WIP Wednesday 197: A Bit More Grumping

Tarot of Durer

It's looking very similar to this card outside my house right now. Except for the Cups and the dove. So far it is the kind of summer that England is famous for. But actually, the card is here to describe my mood - I started the Yalinka Shawl by Alina Appasov: her designs are quite lovely (I've made the Lale Lace Shawl but have neglected to post photos yet). 

However, owing to a serious error I made at the beginning of the lace section, which I couldn't find and therefore couldn't fix, I had to rip it back to the start. No, don't talk to me of lifelines, thank you all the same. Having made it through 4 repeats of the stockinette section, I pulled the work off my needles and chucked it hard into a corner when for the 6th time, this happened:

It's Austermann Merino Lace which has been in my stash for a couple of years; in addition to the breaks, there were also a few places where 1 strand had come apart, leaving only 1 strand to be knitted. Not only do I plan to bead this shawl, it is a special commission with a complex pattern: there is no point trying to attempt it with such sub-standard materials - how awful would it feel if on blocking, washing or wearing it suddenly disintegrated ? I have started for the 3rd time, and so far the other ball seems OK:

Auntie Fashion also dumped on gifted me her remaining yarns (more about which another time), and amongst the melee was this:

A hand-made child's sweater from somewhere or other which she was frogging in order to re-use the yarn - but she doesn't know what the yarn is. I would love to find out, as it's such a fabulous color - I also love the texture and very slight fuzz; it feels like a DK. If anyone has any ideas, PLEASE let me know.

While you ponder that problem, pop over to Tami's Amis to see what else is going on ....

FO Friday 43: Willow Leaf Scarf

A nice straightforward transformation post today. From this:



Over the course of 6 days, washing and blocking, to end up as this:

I still don't know what this yarn is, which is a shame, as it is lovely: soft, easy to knit with, and a total match for the project, which is a scarf modified from Linda Choo's Willow Leaf Stole.
I did only 4 horizontal border repeats, to make it narrower; I picked up 60 stitches for the body, and knitted 6 stitches at each end of every row; and only 3 horizontal main/body pattern repeats. Then I just knitted the pattern til I felt I had just enough yarn left for the final border.

I'm pleased with this project: mainly because the other project I was making with this pattern had well and truly stalled: a combination of me thinking it was a chore and difficult, as the pattern was quite bulky to read (I can use charts now) and the yarn not being really the right one for the project.

As usual, many beautiful things to marvel at over on Tami's Amis ...

WIP Wednesday 48: Mystery Yarn

Back to the groove after Monday's grumping. I'm not a grumpy person, by and large, so it doesn't usually last long - that would take far too much energy to maintain.

I've scheduled this post as today it is Mini Diva's school sports day: think of me with compassion and sympathy as I traipse round each event trying to whip up some enthusiasm for Team Red; actually, the team songs they come up with can be quite funny.


So seeing as how I already had the pattern for the Willow Leaf Stole printed, that's what I cast on yesterday (with modifications I'll talk about another time), using a lovely mossy green yarn that I bought from Ewenique in her recent de-stash; she had lost the label, but thinks it is a Fleece Artist yarn, or possibly Handmaiden, light fingering weight 3 ply merino and cashmere, perhaps with some nylon. I think it may be Fleece Artist Cashlana, possibly colorway 'Rainforest' - but if anyone recognizes this yarn, please let me know.



And this WIP's results are back:



His blood tests show that he is allergic to grasses and mites (household & storage). Our vet recommends a course of immunotherapy which would set the insurance back approx. £400 ($645), and would eventually entail a mere single injection per month which we could administer ourselves {shudder from the needlephobe ie. me}. Alternatively, we can dose him daily with Piriton or another anti-histamine seasonally as necessary, with steroids for if/when the itching gets too bad.

We are being charitable and thinking that his previous family may not have known of his seasonal environmental allergies, as they - and therefore Sebastian - didn't have a lifestyle which involved being outoors in grassy, green, leafy areas like the parks and wild areas we go to.

And finally, part of my WIP today is the bargains I picked up recently, reduced in price simply because they were wilting through needing to be watered ...



A little apricot-flowered begonia 'Million Kisses', a ruby/chocolate-flowered regal pelargonium, and a magenta-flowered cottage pink 'Waterloo Sunset'; they should have cost £12 ($19) but actually cost £4.50 ($7.25). We luffs a deal.

Lots more yarny yumminess over at Tami's Amis ...