Knit A-Longing

Maybe this should be called Knit Along Thursday....a new weekly feature!  As you know I'm enjoying my Zen time with stockinette.  But there is always need for a lace project and A Gathering of Lace is one of my favorite books.  Enter Kristi and Snow (yet again) and their new KAL. Since avenging with stockinette can't be the ONLY knitting, there was need of a new lace project. Jaeger Zephyr was in my stash, the needed book on my bookshelf, plus the fact that Snow is very pushy persuasive...there it is, yet another KAL button on my sidebar (and on the needles).

In anticipation of joining this KAL, this past weekend, the chosen project posed for a picture.  Imagine my shock when I saw Jessica Rose's picture of the same project. I even wondered, at first, if I had posted it to the Gathering Blog and forgotten. But I'm chalking it up to great minds. 

Joan had commented in my stockinette post that she thought garter stitch also got a bum wrap.  I think that's true, too.  All knitting stitches are beautiful, lovely and useful.  It just depends on the project (as you can see any Thursday on Jessica's blog).  The Faroese Shawl is knit in lacy garter stitch from the wide end down to the point.  The way a Faroese Shawl sits on the shoulders, and doesn't slip away, is the attraction for me. Casting on 400+ stitches, knitting back while recounting the stitches, and then knitting the third row while placing markers took 3 hours!  That is the full weekend progress that you can see in the picture. My hope is that it will become easier, and more fun, as the shawl comes to a point. 

(Drat..forgot the picture.) And for more KAL news, the Spearfish Sock is moving slowly but may pickup speed again.  It has become my lunch time project and it may also get a bit more time here and there.  Sadly (well, maybe not too sadly), I have decide to not start the last Six Sock. There are so many wonderful socks to knit and the last one just didn't 'float my boat'.  I'm thinking a pair of Koigu socks will be in my near future instead. Progress continues in the Year of the Sock.

I'm enjoy my NBT and it has been growing so quickly that the back may be finished this weekend.  And the BWA jacket...well, let's just say it's on the (far) back burner. That's the report from the land of Zen on the state of KALs.

Hey, look! It's RAINING!

Just a quick shoutout to our newest Utah Grrl, Andrea! She has a new blog Knitterpatter AND she just made a trip to Threadbear. Lucky grrl!

Comments

[kris]

i ordered a gathering of lace a couple of days ago - i'm very excited! thanks for the kal tip.

[Andrea]

Thanks for the shoutout, Margene! I'm still enjoying the happy glow of the trip to Lansing to visit the Threadbear boys. I just might give up being a Utah Grrl if I could shop at Threadbear every week. Then again, I just might go bankrupt if that were the case too!

[michele]

Your are a busy knitting lady...I enjoy your blog and also the 'shoutout's. I stopped by KnitterPatter. I often 'stop by' the Threadbear site but have never visited in person. Sounds like a wonderful store. Have a great day!

[Cassie]

A Gathering of Lace is one of my favorites too. I'll just leave the whole stockinette avenger thing alone. ;-)

[Judy]

You are really tempting me.. more lace. I can't get enough, but a project like that could put me right over the edge. I am making ( forever) the Birch leaf socks.

[Kim]

Like you, I decided not to do the last six sock KAL. I just didn't like it enough to invest that much time into it.

However, I love lacework and now that I am finishing up Paprika (and I really enjoyed all the stockinette stitching in this pattern), I just may join this KAL. I haven't joined one since the sock KAL. :-))

[Beth]

You're right to be envious of a Threadbear trip! I've gotta go back since I was overwhelmed the first time.

[Teri]

I'm rowing--I'm rowing! Rain, rain, go away! :)

When I first learned to knit (only 18 mo. or so ago), I used to use a Danish or Norwegian purl and that made my stockinette look funny and really loose in the purl row. So, I tried a different purl technique, and now stockinette is not so bad. In fact, I really like it! :) Go, Stockinette Avenger, go!

[Jean]

Both of my projects are "just knit" stitches. One a sweater in the round in stockinette and the other is a garter stitch baby surprise jacket. For me it's just like spinning. Meditative. Though I am ready to do a Fair Isle next.

[Linda M]

Margene,
I made that shawl when the book came out. It was my first attempt at lace and I loved every minute of it. I made it in theunspun icelandic and it is warmer than any other wool I could imagine. I remember well that monumental caston process! The unspun wool itches my neck but I usually wear a turtleneck when its that cold anyway. Have fun and enjoy the process. Linda

[Kathleen]

Can't wait to see more of your lace project Margene.

[Beth S.]

I love, love, LOVE that Faroese shawl. I'm so glad you're knitting it! It's on my list, but there's some Peace Fleece I promised myself I'd knit through before buying any more yarn.

The Shetland Tea Shawl really speaks to me, too. What a great book that is, errata notwithstanding!

[Kim]

I ordered A Gathering of Lace a week or so ago--it should be coming any day now. I've been wanting to try lace knitting for a while--thanks for the KAL info!

[Jessica]

That's hilarious. They really do look like the same shawl. Unfortunately mine needs to be ripped out and restarted. I just haven't worked up the energy to cast on 421 sts again.

[Birdsong]

Do you think it's possible to start from the point and work up to the 400+ stitches? It sure seems saner! I have made a Shetland shawl in the past, but am more attracted by the way the Faroese shawl drapes. I will be interested in watching your progress.

[leila]

I'm gearing up to do the Shetland Tea Shawl from Gathering soon. That is, if something else in the book doesn't hoist itself onto the needles, instead (who knows but the yarn...)

[La]

Hey, Margene, looks like we're both riding the same train of thought! That KAL looks like fun. Wish I had the book so I could maybe join. Oh well....I'll just live through you, k?

[Judy H.]

Birdsong, Myrna Stahman has written a book of Faroese-style patterns that start at the neck and work down. It's called Stahman's Shawls and Scarves: Lace Faroese-Shaped Shaws from the Neck Down & Seamen's Scarves.

I have Gathering of Lace, and I even have yarn for one of the patterns--can't remember the name, but it's got a unicorn, compass points, and ... some other stuff. Obviously it's been too long since I flipped through that book!

[froggy]

gotta pick my lace back up.

[Tracy]

Oh dear, I've got the book, I know I have the stash....must be strong, musssstt....