splitting at inopportune moments (like the 7 into 5 manoeuvre), and it felt rather papery to me - probably owing to the silk content. That said it knits into a lovely, floaty fabric and most of the folks who have seen it really liked it, even if pink isn't their deal.

The pattern is easy to follow and made perfect sense to me -I've some Ravelry reviews that called it quite challenging, but didn't find it overly vexing. I watched tv and managed to keep things on track. The one issue I do have with this pattern is the asymmetrical ending borders. I hate them. The beginning border is scalloped and leads quite nicely to the main diamond/trellis pattern that comprises the body of the scarf. The ending border ends straight across, with a half diamond shape. This didn't make much sense to me, so I searched Ravelry for an alternative. I found a chart for an ending border that continued the diamond shaping but could not for the life of me get it to work. I'm not sure what I was doing wrong, but I gave up. Ultimately I cast on for a second beginning border and grafted it to the scarf. It worked out pretty well and is a much better fit that the original ending. I will post pics when the blocking extravaganza is underway (hopefully tomorrow!).

There is another lace shawl in the works, but it will have to wait for my next post - which will be much sooner in coming than this one was. Thanks again if you've stuck around or are making a return visit to the Back Loop, I appreciate it. If you're curious as to my other projects, I'm Ravelry as MissKnit - drop by or add me as a friend (I'm friendly - really).

Happy Knitting!

Blue Root

Here they are (finally!), pics of the finished Rusted Root. All the details and mods and whatnots are in my previous post. Enjoy!

As for new knitting? I've got nothin'. Nice weather finally arrived and I took advantage!

Beautiful weather can't last forever (can it?) so it's back to knitting. I feel the urge for something new. . . maybe a sweater? Hmm, any suggestions?