It's Lace Time!

The Season of Lace competition began this past weekend. I got off to a rather rocky start too. I kept having issues with my Goddess Knits Mystery Shawl. Getting the round shawl was by far one of the most frustrating things I've done here recently.

On Saturday I had to just put it down and leave it alone, it about brought me to tears. I didn't like how it was originally turning out on my DPNs, so I decided to give magic loop a try. I found a great resource on the internet with videos for different knitting techniques. It appeared fairly easy, and I actually did get the first clue completed, however, I had some big holes in the yar where I joined in the round. So I decided to start over and try again. I ended up not even touching it on Sunday. I worked on another poject instead.

On Monday, I had a couple rounds of frustration with stitches twisting. I decided that the magic loop was best saved for another day. I returned to my trusty DPNs, and after explaining my side of the story with them they forgave me for abandoning them and decided to cooperate with me. We started again, going slowly and carefully. I completed the 14 rounds of the initial cast on, and it looked much better than my first attempt. I really like the nice neat stitches. I'm not really much of a neat freak as a rule, however I'm fairly OCD about my knitting and how the stitches look.

I decided it was best not to push my luck and put it down for the evening. I plan to insert a lifeline before I begin with my selected chart from clue 1. I hope to finish the first chart this evening after work, afterwhich I plan to insert another lifeline and then put it down until tomorrow. I hope to have the second chart completed tomorrow evening. Then I will be all caught up. I hate feeling like I am behind on something.

It probably can go without saying that all of my projects will be lace project from now until the Season of Lace Competition ends in September.

Since I won't be able to do any more with the mystery shawl, once I finish chart 2, until Saturday I have cast on another lace project to knit inbetween clues. I'm working the Arctic Diamonds Lace Stole from the Arctic Lace book. I believe it has a different name in the book. I actually got the pattern from one of the Interweave magazines. I'm using KnitPicks Shadow Snorkel. I absolutely love the color! It is so bold and deep coloring. I just know this stole is going to turn out amazing!

I finished with the beginning edge over the weekend. The main body of the stole is divided into three sections. The beginning section, the middle section that is repeated a certain number of times, and the ending section, and then you have the ending edge. I was able to get two rows into the beginning section. I'd like to have the beginning section completed Thursday night.

Another thing I really need to get done this coming weekend is building my homemade swift. Mom bought me a ballwinder, and I have a few hanks that need winding. I have everything I need to build the swift, I just need to make the time to do it. I'll probably get started on it Friday night and finish it Saturday morning before the third mystery shawl clue is posted. I also need to sit down and finalize my next Knit Picks order.

There are so many things to do and so little time to do them in! I really don't know where the time goes. Sometimes I loose a day and sometimes I gain one, it's weird!

Until next time!

~Happy Knitting~

Long sad week

My grandfather passed away last Tuesday, June 10, 2008. He was diagnosed about two months ago with a brain tumor that was growing in the middle of his brain. The doctors said that there really wasn't anything that they could do that would prolong his life. His passing was very hard on all my family, even though we knew that it could be a matter of months. It's hard to prepare yourself for this kind of thing.



My grandfather was an excellent man, and an avid fisherman. He was one of those up before the sun to go fishing types. I remember the first time he took me fishing out at a small lake in Bixby, I was catching fish left and right, just having a blast! Granted they were too little to keep, it was still fun. After about two hours or so someone, don't really recall who exactly, told me that I had caught my limit for the day. To the best of my knowledge there was not a limit to how many perch one could catch, I think they all were just tired and wanted to go back home to relax. My mom still has the pictures from that day.



My grandpa loved nature. He use to take my grandma on nature walks in the park, or go out to one of the state parks to see deer and hawks and the like. He always had a big garden in the back. One of my favorite things about going to my grandparents in the summer was the fried okra fresh from the garden....yummy! I have fond memories of going up to Oklahoma on summer vacations and staying at grandma and grandpa's house. Playing with all my cousins. They always kept frozen cheese pizzas stocked for me, I was a major picky eater when I was little.



Another memory that I treasure is our nicknames. Ever since I can remember my grandpa has always called me pighog. I have no idea where this came from. My mom says it's a term from the backhills of Arkansas (where my grandpa was from). We use to buy each other stuff with pigs on them. Grandpa would always draw a little pig in my birthday cards. I'm going to miss him so much.



His last days were spent at home with my grandma and my mom who stayed with them to help take care of grandpa. The people from the hospice were all really nice and did an excellent job of helping the family through this. Grandpa really didn't have much pain in his last days, he was mostly just sore from being in bed full time. While it was really hard being there when he passed, I am thankful that I was able to say goodbye and tell him how much I loved him and would miss him. My husband was so great throughout the whole thing. He stayed by my side and tried to comfort me as best as he could. I'm not sure I could have got through it without him. I love him so much. I'm so thankful that he is in my life. I don't know what I would do without him.



The whole family was there when he passed. It was really hard on all of us. We all loved grandpa so much, and I know he loved all of us. We are taking it one day at a time right now, sometimes one hour at a time. I'm back home and at work this week. The days are a little easier because work keeps me busy. The evenings are harder. I know it will get easier as the days pass. I know he is in a better place where he feels no pain and no sorrow. I'm happy for him and sad for our loss at the same time.



One of the biggest things that came out of this, is an acknowledgement of the fact that life is short. We should make the most out of each day and never pass up an opportunity to talk to family members and tell them that you love them. Cherish every day. Be good to one another. Life is short.

I finished my Bigfoot Shawl!!!!!

I finished my Bigfoot Shawl this weekend. I have to say it turned out very good. I'm very pleased with it.

When I first started the shawl it was a little awkward. I only started out with around 12 stitches that were to be spaced about 1 inch apart. I had never done that before, it was different. I actually had to use my straight needles to do the cast on.

The shawl is basically made up of three parts. I cast on 12 stitches and then there is a 13 row section where you increase every other row. I went from the original 12 stitches and in 13 rows it grows to 192 stitches. The second part of the shawl is called the yoke. The yoke consists of 14 rows and increases the shawl to 385 stitches. The first two parts of the shawl knit up very quickly.
The third part of the shawl is a 4 row repeat to create the body of the shawl. The pattern was a fairly quick knit, thought the purl side sometimes felt like it would never end. I originally put a marker to indicate the wrong side of the shawl, but I quickly found that it was pretty easy to differentiate between the wrong side and the right side of the shawl.
This was also my first knitted project to block. I have plans to create a blocking board, I just have to get the rest of my supplies and construct it. So, I decided to block the shawl on my bed, praying that it would be dry before bed time. I pinned it out around 6 this evening. I turned the fan on high to help it out. I think it dried in about an hour and a half maybe.


I've been wearing it around the apartment. I'm just so proud of it. My first lace shawl project using lace weight yarn. I can't wait to wear it to work tomorrow. Although I'm the only woman in my office, it's though sometimes. I'm not sure that the guys will appreciate the art work that is my shawl. Oh well, I'm going to wear it all the same.

Now I have to figure out which shawl I want to knit next. Also I need to place another Knit Picks order. I believe all my lace yarn is spoken for right now. Now, to persuade hubby that an order is necessary.

Until next time!
~Happy Knitting~