I’m back.

I apologize for being gone so long. Mental block…no worries, I smashed the block with a hammer.

Further to my last post…somehow, despite all the starting, I did manage to “un-needle” a thing or two. (and, of course, “needle” and finish a few more…posts to follow)

At the very very VERY end of August, I finished my delightful Ravi:

I thought – HA! – because after the lace yoke, it was nothing but easy peasy garter stitch from here on in – double HA! – that it would be quick quick quick to knit up the rest.
Pfffft…it was exactly the opposite. It felt like I was knitting FOREVER (I know, I said that last time, but it needed to be said again).  And THEN, there were sleeves!!! TWO of them!!!!

Don’t let yourself be fooled by the one-move single-stichedness of garter. You may be doing nothing but knit stitch, BUT (and it’s a big but) what one needs to remember is that garter ridges like to snuggle together, essentially causing the row between the ridges to vanish (ooooo…magic…or is it voodoo???) What this means is that it takes almost twice as much knitting to get to your goal length. I would knit for, like, hours, then measure to find a mere inch or two gained, if that…grrrr….whimper…sigh…resignation, and knitting would resume. It’s like that. And knitting garter with teeny weeny fingering weight yarn only compounds the issue. Just sayin’

Fortunately, I had incentive. Carol Feller (the pattern’s oh-very-talented designer) offered the chance to win a prize if one’s finished Ravi was posted on the Ravelry group forum by midnight August 31, 2012.  I made with deadline with about 30 minutes to spare, but, sadly, I didn’t win (snivel, weep)  However, I did have my lovely Ravi to wear for the rest of summer and fall…and wear it I did…and the compliments were plentiful. Happiness.

Note: my one mod (that’s modification for those who aren’t up on their knitter’s jargon) was to duplicate stitch with dark turquoise over the light turquoise I-cord edging around the neckline. Excellent way to make the contrast yoke look more on purpose and less like I ran out of yarn.

Here’s a link to the pattern on Carol Feller’s page:  Carol Feller’s Ravi

Here’s a link to my Ravi on Ravelry: NicoleKneedles’ Ravi

Next item off the needles, Shaken Not Stirred Scarf:

Once Ravi was done, I picked up the Shaken Not Stirred scarf and began to knit that in earnest. Again, I had a deadline to meet…my de facto Mother-in-Law’s 90th birthday (as noted in previous post, she and I have shared many a martini over the years). I had just over a month between finishing Ravi and the delivery date in early October.

Now, what possessed me to knit TWO projects in a row with fingering weight yarn, I will never know. Regardless, I did knit and knit and knit this little number until my muscles were raw, and managed to get ‘er done in time.

Throughout the process, I remained concerned about where-o-where I was going find a good olive-like button or bead to place inside the sweet lace martini “glass.” I searched high and low and even hither and yon before realizing that such an animal did not exist (I know what you’re thinking, but by the time I started searching, it was too late to hunt and shop the Interwebs).

Eventually, in abject desperation, I forced my brain to think outside the proverbial box. As I stood confounded in a bead store with no olive bead in sight, it occurred to me that somehow perhaps I could fashion what I wanted out of two or more different beads.

Et voila! Not even a minute later, I had the following beads in my hot little hand:

Do these beads not simply scream olive with pimento to you? Exactly! I knew they would. Here they are in place on their knitted pick:

Again, one mod (there’s that word again) – I added a few extra “olives” in the center of the scarf to give it a bit more length. This scarf is knit in two sections from the ends to the center and then grafted together.

Because I added the extra length on the fly, with no advance planning, I ended up with a few extra rows between the edge “olives” where it’s grafted. Now that I’ve brought it to your attention, you will see where the gap is on the edge at the graft point. Now forget you saw it. Thank you.

The birthday arrived in early October and the finished item was received (on time) by my de facto mother-in-law with much glee and raving (seriously…much raving…it continues to this day with every phone call).

Warning: This scarf is not for the faint of chart (yes, that was on purpose), as one must follow two lace charts, the edges and the center motifs, simultaneously. There was much ripping back and delay as I am a chronic multi-tasker while knitting and inevitably, errors ensue.

Here is a link to the pattern on Knitters Brewing Company: Shaken Not Stirred Scarf

Here is a link to my project page on Ravelry: NicoleKneedles Shaken Not Stirred Scarf

There’s lot more catching up to do, but I’ll dole it out in several posts instead of posting myself blind.

Don’t forget to knit – it’s good for you.   And knitting opportunities are everywhere:

Cheers, Nicole