Less Is Sometimes More

I am really in love with this Antique lace pattern and intend to wear it to death when I'm done but I really, really, really wish that Ilga had created fewer charts/written sections for each piece. When I am knitting the V-neck - for one row - I am having to read three different sets of directions (each with different numbering conventions) - and sometimes the directions are on different pages or different sides of the same page. So it is taking me forever to do one row. Oh well - what can I do. I do love it.

And here is the back:



And this is where I stopped. The right front is done (waiting to be attached to the back) and I'm about 9 rows from the end of the left front:



But I do love it.

And I won't bore you with all my yard photos: but here are a few (please ignore the lawn. It rained here on the day my mower guy comes so the lawn is sorely needing to be mowed):

And here are my peonies..and one lonely bleeding heart (I would love to move it but I'm afraid it will die since I tried to separate it one year and the offspring didn't make it). This flower bed is the only part of my yard that isn't as dry as the rest since it gets the shade of my house in the hot afternoon sun.



Here is my terrace. I planted hostas around my trees and two new "basket of gold".



Here is my hill. I trimmed the hedges, pulled out grass and lamb's ear that had grown into it, and mulched, and planted annuals (some of which have already been dug out - guess who)



My body still hurts from all the yardwork but it feels good to be done.

Have a great week! I have to go back to work, darn.

so what's next? I started a simple sock using Araucania Multi. But my next big project is this gorgeous Anne Hansen Bee Fields shawl

I am knitting

Despite popular opinion, I have been doing some knitting since last weekend.

I started my Antique Lace which is moving slowly but surely. I find it easier to work from written instructions than a chart - so that's how I'm doing it. This yarn (Lady Godiva in Stone) is gorgeous and easy on the fingers. At first I thought the variegation would be too much for the lace but the more I do - the more I think it is perfect. Looks like granite in the sun with so many colors reflected.

So here is my progress:



I have done 7 repeats out of 11 over two days. But I'm also doing yardwork (I already have a blister on one hand to show for it) I'm on vacation this week - and my schedule is to work outside in the morning and knit in the afternoon. We'll see how it goes. Maybe it will snow and I will have to knit all day. Hah!

I will be back when Spring is over!

Not really (the title) but my yard has taken control of most of my free time.

Part of the issue is that my sprinkler system isn't turned on yet. My sprinkler guy was supposed to turn it on April 18th - but the next day I knew I had to work from 11:30 PM till who knows when and when the sprinkler guy was late - I cancelled the appt since I had to get a good night's sleep on Friday (I go to bed at 7:30PM - I know I'm weird). Anyway - my yard is humongous. So I am going out every 15 mins to move the manual sprinkler.. and it needs to be moved about 8 places. He will be here again this Wed - so hopefully next weekend will be easier.

I wish I was one of those people who liked to knit in short spurts but I'm not. If I don't have a big block of time to knit - I don't knit. I would rather surf the internet.

Plus I have started doing the annual yard work. Need to pull out a bunch of dead bushes (also a bunch of roses) - fill the holes the dogs dug, reseed my yard where I killed the wild strawberry, try (again) to plant on my terrace, pull out a bunch of grass and unwanted stuff on my hill, plant some annuals, mulch, etc. etc.

Luckily I am off work the week of May 5th so maybe this is all possible. Maybe not. I also want to put up some wallpaper border I ordered for my master bathroom.

I did finish my Mr Greenjeans last week but Its not really showable until I block it. And I plan to finish my second Opal crazy sock before I start the Antique Lace (one thing I realized that the Lady Godiva color I'm using is Stone and not Glacier - my bad - I have Glacier but its not going to be used for Antique Lace). I'm close but its not going to happen today with the yard work. I'm beginning to wish I lived in a condo!

I beat Lou!

Yay! I beat Lou (Guitar Hero) on Easy mode and I've progressed to Medium Mode. Argh!! Now I have to use 4 fingers and the notes are coming faster! I keep losing where I placed my first 3 fingers everytime I have to use the 4th one. My hands are just too small! Hah! I can only take about a half hour at a time. My hands get so tired.

On a happier note... here is my Mr Greenjeans. I finished the first sleeve and I'm well into the second:



Here is a closeup of the sleeve cuff. It is moving fast since it uses size 8 needles for the body and size 7 for the cables.. So pretty:



Right now - the sweater looks too small but the direction say to open up the cables when it is blocked so I'm hoping it will open up a lot.

And what is next? I need to finish the Opal Crazy socks (one is almost done, and I have the second) and I plan to start this:

"DELETED"

I haven't decided on whether to use my "Straw" Lady Godiva or my "Glacier. After working with Peach I am thinking I want to do the "Glacier". Here it is:



I think that will be perfect for the summer!

3 more weeks and I'm taking a week off from work. I have to work on my yard a lot but I'm hoping to put a dent in my knitting too.

Have a great week!

Good stopping place!

Its a little early for my blog post but I just bound off the edges of my Mr Greenjeans body and I really wanted to get a photo here before I start the sleeves. So here is the front:



And the back:



The color is much more authentic than last Sunday. don't know why. This yarn is so soft. I gave up on doing the cables without a cable needle since the stitches kept twisting before I picked them up. Maybe a stiffer yarn wouldn't twist. It still moved fast. At this rate I may finish it within a month. A record for me!

And I did a little on my sock but not enough to boring anyone.

I think - if my sister isn't ready to do Antique Lace - I may start one of the Anne Hanson shawls. They are all wonderful. Can't decide which one. Maybe Bee Fields? I ordered the Tupelo Gold yarn used in the photo on her web site. A nice summery shawl!

Have a great Sunday and week!

So much progress!

I am so proud of myself. Usually - after doing most of the knitting on a garment I would set it aside until maybe during my 2 week December vacation when I finally did all my finishing. But in one week - I finished my Mermaid and I finished my Southwest. Well the Southwest still needs to be blocked but here it is:



Once I block it I will model it (which may not be until next December..hah!)

Then I decided it was time for something easier. Here is the start of Mr Greenjeans (Knitty pattern) in Dream in Color Classy - color Giant Peach:



The color in the photo is brighter than the actual yarn. I futzed with my image software but it still looks too bright. This pattern is very easy - done top down - mostly stockinette. Nice change after the fairisle and Mermaid. I'm using Harmony Circulars from Knitpicks for this. They are perfect points.. not so pointed that they are jabbing my fingers which tend to push the end of the needle but pointy enough to make it easy to knit.

I mentionned earlier that I fell in love with Anne Hanson's patterns. This week I found a yarn she recommends for her Morning Glory shawl - Briar Roses Fibers Wistful:



These colors are gorgeous - blues/browns/greens. And very soft. I have seen a lot of hanks on Ravelry and I know this won't be my last purchase.

We have snow again in Denver this AM - but I guess winter is lasting long into the spring in the midwest too so I can't complain!

Oh - and I beat Slash (Guitar Hero on my WII) yesterday! Hah!

Size 2 did the trick!

I normally don't post during the week but I've been dizzy all week so decided to take a full day off today to rest. Resting doesn't preclude knitting so I just bound off the first buttonband on my Southwest.

I took Anne Bourgeois's advice and went down one more size.. knit the band on size 2's and I think it looks so much better than my Traditional.

Here is the result so far:



And a closeup:



And here you can see that I knit the neckband and buttonbands to match the top stripes rather than my original ribbing for the body and sleeves but I think it will still be OK. I plan to do some crocheting around the bottom too:



So I'm hoping I can get the second band done today. Other than my Opal sock its time to plan my next project. I have decided to knit Greenjeans. I have been eyeing that pattern ever since the Ravelry LoopyEwe group created a KAL using Dream In Color Classy. So I will be making it using this.

Just the right color to put me into a Spring mood!
Enjoy your day.

Later: still have to crochet the edge of the bands and do some weaving, but the hard stuff is done and the front is cut! Voila!



I'd model it but not when I'm sick! Hah!