The World Keeps Getting Smaller

I am a member of the Mystery Shawl KAL (link on sidebar), and have been working on my shawl in Maine Line claret fingering weight. It's coming along. The last of five clues have been released, and people are now finishing their shawls. It came to me as I read the emails from the group how amazing this all really is. People in the Netherlands, Australia, the United Kingdom, the US, Canada, Luxembourg, Finland, Sweden, Germany, and Denmark -- practically all over the world -- are knitting this same shawl, sending messages and pictures to each other. We've never met, and will probably never meet, but isn't it all amazing? I'm in awe for just a few moments. And then I will get back to knitting.

Stitch Markers

My knitting is moving along at a regular pace -- no real progress pictures to show -- everything just looks bigger. I have worked on some crystal stitch markers. Here they are:

Storm Merino style

Isn't it interesting how color monitors and different cameras and who knows what can change the color of yarn? This is the color of yarn I ordered for my Highland Triangle Shawl. It's Merino style and is the color storm. This kind of looks like the color I received (this picture is from the Knitpicks web page.) On the web it looks lighter than in the catalog. The pictures of the shawl in progress I've put on the blog are a different color completely. I think the one from Knitpicks is probably closer to the actual color of the shawl, but really, neither are exactly right. And I was actually hoping for something darker.

I have TONS of yarn available right here at my desktop, but I can't see its real color or feel it. Oh, well, I order it anyway. I do like this yarn. It is knitting up very nicely. No yarn "vomit" as I use the skeins. Only a very few knots.

All in all...progress

I'm making progress on both shawls. First, the mystery shawl. I am working my way through clue 2. Here it is at the end of clue 1 (the first time). I say "the first time" because, several rows into clue 2 I realized that I had made an awful mistake. Somewhere I had done two purl rows. The effect of this was to reverse the shawl, making the front the back and the back the front. If that makes any sense. See those white lines on the shawl? Those are lifelines, and thank goodness for them. I ripped back to the lineline between clue 1 and 2, and started clue 2 again. All is back in place, and I have moved on.

On the Highland Triangle Shawl front. I am working now on the edging. Once I got the pattern established, it has gone very well. I'm anxious to finish this one. I can't wait to snuggle with it.

I mentioned earlier that we dog-sat last weekend. Our beagle, and our neighbor beagle puppy took some time getting used to each other. Molly, our dog, is very calm -- not aggressive at all. She mainly just ran from the little eight week old puppy. Finally, Molly would have enough, turn around and BARK. Precious (the neighbor dog) would run and hide behind one of us.

Below is a photo of my latest stash enhancements. We went to Lexington this weekend. I purchased some Berroco Softwist, in color 9429, which doesn't seem to be on their web page. Discontinued? I bought it to go with Plymouth Firenze in color 438. I also picked up two skeins of green sock yarn -- Fortissima Socka in color 1092. Fun shopping trip.

If you are looking for some funny or intestesting blog entries to read, try the Yarn Harlot's description of her book tour in Vancover and Edmonton. Hilarious. Want to try beads and knitting? Take a look at this interesting tutorial. I bought the crochet hooks to give this a try.

Yarn stash enhancements from Lexington.

Molly and "Precious" having a little talk.

Shawl from the latest Vogue Knitting. I like this one. Why do I always choose projects in magazines that are made with cashmere?

Two major projects -- Why oh why?

I currently have two major (knitting) projects on the needles. First, the Highland Triangle Shawl. Yes, I finished the middle section. Yes, that went well. I finally, after, I think three tries, picked up the right amount of stitches to knit on the edges. I knit the eyelet section -- OK -- then on to the lace edging. I knit four rows. I unkit the fourth row, a few times. I reknit. I am now unknitting, trying to get the stitch count right. I thought the stitch count WAS right. Apparently not. But I am determined to get this right. And once I do, I'm adding stitch markers between every two repeats. (I actually had them in, and then had to remove them as I unknit this last time.) I really feel like once I get this part in line, I will be off and running again.

The other project in the Mystery Shawl. It is in Maine Line 2/8 fingering weight, color claret. I love the color. It's a nice, dark burgandy. The first two clues have been released. I worked on the first one, thought I was doing well, but had to restart twice. I have now installed lifelines -- for the first time ever -- and ever since then, I haven't made mistakes. Well, what is insurance for if it is not for insuring that you don't make mistakes? Isn't that the umbrella and rain theory? The car wash and rain theory?

Anyway, we puppy-sat the neighbor's beagle this weekend, which didn't allow much knitting time. It's hard to concentrate on yarn overs and double-decreased when a little needle-teeth puppy is trying to devour your couch.

Most of my weekend knitting -- that I got in around the puppy -- was backward anyway. Tinking is not nearly as fun as knitting. And it is kind of discouraging to end the weekend with less completed project than you started with.

I'll post pictures.