Ishbel

For some reason I think that I knit lace quicker than straight stocking stitch. Maybe I'm nuts but it seems that Ishbel is growing quickly.

For the lace edge there are five charts.

For the large size which I am making it is A, B, A, B, A, C, D, E.

I'm through A and B and almost through A again.

Nadine is downstairs with her class and I thought that I would get lots done tonight but so far nothing. Beth has Grey's Anatomy taping so there will be at least an hour of knitting when I get home.

Something hit me this morning (April is almost here and our hours are changing) so I quickly wrote a newsletter and sent it out. If you didn't receive it, you can read it here.

A box came today from Lynda with two more garments for the Frolic.

Color Affection - one of our favourite patterns.

Derecho - another favourite.

I'm home from the store and ready to knit. Roko is on the couch waiting for me. Knitting is so much easier with a 75lb dog sitting on you. His ear is doing much better. The incision still hasn't closed but it is getting there. I can't wait. They really need to be groomed but between his ACL surgeries and his ear they couldn't go. A couple more weeks and then they'll be handsome again.

Sneak Peek

From Laura Bryant of Prism Yarns

Chevrons and Euroflax Linen and Fibonacci numbers—oh, my! What more do you need for the quintessential Italian-inspired fashion statement? Our easy-fitting jacket begins at the shoulder seams. Eight contrasting colors are used in dynamic stripes for a piece whose flow is built in with needle size changes. Top off the over-sized body with narrow straight sleeves and a folded collar, and, voila!

Your joy will be increased when you realize that this seasonless fibre demands machine washing, and the more you do it, the softer it gets.

The kit for the Chevron Cha Cha Jacket arrived while I was away. We have one in stock in L/XL and a S/M kit can be ordered.

Euroflax Linen Sport Weight Yarn hand dyed by Prism. YUMMY!!

I finished the first lace panel of Ishbel last night. A sneak peek of one of the super secret yarns in colour. This is midnight aubergine.

I didn't think there would be any knitting tonight. We were supposed to have dinner with Sarah and her husband but Sarah came home from school with the flu. Bad news - we don't get to see her until next Wednesday. Good news - more knitting time. Survivor, Idol, CSI, Criminal Minds. I think that's it tonight. Last night was sad. Canada's Handyman Challenge finished. I think that they should start the next one right away. Love that show.

Back to work

I had a very busy weekend doing nothing but sitting on the couch watching TV.  The next few weeks are going to be busy so I needed a bit of time to myself.  Jane is in Florida (hopefully it is warmer there than here because it is COLD here today) so I am in the store for the next few Mondays.  I also have classes two nights this week so there will be quite a few hours spent in the store.

There was a bit of knitting accomplished while sitting on the couch.  I am now into ball four for my Drape Cardi and have almost reached the armhole.

I didn't post a picture of my Ishbel in Atlante finished.  It looks great and the drape is amazing!!

Pattern-Ishbel
Yarn-3 balls Naturally Atlante
Needles-4.5mm

Rowan Studio 18 arrived on Friday.  The yarns used are Felted Tweed, Felted Tweed Aran and Felted Tweed Chunky.  You can see the pictures on Facebook- The Needle Emporium group. Did you know that it is much easier to post a group of pictures on Facebook now?  Adding many pictures into my comments kept giving me grief but on Friday I had no problems.

Have you looked at the new Knitty?  I am really liking Que Sera.

Beth and I have finished watching seasons 1-5 of Grey's Anatomy.  Now we just need season 6 reruns to start.  The past week there was a lot of crying-Izzie and George.  Hopefully they both make it.

I also got caught up on the Y&R.  Somehow the most important episode was erased before I saw it.  Unbelievable.  Is Ashley really going to give Faith to Sharon?  I can't wait to see what happens with Patty and Adam.

Watching too much TV

I cast off the last stitch of this at midnight.  I wasn't going to bed until it was done.

If you want to get lots of knitting accomplished then pick a TV series, buy the DVDS and start watching.  We are going through 2-3 episodes a night of Grey's Anatomy.  I think we are about half way through Season Four right now.

Here is a close up of the lace.  Atlante shows of a lace pattern very well.

Before I left for work this morning I started blocking.  Unfortunately my piece of styrofoam isn't big enough to do the whole scarf at once so I will block one side today and the other tomorrow.

I have picked my next project.  From Classic Elite I will be making the Drapey Front Cardigan.  Read more about this in the latest Web-Letter from Classic Elite (and see the finished jacket in many different colours).  I will be using Fern Green like the picture.  The yarn is supposed to arrive on Friday-will it get here before I leave for the airport??

Curvy Knits is a new line of patterns from Classic Elite that start at size medium and go up from there.  This pattern is in the booklet Park St.

I started sewing together my baby tunic today.  Way too cute!!!

Another Ishbel

I am going to hear it from my mom today.  "You haven't posted in two days!!"

Saturday I came home from work and went directly upstairs.  It was an incredibly busy day in the store (thanks to all who visited) and I just wanted to knit.  There were about ten episodes of the Y&R for me to watch so I got down to business.

This is another Ishbel.  I am using Atlante (100% bamboo) from Naturally on 4.5mm needles.

I am extremely happy with how the lace is showing up in the Atlante.  Now the push is on to get this done.  I have 7 more rows to go and I want to take it with me to Seattle on Friday afternoon.  Seattle??  I am going to the Yarn Market News Conference-yarn shop owners from across the US and Canada meet for two days of intense sessions.  This will be my third conference and I come home with great ideas-sign up for Twitter-knock out walls and make my shop bigger.

The knitting on my baby dress is done.  I just blocked it and now I can sew together.  Jane is in the store today so that I can do paperwork and errands.  I might need to run to Limeridge to get some cute tights to go with this.

Wool Tops

I received a comment on my scarf yesterday asking for the name of the pattern and the yarn.  Sorry about this.  I guess from now on when I post a finished project I should put all that information.

The pattern is Ishbel.   This link will take you to Ravelry and you can buy the pattern there.

The yarn is Sekku from Noro.  I used one ball of colour 6.

While I was at TNNA I ordered some wool tops from Lorna's Laces-great for spinning and needle felting.

This is Wool Top-100% combed wool top-10oz.

Shepherd Wool Top-100% superwash merino-5oz.


We just received a shipment of fleece from Fleece Artist as well.
Blue Face Leicester Sliver-100% wool-50 grams
Kid Sliver-100% Kid Mohair-50 grams

We received two packages today.  One was from Wannietta and it contained this great cardigan.  It is knit in Noro Kureyon and the pattern can be found in Jenny Watson's Noro Catwalk 2.  I need to sew on the buttons but wanted a picture so it is hanging right now with a glass shawl pin from Moving Mud.

The second box was from Tanis Fiber Arts.  I am going to save the contents until tomorrow.

Last night I finished the first sleeve on my Olympic sweater.  There are only four days left so I better get going!!

Blocked

Ishbel has been blocked and is back in the store.

I did the small stocking stitch with the large lace to make it a bit longer.

I said a few weeks ago that I like the new feature in Blogger for adding pictures.  Today it is not cooperating with me.  I add a picture and then my words move to the wrong spot.  Come on Blogger, work with me.

There are two bright orange tennis balls in the back yard but we couldn't find them for Roko.  Beth took the shovel and started digging through the snow but no go.  Beth did find the frisbee though.

Roko isn't the brightest dog.  Once the frisbee was thrown for him he total forgot about the tennis balls.  Melo decided that he wanted to play as well.

For Roko we can throw the frisbee to the end of the yard and he will chase it.  For Melo you need to throw it right at him.  If the throw isn't perfect he won't even try to catch it.  He did catch it here and now Roko is mad because he wants it.

Skating last night was great.  On a normal night you couldn't make me watch Ice Dancing but we were glued to the TV.  Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir were amazing.

Hockey tonight is going to be a nail biter.

Surprise!!

Karen and Wannietta both voted for bright but I have decided to do boring.  Sorry, I shouldn't ask questions if I'm not going to listen to your answers.    There is method to my madness though.  I bought these great cowboy boots in Vegas in December but don't have a sweater to go with them.

Bracken is the colour.

The browns match great.  Add a red shirt underneath and then there is an outfit!!

The first skein is wound and ready for 9pm EST when I can cast on.

Here is a little surprise for you.  I just finished Ishbel in Noro Sekku.  I used colour 6.  Rhonda knit two samples for the store in sock yarn and I find them a bit small.  If you check out Ishbel on Ravelry some people added two more lace patterns to make it a bit bigger so I tried it.  Now I have a scarf that I like.

I still need to block the scarf.  Then the cast off edge won't roll and the lace will lie flat.

The pattern was easy to follow and now I am thinking about what colour/yarn to use next.

My TV guy was here today.  Rick got the box for the satellite dish moved from upstairs to the store.  Now I can change channels!!  Rick is a miracle worker.  Beth and I have been known to get a phone call from mom that the TV doesn't work.  The first question is what button did you press?  We make a phone call to Rick and he comes and gets everything fixed and working again.