KAL Extravaganza

I'm just beginning to gear up for the Lace KAL extravaganza. Secret of the Stole III begins on Friday with our first clue. I'm wildly excited - especially since I greatly admired the earlier SotSs - especially "Charleston". I am indeed using my remaining Malabrigo Tuareg for the project. I've ordered pearlescent blue beads - I hope they'll match well. As for the ill-fated Bee, I have decided not to frog it as I originally planned. Instead, I'm going to try a knitted-on edging to make it a shoulderette. I love the opening sequences, and I hope this will create a lovely little bit. Any suggestions for edging gratefully received - the pattern has just ended. It is about 10-12 inches deep at this point.










A few weeks later, Mystery Stole 4 begins! Again, I have loved the earlier Mystery Stoles, and although the designer has changed, I'm sure this one will be as delightful. I abandoned my original orange plan (no, my DH will not have to run me out of Dodge), and instead I have purchased some gorgeous sage green Zephyr from Fiddlesticks in Toronto via the Needle Arts Bookstore. I had already ordered pearly white beads, and I think they'll be fabulous with this color. The yarn arrived in a day (they are SO FAST - and being in the same city certainly helps). Now I just hope all the beads will arrive in time. I have just found two bead stores in Toronto, but I haven't yet gotten up the nerve to use them. I think this may be some new form of pathology - things purchased by computer MUST be better than those you see with your own eyes - go figure.

In the meantime, I continue doggedly with the Gale shawl. I keep wanting to begin something else for a little variety, but I think, given my KAL commitments, that that would be insanity - or insanity of a higher order.

My DH has finally decided on an Aran pattern for his next sweater as well - Gail's Red Aran Sweater from The Twisted Sisters Knit Sweaters. It's gorgeous! He wants it in natural white and would like me to alter it so that some of the cables extend into the ribbing. Looking at the pattern, I think I can do that for him. It will be slow going, though. My obsession with knitted lace derives from two sources: first, I hate worrying about size and gauge - wondering if a garment will fit after months of work is really more than I can bear. Second, I had a bad shoulder injury a few years ago; lace-weight knitting doesn't aggravate it, but knitting in heavier wool results in aches and pains. Clearly, this sweater will be on the needles for awhile. I do love the pattern, but I was hoping he would choose the River Grass Gansey from Jamieson's Shetland Knitting Book 2. It would let me indulge my gansey obsession. If the shoulder holds up, I may try Bristow by Melanie Gibbons for myself. This is clearly my problem; instead of knitting, here I am talking about the next ten projects I WILL knit. I'm off to put my money where my mouth is ...