Done!

Lyra. She is done! If it seems like it was started a long time ago, it was. However, there was quite a long time out period while I decided if the yarn was right for this piece. In the end, I'm glad I continued with it. To refresh your memory, this is Touch from Yarn Place with a fiber content of 85% Merino/10% Tencel/5% Cashmere. It is very soft and the tencel content gives it a nice drape and maybe contributes to it holding it's block nicely (hope so! because these Niebling pieces take forever to pin out).

A slight problem developed during the blocking process, though. One of those heart stopping moments when you peer across from the other side of the circle and see more open work than should be there.
Luckily I was able to catch this run before it escaped the solid area of the flower head. Out in the mesh section it would have been much more difficult to repair.

At first I wasn't sure whether it was caused by a join coming apart, a weak spot in the yarn, or twisted stitch that didn't get caught securely. It turned out to be the latter.
Took a few quiet moments to repair and it's not altogether perfect but will do. BTW, this is the most accurate pic as to color. It's what I'd call orchid and with the floral theme seems to be the ultimate shawl to wear in Hawaii. So, this one will be saved for a return visit to paradise. Ya'll keep your fingers crossed for me that it will happen next year. okay?

Oooh, looky here. I must have been good this year because this beauty of a spindle showed up under the Christmas tree. It's a Golding Art Nouveau--1.6 oz. Let me tell you, it spins like lightening. One of the reasons why I love the Golding spindles is because it's so easy to get them going with just a finger flick--some of my other spindles need a thigh roll to really give them alot of speed.
It's resting on the Sept (or maybe August) offering from the Spunky Club called Thermograph. Nice BFL fiber to put it through it's paces.
Here's a shot of the side of the spindle. These newer Goldings have more wood surrounding the ring. They also aren't set up to be made into a bottom whorl like the older models.

Hope you had a Happy Christmas and here's to a great New Year!

Miss me?

It's been awhile, huh. I'll spare you all the ins and outs of the complications of life and just launch into showing you some of the fibery things I've been doing. Sorry, no nature pic to lead things off today. It's getting to be scary cold out there and everything just looks white (as in snow) anyway.

Fell in love at first sight with Nancy Bush's new book, Knitted Lace of Estonia. Wanted to cast on nearly every design right away but Miralda led the pack. And, I had the perfect yarn for it sitting on the shelf--Jade Sapphire Cashmere/Silk.
It's a fun pattern to knit. Lots of unusual stitch patterns that combine texture with lace.
All my shawl notes are listed in my Ravelry Notebook so I won't repeat them here. Interweave has listed errata for the book here.
Second shawl on the needles from the book is the Crown Prince. I'm using some Yak/Silk and size 3mm needles. This one will be a long term project.
Wanted to show you this fun little spindle basket I found at the WI Spin-in last October.
The basket holds roving and there's a special spiral on the front to hold a spindle. It feels sort of like a spindle holster.

Haven't been spinning much, but since October was breast cancer awareness month, I broke into the Superwash Merino dyed in Violet's Pink Ribbon from Lisa.
I was aiming for a fingering weight 3 ply and missed the mark again. Last time I tried it, I ended up with more of a sport weight. This time...lace weight--974 yds measuring 38 WPI from 4 oz.
Nice and springy but too lightweight for socks. Being superwash, it won't hold a block so a lace shawl is out. So for now, it's on the shelf.
More of a success is this little Niebling doily. Burda has begun publishing an English version of Anna and is including one Niebling design in each issue. This is the first one called Lily of the Valley.
Lots of nice little touches in it and it was quite fun to knit. To start the center I used Thom Christoph's circular start as shown in Gathering of Lace. Very nice. It's similar to Emily Ocker's start but doesn't use a crochet hook.

That's it for now. Hopefully posts will begin to show up in their usual weekly pattern.