There's something sweet and wistful

And so it seems that summer is officially over. Like Kylie though, I don't much trust Australia's understanding of our imposed calendar, and I'm pretty certain it will be a while before I need to break out the woollies (to wear, that is).

I was a very bad KAL-er for the Long Lacy Summer, although I was there in spirit! I got a little tied up with deadline knits (more on that shortly) and didn't achieve my aim of knitting something in actual laceweight yarn.

I do, however, have two FOs to log for the LLS, but sadly only crap-o-rama pics to go with them. In the interests of brevity, I'll spare you the typically drawn-out FO post and cut to the chase.

1. December-January-February Baby Sweater


Pattern: FBS by E. Zimmerman, from the Knitter's Almanac

Yarn: Lincraft cozy-wool, gifted by Bec and hand-dyed by moi (using Gaywool acid dyes)

Sticks: 5mm Knitpicks Options

Mods: Being so enamoured of the top-down seamless knit, I decided I could go one better than EZ's "almost seamless baby sweater" and do the sleeves in the round as well. Instead of following the pattern as written, I put the sleeve sts on waste yarn, cast on 14 sts between the front and back (for each sleeve), knit the body in one piece, then when back to do the sleeves. I made sure to take the sleeves off on a purl row so I could cast on the sts without interrupting the pattern.

I'm pretty happy with the result; the yarn and pattern seem to go together quite well. The gull stitch pattern went quite smoothly once I got the hang of it.

But therein lies the problem: before I got the hang of it, I cocked it up spectacularly. Right in the front.

See?

Well, even if you can't, I'm sure a show judge would. It was intended as an entry to the Canberra Show, but with that mistake, it will just be worn (with great panasche) by the Princess instead.

It was a fun knit, though, and I might give it another crack for next year. I'll certainly file it away for future baby gifts because it finishes really nicely.

2. Liesel
Pattern: on Rav and also here.

Yarn: Fibreworks Lustre 8ply in colour #18

Sticks: 4.5 mm straights

This is a really lovely and straightforward pattern; I knit it as written for 30 repeats with 4 rows garter each end..

The photo above shows it unblocked, I'm afraid; I was not clever enough to remember to take any of it blocked before I handed it over as a Show entry. I will add some shortly, though, for it bloomed beautifully.

How did it go in the Show, I hear you ask?

You'll just have to wait for that story!

And so ends my paultry contribution to the Long Lacy Summer. I'm looking forward to Bells' wrap-up sometime soon!

Day 20: Summer lacin'

I have long suffered from Lace Lust, but suffered it in conjuction with Lack of Time and Too Many Projects. For some reason, lace seems like an indulgence to me when there are other things to be knitted.

And, I really must admit, I'm a teeny tiny bit scared of it. Not so much the charts and the complexity, but the fineness of laceweight yarn and the un-tink-ability of it. All those yarn overs and knit-together stitches - once it's knit, it's knit. So it's a bit scary. I'd rather not start than muff it up.

My first lace experience was very positive and completely enjoyable, but I just haven't gotten around to more. And it was in 8ply, so avoiding the fineness issue.

However, we must grow as knitters and crocheters, and I will evade the issue no longer. I have decided to join Bells in the Long Lacy Summer.

I've got a few different yarn options in the stash (oh, shut UP already!); a couple of 2plys, lots of 4plys. For the most part, I haven't gotten as far as matching patterns with yarns yet, but do have a bit of a wish list.

This malabrigo laceweight is slated for a Lace Ribbon Scarf.


I would love to tackle a Branching Out, Leisel has caught my eye and I'm quite partial to the Monteverde Scarf. The Woodland Shawl is on my list, as is the Haruha scarf, the Waltz and Travelling Vines.

Hmmm, I can see a pattern here - these are all scarves or stoles! Maybe its the full-blown triangular shawl I'm afraid of.....

So I hereby challenge myself to knit a triangular shawl this summer. Maybe a Forest Canopy? It's the only one in my Ravelry queue!

Are there any other suggestions for triangular shawls that you've loved knitting?

Here's the skein I'm going to designate to this challenge:

110g / 990 m of Fibreworks laceweight, colour #5. Crap photo but it's deep purples and blues through to silvery mid-grey.

Any thoughts?

I'm nervous already!