Knitting Bandit

To Frog or not to Frog?

What do you think?

My Tuscany Shawl started out promising enough.  I mean, really. It's Handmaiden Sea Silk. What can in any way be bad about that?  It is a dream to knit with.  I love  the "taupe" and blue together.  In my mind, I have envisoned  a really pretty shawl.  But looking at it now about 15% knitted, I am just not feeling the "love". 

#1   I am worried that there is too much varigation in the colors to do shawl justice.  I have searched Ravelry top to bottom, looking at other Tuscany's (mostly solids)and also trying to find projects in this colorway (not many).  I know it will change in the blocking.  But will it change enough?  3 skeins.  That's a lot of money for an ugly shawl.

#2 I'm doubting my needle size.  Maybe I should've gone down a size.  I did swatch.  But my gut says it's not working at this guage.  How do I know?  Maybe block what I have done so far?(Yeah, now that I've suggested that I think I will).

To Frog or not to Frog?

That is the question I ask of thee.

I've Been Blogging a lot (in my head)

This summer, I've written some witty posts and shared a lot of knitting projects and insights with you.  Not to mention some yarn and pattern reviews that I've offered up.  Yup.  I sure have. I've been blogging a lot ...in my head. I blog when I drive, when I shower, when I knit, heck even when I do laundry! But these thoughts are forever lost to any chance of seeing paper.

Oh well.

It's not to late to share  my most beautiful summer project.  My glorious "Ravelympics" accomplishment that I am so proud of:

Yarn:  Wollmeise Sockenwolle 100% Superwash in Miss May (medium intensity).  I could link you, but why would I create even more competition for this elusive yarn?

Forest Canopy Shawl

Excellent pattern.  Perfect for first lace.

The shawl is a "shoulder shawl" so it's a little smaller than I expected, I added an extra bunch of stitches (how many? IDK) but stopped because i was afraid it would be too big.  I had quite a bit of extra yarn.  I thought about ripping the bind off and edging and making it bigger, but why mess with a good thing?   

The next dilema?  I don't wear these colors.  Ever. I've never worn a shawl.  So what will I do with it?  Hmmm...I may give it to my niece.  My sister thinks she might tie it around her waist over jeans.  Could be cute.

I want so badly to knit another one.  I tell myself I should try a new pattern.  I have been frantically searching.  Who knew I'd go crazy for lace?  What about all my gorgeous socks in queu?  But I keep thinking of another Foerst Canopy in Wollmesie Brombeere.  Mmmmm...pretty.

Modeled under the canopy of my own forest...okay a small pine tree in my yard lent me it's branches.

I love it so much I'm going show you more pictures just like this.

One more.

Lost N*pples on My Loaf of Bread

The Knitting Bandit snagged a seat in not one, but two seriously rockin' classes at Threadbear this past weekend.

First up Friday night with Amy Singer where I got a confidence boost in my potential ability to knit lace during her Tuscany Shawl class.

I really liked her and tried to absorb as much of her knitting knowledge as I could in the short two and a half hours of the class. I wished I had signed up for her Sunday class on different knitting fibers. I was able figure out the mistake in my one attempt to knit lace, last month, I was reading the chart kinda like a book in reverse--I was going right to left, then dropping to the next line, reading right to left.  I did not know you had to read it like an "S".  Is there a better way to describe that?  A proper technical word? 

Saturday was great fun with Jillian Moreno and her Knit to Fit class.  It was a five hour class full of lots of information, knitting advice and plenty of laughs.  It was during this class that I realized I couldn't find my n*pples on my loaf of bread.  Do you want that translated or do you just want to wonder?  It did make me sad, I think most of the other knitters could see theirs.

Jillian did a great job helping everyone analyze their body types and what looks good on waht part.  She made everyone feel extremely comfortable standing in front of each other to show and measure their parts.  She had something genuinely flattering to say to each of us about our bodies.  . 

I almost ran out the door when I heard there would be MATH after lunch...but lucky me, I sat next to Gayle, a knitting math teacher.  Special Ed.  Perfect for me.  Yes, I did make a stooopid math mistake, something involving 2 x 4.   She didn't scold me, but politely looked over the rest of my work.

We had a blast.  I always wonder how I end gravitating to the rowdy table at these things...but it really wasn't the entire table.  It was just us. Just a little rowdy, but not bad.  You can't be serious when you are measuring the distance between a strangers n*pples.

Jillian Moreno was my kind of girl.  She's one of those people you meet and know instantly that you could be good friends.  Not that you will be, but you know you're on the same "wave length" so to speak.  I will jump at a chance to take another class taught by her.

This class was so informative that  I couldn't wait to apply it to a sweater.  So I sent this 18 month old UFO to the Frog Pond (the class made me realize even if I finished it, I probably wouldn't wear it and if I did, I'd look like Barney):

I have cast on instead for Salt Peanuts with this yummy Trina yarn by Adrienne Vittadini (I'm holding my breath--I don't know how many balls I knit into this frogged sweater or even how much I bought, I hope I have enough.  I should have enough.).

I decided to start with the sleeves because I hate knitting sleeves.  They seem to be flying off my needles.

 

Here's a nice up close shot of my pretty cuffs: