Once upon a time, there was a knitter with a blog. She loved her blog, but sometimes she forgot about it for so long that people emailed her to ask if she weren't posting because she was sick/dead/trapped under something heavy. "Oh, no!" she said, "I'll post this week." After three weeks of "Yes, I'll update!" she decided to get busy. But then she forgot. Finally, she got an email last night asking if she had been trapped in one of the many accidents on the DC metro and decided it was time to re-enter the world.
So what have I been up to? I went to Maryland Sheep and Wool with three of my best girls: Ann, Sara and Beth. We bought yarn. We ate ribbon chips. We attempted to kidnap adorable children.
But before we went to Maryland Sheep and Wool, Sara, Ann and I did a little knitting.
When Ann and I visited Sara this Spring, Ann hatched a plan of unmatched brilliance: knit a Hanami for someone; someone else knits a Hanami for you! Ann knit me an amazingly gorgeous wrap with over 3,000 beads (oh yes, you read that properly. I am not worthy!) and I knit Sara a shawl with Dream In Color Starry, in the color Nightwatch!
Can you stand it? It was approximately the most fun ever. More deets are available on Ravelry but the basic round up: I knit a twelve foot shawl in a week (yes, I slept. no, I couldn't put it down) on US 8s and used about 875 yards of sock fingering weight yarn.
Since the Great Hanami Along of Aught Nine, I knocked out a sweater for me and a shawl for Punsir's Mother. Oh, and another sweater for me, but I don't have pictures of that because it's an aran and zomg, it's a million degrees right now.
The sweater for me with pictures is a Punster original, inspired by the Tangled Yoke Cardigan by Eunny Jang. I took the cable detail directly from the pattern, altering it only to be seamless and uninterupted. Unfortunately, I can't send you the chart but I can talk you through what I did privately if you can email me the cast on directions for all the sizes. If you insist that I send you the chart because you just don't want to buy the excellent Ms. Jang's work, I'll be very grumpy. (Sorry. Sore subject.)
The shawl for Punsir's Mother is part of the collection I'm doing for the wedding. Every bridesmaid is getting a handknit shawl in laceweight silk, which really did seem like less of an undertaking when I started. Punsir's Mother's shawl is knit from yarn that I bought at this year's Maryland Sheep and Wool, in a handyed base of cashmere, wool and silk. I'd link to it, but the shop insists it doesn't exist, so boo on them.
It's a Swallowtail Shawl (I know you're shocked, it's what, number five of the ones I've knit?) with the nupps replacing the beads. I hope she enjoys it; I know she's making her dress for the wedding match it, so that's a lot of fun.
Currently on my needles is another sweater for me, a modified version of Salina from Vintage Knits, in some stash cormo from Rhinebeck 2007, a shawl for a bridesmaid, and a shawl for a friend getting married at the end of August. Looks like there'll be a lot of lace on this blog soon!
I am glad you're not trapped under something heavy! That would be a shame for all concerned.
Your knitting is stunning and lightning speed as per usual, and the 3 of you with your shawls win all Adorable Knitter photo contests.
Posted by: Glenna | July 02, 2009 at 10:37 AM
What a nice round-up! Also, I thoroughly appreciated your When Harry Met Sally reference early in the post. Best ever.
Posted by: Mick | July 02, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Love the tangled yoke pullover, the colour is incredible!! And the swallowtail shawl is stunning.
Posted by: julie | July 02, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Beautiful! Loving the lace! Great idea for the maid's. If anyone can do it, you can!
Glad to hear the shawl was well received. ::hugs::
Posted by: Alicia | July 02, 2009 at 01:10 PM
I looove that sweater! So gorgeous. The swallowtail's great, too - perhaps I'll have to try one of those swallowtail shawls as my first knitted lace project, once I'm done crocheting all my bridesmaid shawls... And I can't wait to see what that end-of-August wedding shawl looks like! ;)
Posted by: Kd/Rora114 | July 02, 2009 at 01:41 PM
Love the sweater. When I get out from under this rock of UFO's I'll email you with proof of purchase of the original. I love it, but anything I can do it knit in the round is a win for me.
Posted by: pia | July 02, 2009 at 04:08 PM
Glad to see you. The sweater is a beauty. Is that an upsized Swallowtail I see? Did you figure it out, or are there directions somewhere? I remember seeing something about 19 repeats instead of 14...don't remember the border workaround on that.
Posted by: Laurie | July 03, 2009 at 06:05 AM
I love the 'nupps replacing the beads' concept on the Swallowtail. You are such an ambitious knitter, I'm sure those shawls will be an enormous hit:)
Posted by: Heather | July 03, 2009 at 07:05 AM
Wow. I hope it's a small wedding party. Glad to hear you weren't caught on the metro. I ride a commuter train into Phila every morning and stories like that really hit home.
The swallowtail is a beautiful color. And what a lovely idea your hanami-along was. The results are beautiful.
Posted by: donna lee | July 03, 2009 at 07:28 AM
hey, can you send me the chart for that sweater? JUST KIDDING!! okay, that's not funny, i know. people can be so moronic sometimes when it comes to copywrite, don't you think? but i love the sweater and the shawl is beautiful! have you started on any of the other shawls for your bridesmaids?
Posted by: mai | July 03, 2009 at 11:14 AM
What a good idea for a sweater!
Posted by: Connie | July 03, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Gorgeous as always -- both you and your projects! I love the color of your Punster Tangled Yoke Interpretation.
Posted by: Gina | July 04, 2009 at 08:53 AM
Glad to see you back to blogging, and that nothing bad kept you from it! Gorgeous shawl - you are a daring woman, knitting shawls for everyone...but your output always amazes me! And I LOVE the sweater in ways that are probably not normal - it's amazing!!! What a great idea, taking that cable and making the sweater seamless. I knit the Tangled Yoke and for some reason, the garter ribbing kicked my butt, I had to totally redo the sleeves, and the buttonband (admittedly my first) is a bit saggy. I may have to eventually try your version - I think it would be more wearable! GORGEOUS!
Posted by: Amanda | July 08, 2009 at 12:57 PM