Blue Wednesday
Nah, I'm not sad, it's just that blue seems to be the color of the moment :)
Case in point, meet Audrey....
(As always, click to embiggen and note kitty with ever present tongue sticking out, stage left)
Specs:
Audrey from Elsebeth Lavold Designer's Choice, Book Four The Sophisticated Lady Collection
Size Small (33 1/2 inches) - I'll try to get a modeled shot once it's gifted
Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in color # 27, Periwinkle - Just under 3 skeins - I LOVE this yarn!!
Addi Turbos US #4 and #6
Mods: The only mods I made was to shorten the body by one inch (I thought it would be a bit more youthful in the slightly shorter length.)
This was a fast, fun knit with lots of va-va-va- voom! I just think it's so pretty and feminine!
As with most Lavold patterns, it's pretty organic...kinda the bare minimum as patterns go. For example, altho the lace is easy enough for a beginner, it never says in the pattern to reverse the charts so the left and right patterns mirror each other. Obvious to most experienced knitters but not to a newbie. Personally I think guidance like that should be in every book, some knitters can be very literal when following a pattern! In addition, I was unable to find an errata page but there is an error in the chart - it was an easy fix, and pretty obvious once you're into the pattern.
I also wish Ms. Lavold would learn to do schematics! There's nary a one in any of the books I've looked at and altho they are not necessary I find they are very nice to refer to when blocking.
Despite those minor whinges, it's a lovely knit and I'm very happy with the finished product.
I also started some new socks....guess what color? 
This is some Louet Gems Pearl in the color Neptune and the beginnings of Thelonius by Cookie A.
The astute among you will also note that this week's manicure is brought to you by the color blue! This is another by OPI, the Brights Collection called Can't You Sea? I don't often knit with blue but I've had the colorway and pattern for these socks dancing in my head for a few weeks and I guess that fact subconsciously influenced my manicure color choice. I never even noticed til I started the socks today, d'oh!! :)
The pattern calls for a gauge of 8 inches/inch on 1.5 US (2.5 mm) so I decided to try my Knitpicks DPNs for the first time. I'm spot on for gauge but may I say...MEH! I don't get all the hoopla - they are very slick and pointy but they are HEAVY and too short for me! They may be cheap but so are my beloved Aeros
and my Aeros aren't too slippery, are also nice and pointy and a much better length. I do like many of the Knitpicks products but I'm not jumping on the "I heart options needles!" bandwagon! Gimme my Aeros or addi turbos any day!
Speaking of which, you may wonder what has become of the Forest Path Stole....
Well, I'm just not feeling the love. Yes, I'm co-hosting the KAL but knitting should be fun and never a chore. The truth is I LOATHE knitting with laceweight yarn!! I have used bamboo, addi turbos, teflon and nothing makes the knitting more fun but.....:::drumroll::: enter the new Addi Lace Needles. Now this is a needle I could fall in love with and marry, heh! Seriously, these are the BEST. NEEDLES. EVER! I used a pair to knit one lace unit of the FPS (I'm just finishing tier 5). They are super light, nice grab without any drag and oh so pointy!
Now I won't say that they worked miracles and made me have a burning desire to start knitting the FPS again but they sure did help! I have a new project all picked out for WWKIP Day (I always like to start something new) so from now until June 9th I am gonna use my addi lace needles and try to find that FPS feeling again. At least I'll have my blue socks to keep me from going crazy because yes Alison, I really am a 2 project knitter :)
Lastly, as blog mascot and knitting supervisor (see the where's Waldo Pumpkin pics above) the P-Man wants to remind you, if you ask a question in the comments, please leave an address where I can respond OR check back and I'll respond in the comments! Neither the P-Man or I ever want to ignore our fans :)
44 comments:
audrey is beautiful. silky wool is a lovely yarn.
as for the lace charts -- that's really not acceptable in my book. it's easy enough for you or i to do, but that's not an assumption that can be reasonably made of everyone.
and schematics? don't even get me started!
I love that tank - the color is gorgeous and the design is really beautiful. The knitting ain't bad, either. Great job, Deb.
What a lucky person to receive you top!! It came out beautifully. Love the color and the lace on the shoulders!!!
Just beautiful, Deb. I have the pattern, but Silky Wool in Virginia in the summer is never going to happen. Still searching for something that won't kill me in the heat.
The first time I saw that pattern, I fell big time. I love patterns that use the leaf motif.
Never have too much blue :-)
Gotta love those addi lace needles.
That is sooo nice! I just love the looks of everything I ever see knit with Silky Wool. I've got a sweater's worth sitting here waiting for me to find some motivation.
That shell is a beautiful job of knitting, and you've chosen a lovely pattern. Of course, having a diligent knitting supervisor helps! VBG!
In the past, I would never have considered such a pattern, being a lady past the age of 30, when one should never go sleveless (mother's mantra). However, I am mid-stream in a medical weight loss program, and when I'm done... you've tempted me.
:-) I've been blue a lot lately, too. My Bonsai is blue and I have some ice blue laceweight for a shawl (which I won't start just yet - I don't want to add to the hives I've already given you:-). Should I tell you that I did order the yarn for another project or two I had only been contemplating?
Audrey is simply GORGEOUS! Very elegant.
So Pretty!
You've got the blues and in a *good* way! Audrey, Thelonius and the manicure all sing!
The presence of Pumpkin is an benefit :o)
Oh my gosh! That is just about the most beautiful tank I've ever seen!! I've been wanting to knit something with Silky Wool, but just can't afford a large project - this would be perfect. Of course, I'd have to buy the book too. I've found that Lavold patterns, while long on beauty, do tend to be short on accuracy. I'm struggling with FPS too - at this point I'm tired of it and just want it done, but it seems never ending! As for the Options needles - I've not tried the dpn's - I think they would be too slick, but I love the circs for everything else. I bet the new Addi laces are really nice too. Sorry for not commenting more, but Blogger decided it hated me and wouldn't let me comment. I think I have the problem resolved no though!
Audrey is truly beautiful. It is also in one of my favorite colors but one, alas, that I can't wear without looking jaundiced.
Your giftee is a lucky person!
Wow. Audrey is gorgeous, your manicure is gorgeous, the P-Man is gorgeous...
And I think it's great that your Addi Lace needles are helping you get back on FPS. They are the BEST needles...!
I wasn't too hep on the Options either - they ARE too heavy!
(((hugs)))
I've wanted to knit that top for a long time. ELs patterns are worse than Rowan or Debbie Bliss...at least they have schematics.
I've got a hankering for Thelonius too!
Audrey is beautiful!!! Love the color you chose. Just stunning.
Lovely lovely! I have this yarn ... *note to self* should use them!
You're right, the KnitPicks dpns are HEAVY! I don't like them either ... but the classic circulars are alright to me ... and I love the Addi lace needles too. Just hope they would have a broader range of sizes ...
Audrey turned out great. It's a great summer pattern and I love the lace straps.
Blue is my favorite! Great post (the fingernails, especially). And those straps - amazing!
The tank is beautiful! I am a "blue" person and love the fact that you are matching your knitting to your nails! lol
That pic of the PMan is absolutely great! He is quite the handsome little guy!
The tank is gorgeous! Great job, Deb. Thanks for the warning about the pattern, too.
My Wednesday seems to be burgundy. I finally found a reason to give some love to FPS. I'll blog about it later...maybe even today.
LOVE the nail polish! Oh, and Audrey?
Must.
Knit.
She is SO beautiful!
Can't wait to see how those socks turn out!
Got more temptations for the P-man. Just say the word and they'll be off lickity-split!
Oh,my, I really love that tank. I wasn't feeling too much of the tank love this summer, but after seeing this pattern, I'll be dropping by a LYS to get the book. I have some yarn that may work, so I'll have to take a look. I really like that pattern, although I'd have to pass on using wool anything for the hot summers here.
Loving all the blueness! Audrey is just stunning - and what a nice gift to give (and receive!)
Ahhh, it feels like home....
I just adore Audrey. She's gorgeous! I can't wait to see how you're Thelonius turns out. I was thinking of doing a pair in blue too!
I know what you mean about the FPS. I'm having a hard time with it too. Though I think it has more to do with the fact that the lace patterns are so repetitive and rather dull.
Very, very pretty. Blue is a great color because it looks good on almost everyone.
Great job supervising all that knitting P-man.
Great job on the tank -- it's really lovely.
But you said "it never says in the pattern to reverse the charts so the left and right patterns mirror each other." The lace on this pattern looks symmetrical to me in your photos. Did it really need to be reversed in this pattern?
Me? Not a lace knitter.
I just love Silky Wool - and that color is my favorite color! Beautiful knitting - the lace is a wonderful touch. Job well done, D!
Audrey is gorgeous! What a nice present. I love that color too; just enough purple to keep it from being unrelentingly blue.
How coordinated are you? Matching your knitting is above and beyond the call of duty.
Perfectly blue-ti-ful! Hey P-Man! You did a great job supervising mom on these projects! She may to order in your fave pizza!
Audrey is gorgeous! I may have to find that pattern now.
I'm just slogging along with FPS so I can be done with it alreay. After you get the hang of it it is really just a marathon, don't you think?
audrey is beautiful. i may have to add it to my list. which isn't getting any shorter, despite my best efforts to clear some things off of it!
I think that Audrey is one of the lovliest things you have knit. The drape and color are fantastic! Have a happy Memorial Day weekend.
Audrey is pure gorgeousness!!! How I love periwinkle...and it's such a hard color to find.
Merna-
The pattern has a directional slant to it and you're given one version of the chart with the lace slanting towards the left (the right strap) To have the lace slant to the right for the left strap, you're on your own - there are no instructions to reverse the charts or how to do that. I think that's pretty remiss of Ms. Lavold.
My tank looks symmetrical because I reversed the one lace chart the pattern provides so each strap would mirror the other. Not terribly hard to do for an experienced knitter but for example, if you as a newbie lace knitter tried it you would have wound up very frustrated even tho it is pretty simple lace! It is my opinion that instructions like that should be included as they are beyond "beginner".
I love the tank, Debi. And the color is lovely.
Audrey is gorgeous! Absolutely beautiful.
That tank belongs in a movie on a gorgeous acturess - although that tank would make even a plain woman gorgeous. You did a wonderful job.
I'm glad to hear you're finding a little FPS love. We wouldn't want all Pman's supervision time to have been for naught. And btw - your nails rock!
What a beautiful sweater/shell. And even though I don't usually wear blue that one is really a pretty color. Oh, and I love your nails too. How cute!
Sheri in GA
it's beautiful! I love the lacey part. ít also looks like it would fit great due to the pattern and shaping.
love it!
I'm tagging you for a meme!
The details on the blog post for today, May 30.
I'm tagging you for a meme! Details on the May 30th post on my blog.http://knittingtherapy.blogspot.com/
Audrey is absolutely gorgeous! But why is it that every Lavold design I love, is in one book I don't have? I have now 5 of her books, and yet there's always another design I have to have. It's just not fair. Hee hee, oh well.
Oh that is sooo pretty!!
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