I really should be embarrassed...

It's been a little crazy around here the last few days. Three weeks ago I broke my toe for the second time. The first time I broke the toe was six years ago when I was hurrying out of the bathroom to get downstairs in time to see Regis & Kelly's host chat. How embarrassing is that? Well, this time I was walking across the family room to give Groucho a Cracker Jack and crashed into the hassock. How embarrassing redux, right?

A broken toe is more of an inconvenience than a catastrophe and I was getting around great when The Husband made a running dive to catch a forty pound upright vac that was flying down the staircase under its own steam. He lunged left, vac sailed right, he pivoted, caught the vac but did something ugly to his back.

Moral: Save your back. You can replace a vacuum cleaner. Backs? Not so easy.

So the last few days have been filled with wifely duties, lots of teasing, and lots of knitting while I kept him company upstairs. He's about 80% back to normal and I managed to cast on and complete the gorgeous Burning Embers designed by Kristy Howell.

What a beautifully written, clearly designed, delightfully absorbing project! I can't say enough good things about Kristy Howell or Burning Embers.

Here it is in the just-beyond-cast on stage:


Here it is hot off the needles:


And here it is right now, post-blocking and drying on top of the washing machine:


Next time you see Burning Embers, it will have buttons and be all ready to face the fall with lots of knitterly attitude.

A few details: Knit Picks Harmony US6. Noro Silk Garden #84 - 1.25 skeins.

You have to give this pattern a try!

When Knitting Mimics Writing --- Again

I'm still working on the Vortex shawl but it's gotten a bit big to carry around. Add that to my issues with project monogamy and I cast on a new shawl. Right now I have a fascination for lace so I cast on this project....



This is Girasole - a pattern by the talented Jared Flood. You can see it on his blog or on Ravelry It's not a free pattern but it's well worth the small charge.

Right now I'm making it in KnitPicks Gloss fingering weight yarn in a color called Serengeti. It's a discontinued color that's a sort of butterscotch.

Now here's where writing and knitting seem to mirror each other. I've started my Egyptian Steampunk story, Desert Alchemy, but find myself unhappy with the start - over and over. I think I've restarted this story about three times so far. It's being a problem-child.

The shawl I've restarted six, yes SIX, times. I kept making mistakes and was obsessed with perfection so rather than fudging something so I could keep going (it's only for ME), I ripped it ALL out and started again. As of today, I'm on chart D and it's looking nice. There now are a few fudges in it where I made a mistake and couldn't figure out how/where but I'm not ripping the damned thing out again. I swear.

Today I'm going to try that with Desert Alchemy. Just write, stop fussing over every word. I can go back and fix or massage them later.

We'll see if my resolve holds....

In Progress: a knitter's report

Remember The "Famous" Fiesta La Boheme shawl I made last year? Remember how I swore I would never, not in a million years, knit with La Boheme no matter how beautiful it was? Remember how the mohair strand kept getting away from the sparkly strand and made me crazy?

I lied. I fell in love with a dark green and purple shade that would be perfect for my friend B. S. for Chrismas and I cast on. I'm already regretting it but oh is it gorgeous in person.

Plain old garter stitch and lots of fringe. Sometimes that's all you need.


That bunch of pink spaghetti is my third Vintage Velvet in progress. It looks loopy, wormy, and formless but just wait until it gets run through the washer and dryer. If you've ever doubted that knitting is a magical experience, this will put those doubts to rest permanently.

And this is a completed (except for the felting part) Vintage Velvet. I can't wait to see how it looks post its run in the washer and dryer. Both scarves are Muench Touch Me. I wish you could see the big fat juicy reversible cable running up the middle.

This is Wavy from Knitty. I'm about 1/3 of the way finished. Noro Silk Garden #8, Addi Turbo Lace US4.

I had quite a bit of white Berroco Comfort left over from the Baby Surprise Jacket and decided to make a pair of plain vanilla (in every sense) socks for Goldisox. Knit Picks Options US3. I'm working both socks simultaneously but photographed one.

So what's on your needles?

Summer projects

Back again after a long absence, though I've been reading the posts of my fellow bloggers. Though I haven't shown up here, I have been busy with both my needles and my keyboard, working on a new book and several new projects.

The somewhat off-center picture here is of the sleeveless top and matching lace socks I made with Lion Microspun in Leaf. The yarn is very soft with a nice sheen, but a little splitty. The top is from a free pattern on the Lion website. The socks are the Gull Wings pattern from Socks, Socks, Socks. (And Barbara, how could you give up socks -- what blasphemy!)

Right now I'm working on a simple garter stitch cardigan knit in this wonderful yarn from Knit Picks, Shine Sport I chose Blueberry, a wonderful rich blue, almost denim-colored. This cardigan is to replace the ratty old thing I wear all winter in my office. The pattern calls for buttons, but I'm thinking of putting a zipper up the front. Anyone done a zipper on a knitted item? Any tips.

So that's what I've been up to. What summer projects are you working on?