Lace Interlude

I've got to get my backside in gear and get my sock count caught up for the 52 pair plunge!! I've got two more pair done and a pair of alpine boots that I need to get some pics of, but I still need to get 4 more pair done this month yet to stay on track.

I've spent the last couple evenings getting my stuff entered in the databases on ravelry and still have a lonnnng way to go, but at least it's a start! WHAT a wonderful resource to the knitting community it's going to be once it's all up and running! All I can say is WOW!! While it's still in the beta stages, they've done a tremedous job so far and my hat's off to them!! Joining is still by invitation, but they're sending those out fast and furiously, so if you haven't requested an invite yet, be sure to do so soon!!

On and off the needles recently....??? LOTS of "stuff" ggggg In addition to previous design projects for SWTC, in the last week and a half before the TNNA show in Columbus, I did a sweater, a 10 ft wide lacy shawl, and a 100" sash style belt. The sad news is that the camera needed batteries, so I didn't get pics before sending everything off. FORTUNATELY, hubster is at Costco this afternoon shopping and picked those up for me. I still have lots of stuff here to photograph and get uploaded to flickr, and from there into ravelry. So far, only the "Craft" jacket has been added to the patterns at SWTC. On the Craft patterns page, scroll down and look for "Katie's Jacket". I'll add links to the others after they've been added. I know the bamboo dress, the shawl, the crocheted bag and I "think" the belts were on the runway as SWTC's entry for the fashion show at the TNNA show in Columbus.

Once the design items were in the hands of Fedex, then it was on to some more shop samples for the shop in San Diego. I'll get pics of those tonight or tomorrow and get them uploaded to flickr. There's the triangle Version of the "Florence" scarves (A Fiddlesticks pattern), a stole from a Cherry Tree Hill kit that I can't remember the name of (nor can I find the pattern for at the moment), and from their Lavish Lace book (and also from a kit) Rosebuds and climbing Roses stole. Since it was one of their huge [2400 yds] merino lace hanks, there was quite a bit left over. I started the Flower Basket Shawl (closeup pic above) out of the leftovers, and am in the midst of about 13 repeats so far. I'm thinking that I'm going to go to about 20 repeats overall unless I start running out of yarn before that. I'm using a #5 addi lace needle. Would prefer a 6 or 7, but since they only go up to 6 and 5 is the largest I have so far, 5 it is.

I also finished off a pair of socks that I didn't realize was in the bottom of the knitting bag and played with the Socks That Rock yarn from the first club kit in a little experiment on color pooling. I proved my point that gauge and needle size are the keys to making color move. Can't wait to get THOSE pics taken and posted!! I managed to force the colors into almost matching "pools" of color on opposide sides of the two socks. While it does happen that way on occasion, this was a deliberate attempt to push the color where I wanted it to go and it WORKED!! LOVE it when a plan comes together!! gggg

Happened to see a reference somewhere in the last week or so about the Mystery Stole 3 getting ready to start, so I signed up for that. That's due to start June 29 and she'll close signups to the group on July 6, so if you're so inclined, hop on over and get signed up. IF I had any "sense" and the operative word here IS "IF", I'd pull my pi shawl out that I did last summer and finish the edging on it, and then the Shetland Tea Shawl and figure out what stitch pattern I want to finish it off with. I absolutely LOVE the center of that one, but I don't particularly care for the stitch pattern on the outer ring. Set that one aside last fall when I couldn't decide on a stitch pattern I liked and it's been "out of sight, out of mind" ever since.

Socks and lace are about the only two things that I can stand to handle this time of year here in the desert. My window unit ac (which does the BEST job of cooling) died today, so I'm going to have to break down and start using the central air unit instead. Sooooooooo DREAD using that one, cuz I sure don't like the power bills that go along with it, and it doesn't cool this portion of the house as well as the window unit does. Landlord's supposed to be here at 6am to put a freon charge on it. Was only 104 degrees here today, and fortunately between the breeze and 3 fans to circulate air, it's been tolerable. Would NOT like to try and do the same through the weekend with temps predicted to hit 111 and above.

Gotta run for now... hubster just arrived home with dinner!! Will add another post a little later or tomorrow. Byeeeeee for now!!