be sorry before

The Bees are Finally In The Field...

The swarm almost had me undone, but I'm now on to the penultimate section of Bee Fields







I cannot get over those little hummers!  This is one fantastic pattern ... cannot wait to finish so I can move on to the stole version the "other lace yarn" - looks like I'll be able to score the pattern tomorrow?

Safe home, Anne ...

Move over, Buckwheat Honey ...

I was hoping against hope that this wouldn't arrive before I finished my first Bee Fields, but it did:








and the obligatory close-ups for comparison:







thank you, Cara and Tina, I think ...

now what????

BROUGHT BACK DOWN TO EARTH ...

OK - I was sailing along and finally got stung!  Last night, while I was in the throes of passionate knitting of the Bee Fields, somewhere along the line I made a booboo - no lifelines for me on this one, unfortunately ...

so most of the day today was spent tinking back to where I could discern the error - found it, only about 2-1/2 rows back (thank the deities).  Phew!

and thanks to the other deities that I had stocked up on stitch markers; I do believe I am now using almost every single one I have (and, for those of you who know me well, that's probably a fib!)







notice how the frog and the hippo are looking on with great glee ...

and now - here's a taste of what arrived in the mail today (personal birthday present to myself):








I daren't open it for fear of starting it - better to let it marinate in the box - should I just wrap it up and put a bow on it?

HONEY - DAHDAH DAHDA DAH da - oH SUGAR SUGAR - DAHDAHD DAHDA DAH da - YOU ARE MY CANDY GIRL ... AND i CAN'T STOP LOVIN' YOU ...

pardon me for using the "old fart" song tag line for these shots - I really can see the "bees" in the swarm - 3rd pic best of show - don't you see a little stinger in there?

I do -

back to knitting -

I Am Curious ...

did I say in my Ravelry Profile that the only color I didn't like was yellow?

well, I lied:

BUZZIN'

I finally think that I now have a lace project that I WILL finish!  I waited patiently for the arrival of my Bee Fields kit from Wooly Wonka Fibers. 

We had a choice of either 1200 yds of Tupelo Gold or Buckwheat Honey - if you go to "new products" on the left of the website, you will see the options - I picked Buckwheat Honey. 

It arrived yesterday... due to some sleep issues, I found myself winding one skein of it at around 430am:

I forgot how QUIET this city is at that time of day, especially in the summer when no one is in town (at least in my neck of the woods).

Of course, I HAD to start the shawl:







too sweet!  Thank you, Anne!

CASHMERE ... OH. MY. GOD.

Thanks to Little Knits, this arrived AS PROMISED about half an hour ago: 







1280 yds (approx.) of the most luscious laceweight cashmere yarn I've seen and/or felt in a long time - what, pray tell, should I make from it?

I'm open to suggestions - please advise ...

ps - it's "Ruby Slippers" from Jade Sapphire Special Edition, colorway #11, in case anyone is interested!

GLOB O' GREY

When last we spoke of lace, I was debating whether to use the red Lacy Lamb or the Cashmere & Silk, both products of Jade Sapphire, for the Poncho from ekebo designs - I decided on the Cashmere & Silk - it has the most amazing sheen with a slightly lavender undertone, and is a pleasure to knit with.  The Addi lace needles are still amazing as well.

It's been a real adventure since its beginning - took me three or four attempts to really get it going with quite a bit of expert advice (thanks to a  lace-knitting goddess in another city)... it's in the works, and totally addictive!  I think I've got less than half done since then, but here's what I've done so far:

and since Wendy was discussing stitch markers, here's a not-so-great closeup of the adorable ones I got from Hide and Sheep: (please click to enlarge).  They are touted as dangle-free, and, by gum, they really are!

In the Breaking News department, Kauni has arrived in NYC!  You can find it in all its rough-hewn and colorful glory at Knitty City.  You can see really good shots of Ruth Sorensen's cardi at Melinda's blog. 

Tune in to my next installment for pix of what I actually broke down and bought.

Nitey nite, all.

Lace Mania: MOI?

OK - so I'm hooked; so that doesn't mean that every day during the beginning of the summer doldrums I should have to buy a new pattern just because this wonderful designer is having a summer sale (ends 5/30) on her downloadable patterns.

It also doesn't mean that I have to go out and find new yarn just because I have nothing better to do here in the Big Apple.  But this pattern really called to me; and, since Instant Gratification might just be my middle name, I headed down the block to Knitty City ... mirabile dictu, they were open TODAY (Memorial Day) - good girl, Pearl!

Since I needed a laceweight yarn that approximated 500m per 50g, and I had one ball of this,

which doubled (meaning I needed about 2 more balls) would give me the hopefully correct yardage for the poncho,

and of course, there were its identical twins just waiting for me...

and then, I saw some more,


which I HAD to spring for (don't ask...)




so, my question to you, is:
which one? 

I'll swatch BOTH and see which makes me happier.



ps another kittypic from the Coco archives ... she's gotten so big that I really cannot tell her apart from her aunt Kiki!

SOLUTIONS

At some point in my Sea Silk mania, I started to make the Diamond Fantasy Shawl by Sivia Harding.  Here's a little picture of the beginning:

and, as is my wont, I put it down ... must be that AKADHD that I'm inflicted with.

While I was doing some reorganizing and sorting the other day, I happened upon a pattern for the Gothic Leaf Stole, also by the multi-talented Ms. Harding!  Eureka - a real garment that I probably would actually finish, and it called for the same amount of yarn - so, I ripped the DFS, and started the GLS, and have gotten through 4 repeats out of 12 for the first half and hopefully will continue on with it - the beauty part for me, at least, is that it's a very easily memorizable lace pattern, and it stays the same, i.e., doesn't grow widthwise, just lengthwise - (maybe that's why I have trouble finishing triangular shawls?)

I'm using my new Addi Turbo Lace Knitting Needles in 4mm/US6 - why oh why won't the Skacel people make them in at least 4.5mm/US7s and 5mm/US8s?  I find that a lot of my lace knitting yarn lends itself to that particular size of needle - maybe if enough knitters who happen to like the needles ask?

Also in my reorganization fervor, I found a really cute baby picture of Coco!

Continuing in the "all things round and beautiful" category, I also rediscovered this handy little item, which I had found at Brooklyn General when they first opened a couple of years ago...