No more secrets
The SECRET beaded thingy is finally done, in all her 2000 beaded glory!
She's on her way to her new home, I hope her new owner likes her as much as I do....she came out quite lovely and it was hard to give her up!
I'll post a pic once she reaches her destination.
I was suffering post-beading depression so I needed a new project on the needles STAT! And what came to my rescue? Why it's a brand new lace shawl....it's the Diamond Fantasy Shawl....in COTTON -- because yes, Virginia, C is for Cotton!
This is the beginning of the Diamond Fantasy Shawl, designed by Sivia Harding. It's a very cool pattern that incorporates knitting the border as you knit the body of the shawl by binding off as you knit along...brilliant!
I'm using my very favorite cotton, Blue Heron Laceweight Mercerized Cotton in the colorway Flax. The color on my monitor is pretty true....it's a subtle pinky lavender, light yellowish green and beige colorway that looks almost like a strand of tiny pearls because the mercerized cotton is so shiny!
This is going to be a Mother's Day gift for the FK Mom because I've only knit her warmer shawls and here in Florida, cotton shawls are a must! This colorway is so perfect for her, I hope I can hold out til May....cause we all know I can't keep a secret, right La?
I've said many times I'm not a big fan of pure cotton cause it hurts my hands but this Blue Heron Cotton is lovely to work with...great hand, so smooth and shiny, a dream to knit with and stunning colorways! Can you tell I'm a fan? :)
The added bonus? Mercerized cotton needs no BLOCKING! When it's finished it gets a nice bath and a turn in the dryer and voila! Perfect cotton shawl! Thank you C for bringing cotton to my knitting world!
I'm still working on the beautiful Trekking socks for FK Dad, I'm about to turn the heel on sock #2.
Even tho I haven't had the greatest luck with the whole secret pal thing, being an avid sock knitter and having participated in version 1 and 2, I couldn't resist signing up for Alison's wonderful
I haven't settled on a pattern yet so while I finish the Trekking socks I will be searching for the perfect pattern for this:
This is a skank of Twinkletoes sock yarn that I was saving for myself but when my sock pal mentioned she had a recent onset of orange love, I knew that this was the yarn for her! I can't wait to marry this beautiful yarn with a complimentary pattern that makes my Sock Pal go "squee!!!!" when she gets them in 3 months! Thanks once again for hosting this event Alison, this time with over 600 participants!
I leave you with a picture of my beading supervisor. My handsome guy is preening in front of the 2 Rubbermaid tubs that house my many beads and crochet hooks. My P-Man is fascinated with beads to it seems.....he stares at those tubs, plotting how to get to the goodies inside that make such cool noises. Now if my bead stash looks like this, can you imagine my yarn stash? Oy!
Hope your week is full of fine fiber and to those in training, remember.....athletes carb up before their big events and chocolate is a carb :)
19 comments:
I just finished my Diamond Fantasy Shawl over the weekend and I used Cherry Tree Hill. LOTS of blocking required. I didn't know you don't need to block cotton and I think that's a huge bonus. Thanks for pointing that out. I hope you enjoy knitting DFS as much as I did!
That cotton is lovely and will make a beautiful shawl.
A tumble in the dryer eh? That's almost enough to get me to knit with cotton! And that is quite a bead stash.
I'd like to try cotton for shawls, too. Might be a good alternative to wool and alpaca. Your Orange socks will be great for sockpal. I know it's not me, I didn't join. Can't wait to see the pattern you choose.
That cotton is gorgeous. Where do find such yarn? I love it!
Also that sock yarn is really pretty. I don't even like orange all that much, and I like that. Your sock pal will be so happy =)
I like how the P-Man is playing off his scheming. Our cat does the same thing. Be cool!
Some stunning stuff you've got going on! I've never knit lace with cotton, but that sounds intriguing - especially the part about blocking. One more thing you've introduced me to that I'll just have to try! You're bad for my checkbook! Several people have asked me where they can learn the Turkish cast on and I've sent them over to your tutorial. It's excellent! Dorothy (Missouri Star)
I'm presently working on the DFS and love it - the pattern is so simple yet looks so complicated!
Great to know about mercerized cotton ... I have some cheap cotton plus which I want to use to make a shawl ... great!
All the colours are so wonderful ... I want to be your sock pal too! hahaha ...
The colors for your new shawl are beautiful, it will be gorgeous!!
I just love your work, Debi! I am also coming to appreciate the beauty of the bead.
I'm new at this, but seem to have amassed quite a collection of shapes, sizes and colors already. Thanks for the tutorial on the hook method :-)
Now that I have glimpsed your bead stash, I am sure I have bead envy ...
Your tutorial on beading is very user-friendly. Maybe I will get brave and jump in when the sweater is finished.
Good job on the shawl!
Your Blue Heron cotton is so lovely!! And that Diamiond Fantasty pattern looks beautiful, too. I didn't know that merecerized cotton didn't need to be blocked. I definitely see a lot of mercerized cotton purchases in my future now. ;-) And your sock pal is surely going to squee when she receives socks knitted out of that gorgeous orange colorway!! BTW, I've been meaning to email you... you CRACKED me up with your Brazilian comment!! Too funny and very sage advice, indeed. ;-) Take care, Debi! :-)
Ah yes. Beads ! Uses very little space for a stash worth hundreds !
The shawl will be stunning,I can already tell.
Your sock recipient is a very lucky girl. Very nice yarn you'll be using.
I've seen your cabled T pics ! You look fab. Great knitting.
xox
LOL! There is a reason for me to join the Knitting Olympics -- I will have an excuse to carboload! :) Thanks for your comment at my blog!
I love the colors you're using in your shawl! It's going to be gorgeous. I have that pattern stashed away somewhere, maybe it's time to dig it out.
That's funny Pumpkin stares at your tubs of beads. He's so cute! When I'm doing bead stuff, Ruby sits in my lap and waits for me to drop one on the floor (which always happens).
it's nice to know I'm not the only one who can't keep secrets :)
I totally love that sock yarn...And the pman looks cute as ever.
Well I'm unlurking as your requested! Thanks again for the fluffy sock pattern. Count me in as a non-cotton knitter that's very tempted after reading this post! Off to find out more about that yarn.
I can't wait to see the beaded gift! That Blue Heron yarn is lovely; where did you get it? My stash is feeling neglected.
As always, the P-man looks handsome. He has that "I'm just going to sit here and pretend like I'm not at ALL interested in these beads" attitude.
Deb, I actually didn't join sockapalooza this time. You are a trooper. Is that shawl fairly easy? Intermediate? Difficult? That is one thing I haven't done-lace shawl & I want to soon.
Donna S.
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