Had to start knitting with some of my new yarn! This is the Nightsongs shawl (link is to Ravelry), started off with the Manos del Uruguay yarn I bought at S&W.
The pattern isn't that difficult, but I have a problem with lace and I am determined to overcome this. I had to do one row four times, because of simple errors. I know that if I focus on the chart and don't watch TV while I knit, I can do it. I am determined to do it. Tawaaaaaanda!
About the yarn ... I had heard of Manos del Uruguay and vaguely understood it to be some sort of free-trade yarn. The tag tells me that the "Hands of Uruguay" is a "non-profit ... which assembles over 400 artisans in cooperatives scattered throughout the countryside of Uruguay ... to bring economic and social opportunities to rural women." The yarn I purchased was made in the Cauva Cooperative by Lilian. Thanks, Lilian!
According to the CIA World Factbook, Uruguay is slightly smaller than the state of Washington and only has one major city, so I guess there is a lot of countryside.
Footies
A Bowl of Orange Fiber
I am pondering something to do with all this orange. It's three different fibers, two wools and the silk I got a while back. In one of my pattern books is a knitted shawl that, once completed, was woven through with a different yarn. It was done by simply taking a different shade of yarn on a tapestry needle, and weaving that yarn through the stitches. I'm wondering how that would look if I made something with the silk, then wove the orange yarn in the foreground through it. Well ... it would certainly be bright and cheery!
Garden Stuff
I am loving my garden, now that it's all in the ground. I have two issues, though; the sun hasn't been out in days, and the *&$(% maple tree dropped about a hundred maple helicopter seeds in my yard, and I am pulling up about a dozen maple sprouts a day.
I have Cucino cucumbers ....
Tomatoes ... Supersweet 100s, one of my favorites.
Strawberries ... I've eaten three, and am longing for more. I have to keep them far off the ground, because the slugs and roly poly bugs like strawberries as much as I do.
This is the sky from my backyard. It's raining now. Again. AGAIN. I haven't had to water the garden in days, which is great, but the sun hasn't shone on my vegetables in that long, which is not great!
Oh, that's where I planted the catnip ...
Happy Fiber Arts Friday!
I had the same issue with a lacy shawl. I shelved it over a year ago and have been considering brining it back out lately, but I think I'm still mad at it. ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt's so exciting when the little fruits and veggies start showing themselves. I'm excited about mine too... as you know. Thank you for the sweet comment. :-)
Your kitty makes me miss my Miss Kitty.
tehehe, thanks to your tawannda, I have seen/heard my third Fried Green Tomatoes reference this week. I guess I had better re-watch the movie.
ReplyDeleteI keep scrolling back to your beautiful bowl full of orange. I like the woven/knitted scarf idea. All the texture and shades of orange would be lovely.
The shawl will be beautiful too. I always enjoy your projects.
Happy Fiber Arts Friday!
That bowl of orange yarn is wonderful! I am sure whatever you make out of it will be gorgeous, or maybe I just love orange that much! Your garden is great, we've had the coldest, wettest May and I'm sick of it! I just bought some veggie plants at the school plant sale today, so hopefully I can plant them soon!
ReplyDeleteThe cat found her/his corner of the garden pretty quickly!!
ReplyDeleteAdd yellow to the orange fiber?
At least your garden is planted. I haven't even been able to till mine thanks to all the cold rain.
ReplyDeleteI checked out that shawl pattern. Wow it is beautiful, I can't wait to see how it turned out for you!
What lovely projects all! I love to watch movies while I knit too so I almost always have a simple stockinette stitch pattern going so that it's not a big deal if I'm not paying attention!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful projects, that shawl is in my queue too, it's so pretty. I'm excited to see your finished shawl, the yarn is gorgeous! So is the bowl of orange, just scrumptious!!! Hopefully you will have equal parts sun and rain for your garden very soon!
ReplyDeleteI love the Fried Green Tomato movie. I just watched it a couple of weekend ago.
ReplyDeleteI checked our your link to the shawl and it is going to be lovely. I've only made 1 shawl out of lace weight and then discovered the designer Stephen West and he pretty much uses fingering and I found I really like this weight yarn much better.
I love the oranges together and think what ever you decide to make will be wonderful.
Happy Fiber Arts Friday!
Mmm strawberries! I can't wait til I see them at the market. I love your Nightsongs shawl and the blue is perfect. The orange bowl of fiber makes me want orange slice candies. Of to search...have a great Friday!
ReplyDeleteI am admiring your strawberry plants. I am thinking mine will get eaten as they are on the ground. And I love the kitty! I have cat nip in my garden and caught three of them eating it today as I worked. Gotta love cats.
ReplyDeleteThat orange fibre is gorgeous. I love the idea of weaving some of it through a shawl, I bet it would be really stunning :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the Nightsongs pattern, in fact, I might just use it for my next project. Manos is a great yarn. I haven't tried their lace weight, but a few years ago I knitted a cardigan from their regular heavy worsted weight. They have beautiful colors, and so nice to work with. Can't wait to see more of your shawl pictures.
ReplyDeleteI have a pretty terrible time with lace, too. I need to block everything else out while I'm knitting anything lace and even then I mess it up. (It has a lot to do with my not being able to read my own stitches in a lace pattern. Weak.)
ReplyDeleteI hope everything works out with your shawl. Your tenacity is admirable. :)
Also, I just loved the picture of your kitty. I want to make a bed of catnip for mine. . .