TKGA on TGIF w/ MIL taking BART

G and I planned on attending 'The Knitting Show' a bit ago. I can never remember the name...knitting...crochet...something...something. Anyway, the confusion is that TKGA and CGOA do a knitting and crochet show together and they really like acronyms (apparently).

It's much much more smaller intimate than Stitches. I even risked not using a stroller for A. She was ergo'ed most of the time.

Even tho' we live a couple of miles away, we parked the car at the BART station and took public transportation there. Why? well, we had issues parking around there the last time we went and I didn't want to deal with the hassle. It's Friday with the Farmer's Market, Chinatown...yeah...we went public transport.

We got there and decided on doing a quick once through before lunch. Well, the first stall we came to, I made my one and only purchase for...yes...a cone of yarn. It was only $12. And it'll be nice as a shawl or a lap blanket doily thing...

And yes, you read correctly, after all that, that's all that I got (yay me!) I came really close picking up a ball of lace weight at Yarn Place, but as I didn't have a project for it, couldn't and didn't buy it.

We watched the fashion show, and that was pretty neat. There's a ostrich boa jacket that used yarn that I had so, I might make that (sans boa).

There was a lady there with a lovely Frosted Flowers shawl (Gathering Lace). That has moved up in my to do queue. Her's was lovely. The Lacy knitters group was there, I might have to join the guild.

Pictures? Well, like I said, I only managed to get one yarn, and it's not very exciting, so maybe I'll take a picture of it when I make something. How's that?

Oh, we had lunch at Caffe 817 and had a lovely latte in a big bowl (along w/ sandwich). And I picked up some apples from Farmer's Market.

It was a lovely day and many thanks go to MIL for a fabulous day! And A? She slept through a bunch of it.

Campanile progress

I have been knitting. I had to wait for this to arrive. This is Colourmart's cashmere silk in rosehip color. I was hoping for a darker red, but it's pretty nice. I did a miniswatch and decided that I'd use my US2 Knitpicks and bamboo dpns. Tho' as I look at the holes, they seem woefully big...

A slight aside, I love the feel and look of the cool metal dpns. They just seem cool and look deadly...but I can't knit lace with them. They are super slick and slippery. Did I mention how cool they look?! So, I've had to re-get the dpns that I swapped away when I had decided that sock knitting non-two-at-a-time just didn't work for me. Anywhoo, I love the metal, but I'll stick w/ my wood sticks for now.

The other reason I didn't blog about this for so long is that I, misread the chart! It is such a rookie maneuver that I am almost embarrassed to discuss it here. Oh, okay, please don't snicker too loudly. Niebling (and other chart writers, I suppose) use a convention where they put a number in front of a pattern group that they want you to do multiples.

Since I obtained a copy of the chart for this, I didn't look too closely. So, I of course, thought that it's the stitch next to the number that needs to be done. Well, if you do the math (and I didn't because that would be too sad), would result in almost exponentially increasing the rounds instead of increasing by one stitch per section.

At row 23, I thought maybe I should get a picture of this. Notice how many stitches are on the needle, and it's only row 23... And then I went shoot! and ripped it. Did I mention I've done the beginning a number of times already because I was using my super-slicks and not my bamboo? That was a crummy start too, so I didn't mind ripping. And when I took the yarn off the needles, it looked like a peony. Beautiful...bye bye.

Started over and here's the picture of the in progress. See the leaf emerging (row 50 something)?

Oh, I'm looking at it and am thinking I should have used US1 instead...

Thistle

My first Niebling is called Thistle. It's also seen in Burda E294 (just in case you're keeping score).

Yay, I don't have to call it table-top-from-Anna-magazine anymore. And of course it's a thistle flower. I love it! (the picture is from wikipedia)

While you were sleeping

I should have been working on several projects that I started, but instead, I picked this little ditty up, and could not stop.

This is #21 Table top by Herbert Niebling from Anna.

Specs:
pattern: Anna magazine
yarn: green lace weight linen
needle: US1 circs from Knitpicks and US1dpns
time: 9/2/07-9/13/07
blocked: 9/14/07

modifications/comments:
I think there might be errors in the chart at the end of the knit. I kept screwing up and not having enough stitches to k2tog and what have you. So, mine is wonky. And if you look closely the last bits don't quite match the flower. So, whether I managed to not read the pattern correctly, or there are errors in this Niebling, it doesn't really matter. 'Cause I like it. I really like it.

I'm not too concerned about pinning out the points perfectly because it's linen, it's pretty drapey and I don't think those points will hold. (this was my observation from making a book marker from the same yarn).

I will likely knit this pattern again. It was fun.

I'm really glad I did this before starting a large project because I was introduced to double yarnovers, knit 5 into one stitch and knit 5 stitches to become one stitch. Oh, and given all the mistakes that happened, I think it turned out pretty nicely.

Must get back to spino and blanket and decide on yarn for campanile. Altho' I might tag along w/ some of the folks now knitting Lyra...decisions...

Pinned out

I ran out of pins and had to skimp. Here's the final picture of the doily.

Okay, maybe later, I'll go outside and cut some flowers and put it in a vase on the doily...

Doily

I lightly blocked the blue doily but didn't have enough pins for a full block. When z&a's dad looked at it, he said (and I quote) ' huh, I didn't know you were making a doily...'

Trust me, it was all in the tone...

The color's off. I've been reading the intarweb and trying to take better pictures. This is the doily without flash. And I was trying to play up the contrast, so it's not black, but a blue.

I did get rustproof pins and I've got to reblock so all the little loops pop out. All in all, a very nice knit. I do wish I didn't have to break into another ball of Cebelia for it, but oh, well.

Specs:
yarn: Cebelia #10 blue (1.1 ball)
needles: 2.5mm dpn and 2.5mm circs
time start: August 4. 2007
time finish: September 8, 2007
mods: none that I tried to do (eg. any mods would have been errors)

I did notice that my first center flower is a bit wonky where the round started. oh, well.

oh, well. Better get those pins out.

Campanile here I come!

I am such the lucky! (pictured on left is a picture of the pattern in question)

I posted to a yahoo group as to whether I'm totally hosed or not regarding Campanile and now I am in possession of this lovely chart. Knitters are awesome!

How cool is that? Now all I have to decide is the yarn...WEBS alpaca/silk in black? colourmart cashmere in innocence(pink), purple, blue, brown, something else? zephyr in basil? or a silk lace weight? or a cash/silk from my favorite vendor?Of course this pattern is supposed to be huge, so I might have to actually swatch and do some calculations...

My other dilemma is that a couple of people replied on the board saying that they too had the same issues (buying the magazine and not having the pattern). Now, my question is...do I forward them the pattern? do I ask the person who sent me the pattern whether it's okay? or do I ask her to send it to them? What's the proper etiquette rules?

I am puzzled by the folks who bid an arm and a leg for the Anna, then just said c'est la vie? I guess the pattern's not in the book?

I'm just much more of a complainer, I guess.

I'm so disappointed.

warning: rant ahead:

From my previous post, you've gotten a sense of my giddiness in obtaining the Nieblings, but I just had the most horrible experience. I had decided that my first large project was going to be Campanile (you can see the full size picture in the magazine -middle row, on the left, the pink).

Anyway, I carefully took the pattern sheet off the magazine, being careful not to tear the thin paper. I unfolded the pattern sheet and THE PATTERN IS NOT IN THE SHEET!

I turned it over a couple of times, then double checked the pattern number, then read the instructions...no largish charts on either side of the sheet. I then read the article carefully, and it says that if I would like the pattern for the tablecloth, I need to send a SASE and to Burda in Germany and they'll send it to me,

...uhm, Hello?!...this magazine is over 17 years old! You think they'll send it? yeah right.

Oh, the company sold the patterns to Coats. And they stopped printing Annas*. I posted on a yahoo group to see if anyone knows about this, and nope. No Campanile pattern in this issue. I cannot believe this.

So, word of warning, DO NOT purchase Anna June 1990 if your heart is set on knitting the large tablecloth.

btw, you can obtain the pattern from a Burda Lace special. arghh!

I guess the really sad part is that when I googled the pattern today, and checked yahoo groups and such, and no mention of this omission. There was one mention, from Mary Francis, who was looking for the pattern. If only I had seen this one item posted on this one board before I purchased the magazine. (she's the one that told me this afternoon that it's available elsewhere).

Anyway, I can't justify another magazine right now. I guess I'll start Lyra.

Oh, I saw in person Ocean Knitter's Lyra today. It's gorgeous! It's truly amazing. I will give a update on lace knitting group another day. I'm still fuming.

Such a beautiful pattern. So disappointing. So sad.



*good news is that Annas will be printed again.

Anna Banana

Everyone knows about SABLE.

I have NABLE.

NABLE-def. Niebling acquisition beyond life expectancy. There is no way that I will be able to knit all these...but I'm going to try.

I was reading Soo's blog about her new obsession with Nieblings. I commented on her blog that at least she didn't have an Excel spreadsheet to track Anna Nieblings...er...well...like I do. Of course after I compiled the thing, I realized that I've successfully reinvented the wheel. There's a version on the lace knitter yahoo group. I guess the nice thing is that I compiled it based on information on the web (I did not previously own any Anna mags).

Here's a picture of my Anna's thus far.

I'm in search of larger square Nieblings for a shawl...know of any (besides Lyra)?

I did start another doily without finishing my last one. Will finish the blue one today at the knitting group.

Extra Anna for destash

Can you believe it? I've got TWO issues of Anna 9/85.

Anyway, to my few readers out there, anyone interested in this? It's an used copy of Anna (English) with Small Fruhling by HERBERT NIEBLING.

This is the Sep 1985 issue-- ENCHANTING CREATIONS OF KNITTED LACE - TABLE COVER, LAMP AND FRINGED TABLECLOTH. Okay, isn't that purty? The lamp and tablecloth are nice, but this pattern is why I got it.

Anyway, will trade for another Anna with knitted lace patterns (that I don't have--Niebling preferred) or will sell (make me an offer). If interested, send me an email and we'll chat. I would love to have someone also knit this up. I'm knitting the Niebling up with linen yarn as you're reading.

And if you're going to Lacis this weekend, let me know and I can bring it.

From across the pond

I was surfin' the groups a bit ago and came across someone RAKing an Alan Dart pattern. As you know, I'm in a toy knitting stint and guess what came in the mail on Saturday?
So of course I had to cast on. Here's what I made:
Stats:
yarn: the steg green and a bit of the light green
needles: US3
Start/end time: 8/31/07-9/01/07 (only because I put it down)
Mods: I lost count on the body, so I fudged the bottom piece. I figured it was garter stitch, so it's stretchy.

I meant to make the camel first, but I couldn't find camel colour yarn (I know I have some, just have to find it).

Stega

After I stopped on my doily (haven't made it back up to Lacis), after I stopped working on Forest Path, and after I ...oh, wait, haven't started another project, have I?!

I decided on Friday to just do it. Finish Steg. If you remember back to July, I was working on Stegasaurus from Patons (another shout out and thanks to chemgrrl), I stopped because I didn't have any white feltable yarn for the spikes. How lame?! I then did a swap for the yarn and it's been sitting there while I worked on other projects. So, without further ado, heeeeerrreee'sss Ssssstegggg!


Specs:
finished dimensions: 25in long and 12in tall
yarn: acrylic for body, Patons wool for plates, and ecowool for spikes
time start: July 2007
time finished: September 1, 2007
needles: US3 for body
needles US9 for plates, spike (then felted)
stuffing: 1.5 bags!

Observations:
I did not knit this as written, the body was in the round, then I left spots under the neck/body area for stuffing, and the head was done flat and gusset sewn on. the legs were also knit in the round --okay, only the back legs, because I couldn't decide whether I detested seaming more or having to keep track of the rounds more (since flat legs can both be knitted simultaneously). I still can't decide which is worse, actually having to think about knitting, or seaming.

The plates and spikes were felted. I had to make alterations because the largest size would have been huge. I also had to look at one of Z's stegs to check how the plates went. btw, they're staggered with the largest plates over the back legs. The eyes are french knots and I didn't do claws.