BACK FROM DENVER

While in Denver we did the Tourist thing and stopped off to see the State Capitol Building. We thought we were going to look at a building and perhaps a few portraits. We were amazed at our luck.
The Colorado Quilting Council has a display of 210 quilts on four floors of the State Capitol Building. What had started out as a 45 minute tour ended up as a two and half hour viewing of some of the nicest quilts. We finally had to leave because our necks were protesting that we had been looking up long enough.
The Mile High Lace Knitting Conference started Wednesday night with an opening reception and our classes started early Thursday morning. It was absolutely marvelous. I took classes from Margaret Stove, Nancy Bush, Donna Druchunas, Galena Khmeleva and Joan Schrouder. The classes were all very small and the teachers were excellent. I learned about Estonian Lace, Russian Lace and Arctic Lace. I knit samples and attempted to chart my own designs. I learned about the importance and necessity of swatching both when designing and when knitting a pattern. I sat in on Round Table discussions, admired lace shawls that were being worn and shopped. (Doug, stop reading now!)

This is all destined to become more lace shawls. Clockwise, Blue zephyr for an Orenburg styl triangle shawl, Fino Alpaca and silk the has started to become the shawl in the new Knitters' (It may not stay as that shawl.) Quiviet, two skeins of merino tencel that is so soft and reflects the light in ways that just demand for it to be knitted and two skeins of a 2/32 wool. The two balls in the center are varigated with some of the most yummy colors. The green goes to blue and back again but you can't really see the colors because of the way it is wound. It needs to be knit to show off the shading.
Of course I couldn't just buy Quiviet, I had to see what it was like to knit with. It isn't as soft as I thought it would be but since I got to look at and molest many samples, I know it will bloom and soften when it is washed.
I didn't just start new projects, I actually finished one too. It will be nice to wear my Spring colored new socks since spring also means we will still have many cool days.

I'm glad to be home but I am looking forward to next year's conference. Now, back to reality!

Living dangerously in Blogland!
This is new sock yarn being added to the stash. I found a local source for Koigu and since I have signed up for Sockapalooza 4, more sock yarn sounded like a necessity. Karen went on a road trip to Edmonton and found the Socks that Rock and her husband found the perfect shade of green. Now I just have to find the perfect patterns. The other option is to let the yarn age for a certain amount of time first.

My Hanging Vine Stole is done. I don't have the outfit to wear with the stole but I'm working on it.


This is the first half of the baby blanket. Entrelac is only fun for the first little while and then it really begins to drag. My project for this afternoon is to decide which projects to take to Denver for Mile High Lace Knitting weekend. Socks would be ideal for the plane ride but the I really should have an actual lace project with me. I found out that one of the Vendors at the marketplace will be bringing Quiviet. I can't wait to see what other treasures I can find!

I really hesitated before showing the stash additions and discussing purchasing luxury yarns since my husband has asked for the link to this page. I'm not sure if having him read this is a good idea!

True Confessions!

I did not last the whole month of March without starting any new projects. I started a basic pair of socks but socks are a necessity. I had many choices for a new project and resisted many. It was not the STR that made me pull out my double pointed needles and cast on for a new pair of Toe up socks!
It wasn't the colours of the Helen's Lace that called me to find a new shawl pattern.


This is the start of an Entrelac Baby Blanket from Baby Cashmerino by Debbie Bliss. I think I will have to work on this in short spans of time. The hands and elbows were both protesting working with the cotton yarn and tight cables. With only two months to finish it, I'm glad that baby blankets are small.

While reading blogs this morning, I found a new challenge for April. Runagogo I believe that I can run 100 miles between April 1 and July 1 and in fact, to run/walk 100 miles in April is not impossible. I may have to put down the knitting, or at least work on basic socks while on the treadmill. Cables and jogging will not work. Any one care to join me?

Finally, March is over


and along with it is my self imposed restriction to only work on started projects. I did finish several projects including the ABC baby Blanket. I started this in November with very good intentions of finishing it quickly and before moving on to other projects. It was completed on March 11.





Four pairs of socks were completed. Two sweaters had minor sewing to be done on them. They are now completely finished. The Hanging Garden Stole is not complete but it is close.

My toe-up socks are finished!








My Raku Suri Stole is finished. That's it on the left. On the right is my Persimmon Lace stole. It too is finished.


I realised early on that there were some projects that I had no desire to work on and that I didn't like the way they were turning out. There is more than one way to finish a project, and I am sure that the yarn is much happier in it's unknit state.