Vanessa Ives

A fairly easy clue to get started on the Vanessa Ives MKAL. I decided to alternate to colours of the beads in sections as the beads are placed on stitches individually rather than strung onto the working yarn and knit in. It's a lot more challenging to be random with two colours than you might imagine.











I am very pleased with it so far. I am using a 1mm crochet hook to place the beads on the stitches, and the 3.5mm hook to make the nupps.


It is interesting that the lighter colored beads have a consistently larger inner hole and are more easily slid onto the stitch. The darker beads are hit & miss if I can even get them into the hook, and then it's a struggle to slide them down. This despite them both being 6/0 beads.

The Denise 2 Go needles are working perfectly for this project. The cables straighten out nicely in hot water, and the kit comes with a joiner, so I've been able to lengthen my cord enough to continue working.
The join - that's seriously one of the top considerations in a chiding a circular needle. It is not nearly as smooth as the Addi's, but while there is a unevenness at the join, it is not overly bothersome. It doesn't impede and backlog the movement of stitches the way I have found on lesser quality needles.

I am nearly at the ribbing of my Stitch Surfers!!! I am impressed - though I generally require instep shaping, they fit very well without it.


Can't wait to finish and get on with the second sock!!

I've been on a winning streak on the interwebs as well!!
I won the Skagway pattern set from TanisKnits and a Halloween bag, stitch marker and yarn from CraftsOMatic!!!

Three more days until I check in with my surgeon. I am excited. I have felt well today, and hoping that a few more restful days stress-free is just too much to ask for will give me allowance to increase my activity levels.

The incision site that was giving me some trouble is healing well. The slough skin is mostly gone; the pink skin is closing over. It's still tender, but it's getting better.


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Romi Mystery Shawl Spoiler

Friday was a struggle, but that's alright. By the end of the day I chose to not take any Rx, clear my head and body a bit. I worked some on Romi's Mystery Shawl. I'm not sure about the colour. it's lighter IRL


A darker colour will get worked in later on (this is Clue 2 of 5). It just seems quite pastel. I know, but like baby pastel. I'm keeping on knitting as I'm hoping that the darker colour will help some of the coloured bits in the the Dream in Color Smooshy pop. But I am reserving final judgement and might still use the lighter Wollmeise


(on the far right in the pic).

I slept for 12 hours. Between the constant pain (in varying degrees), and the drugs, my body is exhausted. My choice today has been to accept the pain. Easier when I can just relax (kind of) and knit through it. Not having to deal with people makes it easier to bear as well.

Still working with the hand-pleasing Loft from Brooklyn Tweed. Secret Project. You know.

Enjoying, as ever, the garter stitch. Especially in the variegated CEY Liberty Wool.


I do like the redo better; the colours seem to lay nicer. I know, sounds crazy, but there it is.

Amanda came over for a couple of days to hell with the puppies & Toby. Lee went on an impromptu drive to Boston. He misses the sea.





Don't worry, I explained about Oceans & Seas ... Amanda & I coloured (I bought her her own Enchanted Forest and colouring pencils) and had a lovely time. I should have taken a pic of her colouring - we have very different styles. She walked dogs and fetched bagels - a good daughter.

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Cordón Shawl

I am going to preface this post by saying that every time I wind linen I forget that you need to wind it tight or it just falls apart. Perhaps in so writing I will remember this lesson for the next time.

So this is Americo's Linen Cordón in Coral and Dark Stone. I will be casting on for a different Shawl of Secrecy tonight.



To do so I needed to online my Addi Lace circulars.
We all know that the most effective way to do this is putting the cord into hot water for a few seconds.

I'm at Lee's and he's got spaghetti sauce simmering (he makes it from scratch ... I know, a total keeper!!) and spaghetti in boiling water. Grated its been oiled & salted, but it's still boiling water. And there really wasn't room I really wasn't inclined to make room and set a clean pot to boil. So I just dipped the needle in with the noodles a few times.
Poor Lee - his face as he came 'round the corner and saw what I was doing was utterly priceless!! I laughed and explained it but he still had an incredulous/dumbfounded look. I wiped the cord and dried and I'm good to go.

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Keeping Busy

I've had a few unexpected days off from work and I've been able to use some of that to knit.

I have finished The Shawl of Secrecy!!

The sock has had some undocumented work done on it ... I'm not sure if I'm feeling the love for it though.




I am feeling the love for the yarn that I selected and have wound up for the Westknits colourknits Mystery KAL.
The yellow is Red Corset Designs Osmosis in Sunkist. The red is Spunky Eclectic Skinny Socks in How Very Berry. The blue is Punta Yarns MeriSock Handpainted.

I am going to do a swatch tonight, though for shawls it's less crucial; I just want to see the colours together!!

I have also wound up Americo's Linen Cordón for a different Shawl of Secrecy.

 That was a lot of winding ... the knitting will take awhile I'm sure!

Knotted Openwork Scarf

It took me awhile but I finally have made & uploaded a PDF for this pattern to make it accessible to the masses!!!

I am working diligently on the wildflower cardigan for Julie for the Knitter's Frolic. I am still Happy to Help at The Mighty Mart of Wal. I am going in for a surgery mid-June. Nothing alarming, more of a follow up on the lumpectomy but it will involve an extended recovery period. Not looking forward to the lack of a paycheque but hopefully I can use the time to reconnect with myself, my knitting & my reading. Maybe even some cross-stitching!!