Is it Obsession or Another Bug?

Lace was the one thing that kept my interest while I was feeling poorly at the first of the year.  I felt as if I'd fallen into a hole and as it turned out it was a hole; a yarn over created hole.  Knitting lace became an obsession for me during January (and it still is). It was all I felt like doing...and even now,  it still feels right.  This feeling has also made me just a little obsessed about lace patterns and yarn.

Ravelry has been a wonderful resource because I can look through my own stash, search for the type of lace pattern that intrigues and entices, and make match ups of said yarn and pattern.  My queue filleth over.

Project Spectrum III has also inspired and infused my knitting color sense.  It's red, orange, heat colored yarn I want to knit (perhaps because I'm craving warmth and sun that never comes!) and there is plenty of that in my stash.  The pattern I found this past weekend was one I'd had my eye on for years and years from Interweave Knits 2000, the Fairy Tale Scarf by Sarah Swett.  It will be knit with Judy's hand dyed Zephyr in the color Flame!  The two of them should make a happy couple.

Another scarf/shawl that caught my eye is the Zetor Scarf that's been popping up in queues all over Ravelry.  (Friends activity is a great place to find inspiration, even if it is a little dangerous.)  Instead of a simple, plain yarn, I've decided to knit this ala Charlotte's Web, with several skeins of coordinating Koigu.  The Koigu in my stash has marinaded long enough!   (Believe me there are many more skeins than what you see here!)

To compound and confound the lace obsession, Miriam has introduced her new Flutter Scarf and it's knit with Lark's fabulous yarn.  The local grrls alone could keep me knitting lace forever more without ever leaving the State.  Lark's yarn is a lovely blend of alpaca and soy silk, hand dyed by Anne!  Mim's Icarus is already in my queue because of a beautiful lace weight yarn that Marcia dyed with Indigo and put into my possession a couple of years ago.

Then there is the exquisite Rowan Kid Silk Spray I've stashed just for Muir.  Can't you just see this knit with crystal beads?  So elegant!  This would be a perfect project for for PSIII during the Air phase.  I have been planning projects with appropriate yarns for every phase.  You could call it another obsession.   

I've also been considering several projects from Victorian Lace Today and the Phileme Scarf for my on handspun (the gorgeous blue Oberon from Wooly Wonka).  Also, Susan's new design  Moroccan Days/Arabian Nights (dyed with Kim's exquisite yarn!) is now ready (check her side bar) and there is also a KAL on Ravelry.   There are many, many more projects under consideration, too.  Now I KNOW I have holes in my head.

You may have guessed I'm distracting you from the fact that not much progress has been made on Aspen Grove. That should change tomorrow night when I'll finally be able to stay home and knit.

Comments

[Pat K]

Ravelry is an amazing source now for patterns, yarns, and ideas...how did we ever manage without it? I, too, am finding great ideas by using "friends activity". You have so many wonderful ideas planned out. It will be fun to watch your projects take shape.

[chris]

So much lace......so little time!

[Carole]

I was just about to ask - what's happening with Aspen Grove!

[Carol]

And I thought I wanted to knit everything I saw! You just have much better taste than I
;-)

[CindyCindy]

Your "to do" list is merely a wish list for me. There are just so many beautiful patterns and yarn. I think choosing is getting harder and harder. Ah, but what a lovely dilemma.

[Kim]

Holy Crap, Margene, you just put me into lace overload! I LOVE all of the patterns that you are contemplating, especially Mim's new pattern and Zetor.

Lace is my favorite knitting. I'm not always that good at it, but I love the challenge :-)

[ann]

thanks for the fantastic linkfest Margene!

[Cindy/Snid]

Lace is not an obsession- it is a necessity! I would be happy to knit lace for the rest of my life... and I NEVER thought I would say such a thing! (next thing you know I'll be talking about crochet...)

[Chris]

How are you going to decide what to knit?! :)

[ruth]

You are a wicked enabler! If I can just get past socks. Oh those shawls!

Where do you wear them? I have a bunch I made while I was still working, but now have no place to wear them.

[Julie]

Ravelry can be a wonderful and dangerous place! Lots of beautiful lace choices you have there.

[Norma]

Lace and I... well, I wish I could share your lace-knitting obsession, because I really do LOVE wearing my one and only lace piece -- the Flower Basket Shawl. Maybe one of these days....stranger things have happened, right?

[Lisa]

Wow - what a list. And you gave me some items to put on my wish list.

[Susan Pandorf]

My one regret as a designer is my lack of time to knit everyone else's wonderful designs! There is so much talent out there in our community. Thanks for the links.

I shall watch with interest your progress through the year and enjoy vicariously, if I may?

Now, back to work on my next design...

Blessings!

[Margaret]

Forget about Ravelry, I'll just come here to find things to add to my queue! Such pretty choices!

[Wool Winder]

You have some great projects lined up! If only there was time enough to knit them all before other beautiful patterns pull us in another direction.

[Laurie]

Ravelry is a rabbit hole. You are just about the only one who actually has a chance of finishing all that ambitious lace. Did I need another queue item? No. But Moroccan Days just dove in.

[Teresa C]

Heh! I ran over to Ravelry to queue Zetor only to find it already in my queue. I'm in a lace frenzy myself, it is all I want to knit right now. But instead, I have to go to work. Shit. That sucks. I'll be dreaming of lace while I am there.

[Birdsong]

aah, so much lace, so little time! I have the Honeybee stole waiting, and Print o' the Wave, also joined Anne's lace club, but now WANT Mim's new scarf in the worst way:) The power of little holes...

[Heather Joins The Round]

But how do you choose what to knit first?

[claudia]

That Flutter scarf is lovely, and looks like a relaxing knit.

[molly!]

Too many choices! I am already over my head in projects but I want to knit more lace, too. Isn't Ravelry great for dreaming up ideas?

[Marcia Cooke]

I don't need Ravelry....I've got Margene! If I ever decide to knit lace, I'll know just where to go!

[Hillary]

That is way too much for my little brain to consider. So much lace and so little time!

[michaele]

I hope you're not signed up for the year of lace on top of all of this! You are very ambitious, friend!

[Cheryl S.]

I'm still in sweater obsession mode, but you're giving me the lace bug...

[Anne B.]

Whew! That is a lot of stuff to think about! I believe you may be the queen of fire. But I want to know where is the turkey hat and spider hat in your queue now? I think I need to plan to make my first lace shawl soon!
Anne in Calgary

[Beth S.]

I am particularly impressed with the gorgeous lace patterns from Finland that I keep finding. Ravelry really broadens one's horizons! I'd never have discovered any of those blogs without it.

[Cindy in Happy Valley]

I love the look of lace, but find working with laceweight exceedingly difficult.

I also am intrigued by your mention of "reading the lace" (or was it pattern?) rather than using stitch markers. For the moment I'm just bumping along using stitch markers, I'd be lost without them. I've been working on a Hanging Garden (Harding pattern) for going on a year. Sigh.

[Stacey]

It's easy to ignore that "friends" feature. However, once someone starts matching patterns with yarn on their blog... it's all over. ;D

[Chris]

Ooo, all very exciting patterns. Have fun!

[Sarah]

I feel the queue growing.

[Cookie]

I'm reading blogs while knitting on Mim's Serphim. Thank you for reminding me of Romi's Muir. I need to find a yarn for that pattern.

Knitting lace is normal and good for you. ;^)

[Mia]

Forget Ravelry. You are to blame for my queue and favorites list growing and growing. I am hoping to start a pattern of Victorian Lace soon. Check the corrections though. I have never seen a book with as many errors as that one though.

[Lucia]

Or stay home and surf Ravelry, as the case may be. I know the feeling.

[--Deb]

So many gorgeous choices!

[Suzanne]

Gorgeous patterns. My Ravelry queue is mostly lace, I just keep adding more.

[kathleen]

enabler!!

[Kristy]

Wow, what an enabler you are! Every one of those lace projects are gorgeous! You have just tempted me into joining the Moroccan/Arabian KAL. That is one beautiful pattern. Now I must go search my own stash -- tee hee!

[Jennifer]

My head is spinning with all the lovely lace choices!

[Teyani]

It would be just about impossible to choose between all those amazing projects :-)

[Katherine]

My queue doth not overflow, but my favorites do. Exceedingly, to throw a little BoM language in with the Shakespearean.

I think the Flutter Scarf may be my very favorite Miriam pattern since Seraphim. Mm mm.

[thegabbyknitter]

That's of great lace pattern and yarn choices. How are going to decide what to knit first!

[Anne]

Hm... is the knitted roll of TP a "water" project? I didn't see any yarns queued up for that one yet........

[Kim D.]

Distracting me?! I think more causing me to add some new projects to my queue. I love the Moroccan Days/Arabian Nights shawl. Love it! Just love it!

Doesn't it feel wonderful to be so passionate about a hobby/art. I was talking to someone the other day and asked what things they like to do/hobbies they might have. "Oh, nothing really. I don't really do anything". I tried not to show judgment and shock on my face. I'm so grateful for my obsession and the joy/relaxation it brings me. Thanks for sharing yours too.

[Karen B.]

I was just today looking at Charlotte's Web! And Susan's Moroccan beauty? I'd love to see you knit that up!

[Wanda]

Dang, lots of lace dreams. Everything you linked to is beautiful. Some I wasn't even aware of.