Swallowtail Lace Shawl ! ! ! ! ! !

I have enjoyed this project sooooooo much that I could not put it down. It has been blocked and as I write this post it is drying out in the fresh air under the gazebo. I must say thanks again to Deb, she came out and helped me with the first shawl last week and kindly loaned me her blocking wires while she is on holiday. I will buy a blocking kit because, for sure, I love the lace and will knit more.

The yarn is Zauberball from Germany. I adore way the colour shows up on the finished project. It is very rich looking. I have to admit, though, that I guess I cheated a bit, I wish to express my apology to Evelyn Clark, but I put little shiny beads in place of the "nupps". Next time I promise I will work the nupps. I was just trying to give the shawl a little different look. This is my second pattern by E. Clark and she has me hooked, her patterns are sooooooooo well done and easy to follow. Having the rows written and charted suits me just fine. I am not really a charted knitter but I am working on it.

Deb, I have not forgotten the JJ Jacket. The left side and the left sleeve is finished. I Just have to do the right side and sleeve and it will be done. Heavy wool yarn, is hot to knit in August in Canada, so I needed a little break, Swallowtail Shawl, what a break!!!!!!!!

Until next time MommaBearKnits on into the night.

Thanks Deb!

Thanks Deb. You came to my house and look what happened. The shawl is great. I cannot wait for it to dry. In this case a picture truly is worth a thousand words.

MommaBear loves the look of the blocked shawl and is eager to get the next one done. Oh, I am still stroking, loving, and slipping the string over my sticks, JJ is coming along great.

MommaBearKnits in ever colour of the rainbow -----

MOMMABEARKNITS

Lace Addiction! I Guess!

Don't worry, I am still working on J Jacket. So far I have completed more than 3/4 of the left side panel. But--------- I just could not resist the two balls of Zauberball that were sitting in full view. I had already chosen the pattern "Swallowtail Lace Shawl" by Evelyn Clark, it was printed off and sitting on my desk. I just had to start it. The yarn has a very nice feel as it flows between my fingers and over my sticks. It will have to take a back seat to J Jacket though. I will work on the shawl in the mornings and the jacket in the afternoons and evenings. I cannot, I will not, let lace take over my life. Oh yeah, I am playing around in my head the concept of a girl's wrap cardigan with lace, oh my Gawd, I am hooked. The picture looks big but it is actually only about 6 inches of work done-----a long way to go.
Until next time MOMMABEARKNITS boy does she knit and she loves it. Deb and I will be blocking the white shawl that I just completed, it is a gift for a very special person.

Done; Done; Done; Progress; Begun

Done!!!!

Huggy Bear with cabled collar and cuffs

Done!!!!

Ten pairs of Baby Socks

Done!!!!!

Shawl

It measures 58"X25" before blocking. I think it will surpass the pattern blocked measurements of 64"X32" no problem. I cannot wait to see it blocked. I really enjoyed it and could not put it down, that is why it is finished so quickly.

Progress!!!!

I am still working on Lynda's Fancy Stitch Cozy. No point in showing it again until it is finished.

BEGUN!!!!

AND!!!!!!! NOW!!!!!!!

I am knitting, along with Deb, the final vesion of the "J" series.

Adult "JJ" is on the table.

It will have a collar and be more of a warm fall/winter jacket than a cardigan. I am more than half way through the collar, LONG WAY TO GO, GARTER STITCH IS A LOT OF KNITTING BUT WELL WORTH IT.

Until next post MOMMABEARKNITS

Acorns and Shawls - how weird is that?

First the update for the shawl. I have finished the centre and begun the inner border. The border has 262 stitches on the needle to begin the border and will end with 370 stitches. Then the lace edging begins. I cannot take a picture of 262 stitches on a relatively short circular needle, I know I should put the stitches on a string but whatever, maybe next time when I post. I will have to go to my LYS and see just how long a circular needle is available. The stitches are getting crowded and I am afraid of them slipping off. For the time being I will put the shawl away and work on the many other projects that are on my plate. Socks, Socks, Baby Jackets, and of course my next pattern.

In the meantime, I was asked about an acorn baby hat for a gift. As you may know, I cannot stop at just a hat soooooooooo this is what I have come up with.

The colour is a little off as the jacket and socks are still wet and the hat is not. I will place a couple of leafs somewhere on the jacket, any suggestions where to place them? I also am still looking for acorn buttons or if not then perhaps a leaf button. Again, any suggestions?

Apparently the acorn has some sort of sentimental connection between a sister and a brother. The brother's wife is expecting a baby in August and the sister wants to gift him and his wife with an acorn. I think that is nice and I am happy to accommodate. I searched the web and my many books and did not find an acorn pattern anywhere. Perhaps soon there will be one, you never know!!!!!

Until next time MommaBearKnits and she also designs. She is having a great retirement too! Life is good in Ontario Canada and summer is coming on. So are the black flies and mosquitos, oh well, that is the way it has always been and hopefully will still be.

Shawl Progress

I am now at the end of Row 79; 84 stitches on the needles. The test ball of yarn is done, need to go and get some more to finish the project. The shawl is a go with the yarn I am testing. I will likely pick up the rest on Wednesday, the day I go to visit my knitting guru (Deb).

Next an update on my grandbaby Rusty the Cruster Ruster. He is taking over my life now that I am home a lot more. He insists on his walk each and every day, rain or shine. To get my attention he steals one of my walking shoes and proceeds to the centre of the living room and shakes the daylights out of it. So now I am trying to train him to go and get the second shoe so that we can get on the road again. Not easy, have you ever tried to train a hound to do anything that does not involve animal tracks, animal scent, or food. Ooops, got to go, he just came down the hall with the shoe, now I will try to convince him to bring the other one.

Oh dear, he just did, that was a fluke. He really must want to go out with me. I can tell myself that he is learning but that would be a false statement. He is just in a devil mood. I will keep on trying and perhaps will some day succeed.

Until then, MommaBearKnits.

OFF ON A NEW DIRECTION

Well not really. I am already going in all directions with my "Baby ???", but now I started a shawl. Well, hopefully I will start it. Right now I am just checking out the pattern and choosing the yarn. I am working a sample of the pattern with a Sportsweight/DK. The pattern calls for size 5mm needles, I tried that, didn't like the look. Went to 6mm, still a little too tight. Settled on a 6.5mm. Time will tell, if the yarn pleases me, I will purchase more to finish the project.

So far I have worked 33 rows and have 38 stitches on the needle. Long way to go! The Pattern is called Highland Triangle Shawl from the book called `Folk Shawls` by Cheryl Oberle. After completing 171 rows, I next have to work the `Inner Border` then a lace pattern, then a Lace Edging. I think that is it. The centre pattern is charted (not my thing) and the edging is written out, then the Lace Edging is charted. Wish me luck, I am going to need it. This project has a special meaning to me, as it will be a gift for a special person. Cannot elaborate more than that, she just might visit my blog. I doubt it, she is not a knitting kook like me, but she might.

MommaBearKnits, what else is new.