Arnika

I had to put dragone in time out while I figure out if I skipped another stitch--I've already ripped 20 rows of it becuz I can't count.

Anyway, I was itching to for a Niebling fix, and I saw this little sweet doily and said, I'll do that one.

Isn't a nice sweet easy pattern?

A little bit about Arnica--it's a flowering plant that belongs in the sunflower family. Common name is wolf bane. It's used as a tincture for bruises and swelling. Not to be taken internally since it is poisonous. Has also been used as homeopathic medicine. (pic from Wikipedia)


All I can say is that I'm learning more about plants by knitting Niebling patterns than I had ever learned in college.

Anyway, back to the 'easy' pattern. It ended up not being that easy. It's actually quite challenging. There's an error at round 39 where there's an extra stitch unless you knit 3 together instead of 2 (like the pattern says). But the challenging parts?

Petals. Pretty petals. These consist of crossed stitches (that would be mini-cables for you all non-Niebling knitters).

And round 69? You bind off 12 stitches then pick them back up at row 70. How cool is that?! Oh, many thanks to yosemite55 ,Julimond &halfmaennchen from Ravelry for their help in decyphering German. I had babel fished it, but wasn't too sure.

So, here's my finished Arnika:

specs:
start date: March 28, 2008
finish date: March 30, 2008
thread: Cebelia #30
amt used: less than .5 ball
needles: US0 dpns and 0 Hiya Hiya needles

Oh, I should mention this is what I brought to knit on during the Ravelry meetup at the local library. By then, I was just knitting hex mesh, so it was pretty simple. The only modification I made was that I bumped up to US1 needles for the knit edge and then I actually knit 3X into each hex mesh so that I wouldn't get binding.

Back to trying to figure out Dragone...

Happy Easter!

Presenting Miss Dangly

I had everything done but her eyes and thanks to everyone who commented, I went with the eyes close together.

I also made her a little crown and a little tulle skirt. I hope M likes her.



And yes, she is doing the splits.

Go Green

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

yay! I'm actually working on a green project (albeit light green, but whatever). Heere be Dragone is moving along. I'm now getting a tad tired of the wing stitch. At first, I was paranoid I wouldn't drop the YO (or in my case, drop too many YO), so I would drop the stitch as I went along. A true study in tedium. Okay, then I got lazy and did it the way you're supposed to (which is to drop it on the wrong side). And I'm finally getting into a rhythm for the wings.

You all don't need another picture do you? just imagine another 10 rows. oh, all right.



There's only another 10 rows because I pulled out the blue cobweb silk from Colourmart and am working the pattern earlier seen with the ancient green cash/silk.

ETA: this is blue silk yarn originally purchased for the dragone but was such a pita tha I frogged it. I started the pattern using ancient green dk yarn and it just didn't work (since the green yarn is dk weight). I have switched it to the thin blue...I think I might have too much yarn...

Now, doesn't this look much much better? I think so. I brought this project to the Ravelry knitting group on Sunday. Actually, I cast on and knit this while there.

I decided to go up to US3 for this project because I really like the lacy look of it. And the nice thing is that this is a really easy pattern to remember, I don't have to look at my chart too much (verses Dragone).

Speaking of charts, lookee here:
I went shopping for plastic easter eggs for this weekend and found this at the local dollar store. This is a strip of metal with magnets -- used for kid's lockers to put up photos and such. However, this is perfect for lace charts. Perfect, I say. It's longer than 11.5" so my chart can sit horizontally. I've got a long strip of magnet and this is just so portable! I do still like my other metal sheet, but this one fits into my knitting bag...and did I mention it's portable?! And I got it at the dollar store...so, yep, it was a dollar. And it has no sharp edges 'cause it's made for kids. I've got to go get a couple more (since I've got more than 2 lace projects, you know).

So, again, Happy St. Pat's and go and drink some green beer...or if you're not into beer, go eat something green. (My children get to eat green eggs and ham today.)



Cheers!

WIPs

No worries. I'm cruising on Heere be Dragone. In fact, here's a picture of it:

There's a recent thread on Ravelry asking about the most difficult lace, and this was one of the patterns listed as being difficult. Of course, I'm all like "oh no it's not. pretty simple actually." THEN, I drop a stitch. After my heart started again, I was able to repair it. I'm just thankful I opted not to use the cobweb 100% silk. whew! (oh, as you can see, I'm using BOY for this piece).





Oh, and then there's this:
This is scrumptious DK cashsilk in ancient green from Colourmart. I'm knitting this beautiful shawl with it (variation of a leaf pattern - kind of like kiri, but with a bit more substance) but unfortunately, that thing I always tell other folks to do and didn't do it myself?! yep...didn't swatch with the needles and this pattern is not showing up very well at all. This will be ripped and this pattern will be used with some other lace weight yarn. For this yarn? I think that I'll have to stick to larger needles and a more open pattern. I finally broke down and purchased Evelyn Clark's 'Triangle Shawls' based on recommendations by two people at the lace knitting group at Lacis. I think I'll do a EC triangle with this yarn.

By the way, this is the most lovely yarn. It feels nice to knit with it.

As for Ms. Dangly. I'm working on her outfit now. M's mom is super crafty and will undoubtedly make her additional clothes if M wishes. Will do a mini fashion shoot when done. Speaking of fashion shoots, while knitting last night, I was watching 'Make me a supermodel' (shh) last night and it amazes me that most of these models look like normal people unless you put clothes and make up on them. Then they look amazing. Actually, it seems like the real purty ones all got voted off the show. I find that interesting, don't you?

Dotting the eyes

According to Chinese folklore, dotting the eyes of the dragon is what makes it come alive. In Western culture, the eyes are the windows to the soul...

So, I actually sometimes follow that thought of putting eyes on last. Not because of the folklore, but it sure does make a difference when you put them on. And that's just weird having a toy head staring at you...

Well, may I introduce you to Ms. Dangly. I'm having issues with her eyes. Which to use? far apart as per original pattern (free)
Fish eyes

or close together?


I guess I should give you some specs:
yarn: Patons Merino in pink and white
needles: US3 dpns (probably could have gone down to US2, but didn't)
start: March 5, 2008
finish: mostly done March 7, 2008
mods: circular knitting except for the tail.

This is a birthday present for my buddy M who's turning 3. I will be making her a couple of outfits since she's a big girl.

Already, Issues.

Arghh...do not try to use silk doubled for doing horizontal stitch, especially cobweb weight silk. PITA, I say. I've just spent last evening struggling with the first 31 rows (actually, it's row 31 that's the deal breaker).

That lovely mauve-blue will become some other knitted finery instead.

I think I will be making Dragone with something else. I'm thinking this.
This is a lovely yarn that I have no idea what it's made of (but I think it's cashmere/wool because of the label on the inside of the cone). It is lovely lovely and super soft and it's some sort of animal fiber.

So, it's either this or the cashmere/silk in rosehip (the one that's been languishing as Campanile on row 30 something?). or black zephyr.

So many choices.

Starting Dragone

This is one of my new projects.



Yarn: Colourmart 100% silk in blue mauve cobweb weight doubled (becomes laceweight)

needles: US2
pattern: Heere be Dragone



swatch - check
pattern blown up - check
magnet board ready - check
fleegle help - check
fleegle minitutorial (on making the horizontal stitch)- check



ready...set...go...wait wait wait...



there'll be other projects interspersed, I promise. (oh, don't you like how my little wee swatch is already unraveling?)

I do wish that I hadn't chickened out and just gotten the cone not doubled...but I was scared of that thin thread. Of course when it arrived, I was like, pfft...this is like #30 or 40 thread...I can do this...oh, well. I hope it's not more of a pain knitting 2 strands of silk.

eta: Thanks to everyone that commented on the stole! I've got to get another Niebling on the needles. I'm thinking that since Lacefreak is doing the tablecloth in pink, I may have to do it in zephyr -- in black.