Today seems like the perfect day to share a spoiler pic of Spring Snow with you all. The pattern is currently being test knit (thank you so much gals!) and one of the knitters has finished it already!!! That was super quick! I’m hoping to get some better photos taken in the near future to share with you all 
Happy Monday!
Still working steadily away on my new pattern and thought that today would be the perfect day to share a couple of spoiler pics.
I have chosen to name this shawl “Spring Snow” because it is soft, fluffy, and delicate, much like the last snows of the year. The basis of the shawl is a garter stitch triangle with a knitted on top edging and a lovely geometric lace border.
The patterns is in the final stage of writing and will soon be sent out to be test knit. I’m looking forward to making another Spring Snow already.
I’ve been working on a new pattern and have decided to give you a little sneak peek of what is going on. I’m being extra tricky too, because you can only see a teensy little piece but I will give you a few hints:
That, and I’m knitting it is Rowan’s Kidsilk Haze … one of my favorite yarns. I always feel incredibly spoiled when I get to play with this particular yarn.
So that is all I’m going to share about this project for the moment, but do check back as I plan to post more spoiled pics as I go along.
Happy WIP Wednesday everyone!
Today is a strange day … I’ve been sitting here trying to write a post about my Lichen Mists and I words just don’t seem to want to come. Me, at a loss for words? Strange indeed! Call it March madness, call it spring fever … all I want to do is be outside
Since I can’t find the words to do my yummy new shawl justice, I’ll keep it short and sweet.
Now, this girl is going back outside to enjoy the delicious evening sunshine that makes spring so very tempting.
Happy weekend all!
Handspun Lichen Mists Shawl
Sunday afternoon, I started coming down with a little flu-ish type bug. I snuggled up in my chair with a cozy blanket, a hot cup of tea, and some knitting and made a really great start on my Juneberry Triangle.
This is one of those patterns that I knew I just HAD to knit as soon as I saw it. I’m a big fan of Jared Flood’s designs and this one in particular is exceptional. I love how the lace patterns flow into each other, the superb texture, and the fact the pattern works well in both worsted and sport weight yarns. Actually, truth be told, since I’m currently knitting it in fingering weight yarn, it works well in that weight too. And it is quite surprisingly a quick knit (I’m currently finishing up the last 1/3 of the knitted edging) despite the intricacy of the lace patterns and bobbles which make this shawl pattern so wonderful.
Due to the healing combo of rest, good tea, and knitting I am feeling much better now AND I’ve almost finished a new shawl.
In other news, here in Prince Edward Island was are ushering in Spring with a bit of a snow storm. I was also told that on both Spring and Autumn Equinox that you can balance an egg on its end so you know that the kids and I had to try it out. And do you know what? It takes some time and patience but it really does work.
How are you enjoying your first day of Spring?
As many of you know, I set “rules” for myself when it comes to crafting … no more than 3 knitted WIPs at a time and if it doesn’t fit in my stash basket, I don’t need it … just to name two. It may seem a little strange, or even restrictive to do so, but believe me, it saves me from crafting induced insanity and losing all my good circulars in a mountain of WIPs. These “rules” also help me to prioritize. If I start a project that I don’t love, I frog it and save the yarn for something I feel it is more suited towards. I also seem to have a sub-conscious rule that I absolutely MUST have a shawl in-progress at all times.
Enter Lichen Mists by Ruth Garcia-Alcantud.
I was gifted this beautiful pattern from my dear friend Tina (thank you so much!) and I knew immediately what yarn this shawl would be knit in … Nevermore. I have had this special skein of handspun sitting in my stash like a treasured jewel since 2011. I would take it out, admire it, contemplate using it for a project and then put it back because it just didn’t feel right yet. When I wound it into a ball and started knitting my Lichen Mists with it, the feeling was YES! This skein of yarn was WAITING for this project.
Lichen Mists is a beautifully written pattern for an elegant lace shawl/shawlette that can be worked up in either lace or fingering weight yarns. It is perfect for any yarn that has nice drape and a bit of silkiness to it, as this handspun does. The pattern is also slightly addictive. I’ve knit half my shawl already and am eager to knit some more!
So do you save “special” balls of yarn like I do? Do you make crafting “rules” for yourself? I’d love to hear!
I’ve been wanting to knit an Orchid Thief for ages now and finally decided it was time.
I had originally started this pattern in some lovely magenta colored handspun Shetland but the yarn kept telling me it wanted to be something in garter stitch so who am I to argue with the yarn? I had some purple linen, some snowy white Kidsilk Haze, and some beautiful teal alpaca laceweights in my stash all wanting to be knit but in the end it was the bamboo that won out. And I am so glad that I chose this yarn.
The yarn is Belfast Mini-Mills Bamboo Laceweight and it is so soft, silky, and drapey when knit up (especially into lace). It also has a sheen to it so it give it that extra something. It makes such a light and airy shawl … I love it!
As far as actual knitting time, this project definitely counts as a knitting binge … I finished the shawl and blocked it in under 6 days! It felt like ages since I’ve knit lace because I’ve been having such a blast with colorwork lately, so when I started knitting the shawl I just couldn’t put it down.
What projects have you been working on lately? Is there anything that you just can’t seem to put down? I’d love to hear all about it!
I really love lace shawls. Like REALLY love them. I like the challenge that new lace presents, the twists and turn, and never quite know what to expect (I’m a really bad one for just diving into patterns and not reading all the way through). And the only thing better is getting to do it all with handspun.
My sweet fiber sister Tina, of Peacefully Knitting fame, posted pictures of her gorgeous chocolate and carmel colored shawl and I knew right then and there that I had to knit one too!
I decided on 8oz og BFL in “Shades of Burgundy” colorway by Greenwood Fiberworks for my fiber and spun it up fractally as a 2 ply fingering weight. and then started knitting. I was a little undecided for a while as to whether I would knit the entire shawl in the Shades of Burgundy or if I should use a solid color for the lace edging but after perusing quite a few finished Oaklets on Ravlery, I decided to be a maverick (well, as maverick as I go anyway!) and knit it all from the planned handspun. You know what? I absolutely love how it turned out! I only used a tiny bit of the second skein of handspun so I have enough left over for some rocking fingerless glove to match!
I also wanted to mention that I used our Green Monster (our rose bush) as the backdrop for the pictures. This rose bush, along with smelling amazing and producing hundreds (yes, I’m serious, hundreds) of blooms, is taller than our house. How cool is that? This baby is the stuff that fairy tales are made of
Hope you all have an amazing weekend and I’ll catch you on Monday morning with my Tour de Fleece progress report.
… #4, Tina of Peacefully Knitting! Congratulations and I know you’re going to really enjoy Flukra. I can’t wait to see what yarn you pick for your shawl!
If you’d love to knit the pattern and wish for some comradery, there is a Flukra KAL going on in The Shetland Trader group on Ravlery. Grab your favorite laceweight yarn and head on over!
Have a wonderful day and happy lace knitting everyone!
I would like to share an extra special project with you all today … my Gold Leaf Socks.
Back in 2009, my son gave me a marigold plant for my garden. The tiny little seedling grew into the biggest marigold plant that I have ever seen and I thought what better way to make my present last than to dye some yarn with it! Unfortunately, I don’t have the link with the exact directions that I used but I do have the pictures that I took of the process.
My pretty yarn sat in my stash for ages because I just couldn’t find that project that was exactly right for my extra special yarn. You know what I’m talking about … every knitter has that one or two special balls of yarn in their stash. And then this spring, I came across Julie Clare’s Gold Leaf Socks pattern on Ravelry and I KNEW that was the pattern I had been saving my yarn for!
The lace pattern is easy to memorize and very beautiful and the socks knit up very quickly. I did mod the heel and the toe of the pattern because I got stuck at the Dr’s office without the pattern but I can’t wait to make another pair with no mods.
I love my new socks and can’t wait to wear them!
Do you have a skein or two of yarn in your stash that is waiting for that extra special project? I love to hear about it!
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