You got to know when to hold'em, know when to fold'em ...

Last week I started knitting my friend's birthday shawl - the Persimmon Lace from Victorian Lace Today. I had been unsure about my ability to deal with the border but was eventually convinced that everything would be fine so I thought I'd get going on the "easy part".

Sure, there is patterning on both the right and wrong sides ... but I can deal with that; it is only 70 some odd stitches after all, only three chart repeats per row and there are only 6 rows to the pattern repeat.

I didn't look at the clock, but it took me what seemed like forever to get the first six rows done.

I ordered some of the new Addi lace needles for this. I love them - the points are extra pointy and the cables are flexible. However, they are brass coloured and my yarn is in autumn shades ... I can't see the darn stitches!

By the time I got to the end of the sixth row, I had managed to lose four stitches and I couldn't figure out where they went.

I put everything away and went back to my sock in progress.

The next day I ripped out what I had done (no fun frogging mohair) and started over. This time, I put stitch markers to indicate each repeat on the row and counted the stitches between the markers after I finished each section.

I completed 12 rows that time. I was pretty pleased with myself. I was getting the hang of it. On with the next six rows. But, as careful as I was trying to be, I lost some stitches again. I tried to undo stitch-by-stitch, but all those yarn overs on both the right and wrong sides were doing me in.

[Colourful expletives used and suitable-for-a-two-year-old tantrum produced. Use your imagination ... I won't go into details.]

Time to fold'em. This project has been cancelled.



I was still determined to knit my friend a stole. Yesterday, I went back to the book ... there had to be something in there that I could manage to get done before the end of August.

I settled on the cover item (Melon Stole). I cast on and knit up four repeats in no time at all.



The pattern is simple, simple, simple. I'll probably be bored silly by the time the center panel is done, but it is better than throwing tantrums!



Other Projects

I finished the second sock of this pair.



Another toe-up sock is in the works. I am still looking for a toe-up with a heel that is to my liking. I was going through Sensational Knitted Socks again and realized that she had more than one type of heel for her toe-up socks, so I am trying this one out.



I don't know what possessed me to buy this colour yarn. I decided to use it for this "experimental" sock - if I decide I don't like the way the heel turns out, I will not feel bad about not knitting a second sock or totally abandonning this yarn to the sock yarn blanket project.