Treasure Island Cape - Clue 3 Done!

All week long I have been waiting impatiently for the next clue to come out.  I even took this project to work with me on Friday and knit two rows during a telecon.  This is the first time I have been so excited about one of the mystery knit alongs.  I love the yarn, love the colors, love the pattern, love the fact that I'm making a cape out of it.  But now I am done with this clue and have to wait until next Friday for Clue 4 to come out.  I don't know what to do with myself.  And it isn't even as if there aren't lots of other things that I could be doing, I just don't feel like doing any of them.

Pattern:  Treasure Island Octagonal Shawl by Janine le Cras, converted into an Octagonal Cape by me
Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Luxe in Tranquility
Needle:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

I did manage to get a better photo of my Little Mermaid shawl.  I took the other photo on a cloudy day.  Here is one that definitely shows off the colors of the yarn far better.

The Little Mermaid - Done!

I finished this up last night.  Finally.  I did modify the pattern on the last row.  The arch didn't close in the original and I wanted it to.  Here is a blocking shot that I took last night with the flash.

The original pattern knit as a square shawl is very beautiful, but I think the three-quarter version came out pretty good, and I will actually wear it.  Mostly, it is just very nice to be done, considering I started it almost 2 years ago.

Pattern:  The Little Mermaid by Janine le Cras
Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Ling in Bliss
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Treasure Island - Clue 2 Done!

I finished up Clue 2 of my Octagonal Cape version of the latest Unique Sheep Mystery Knit Along, Treasure Island, this morning.  My design modification has caused quite a stir over on Ravelry, and there are several people following my lead, so now I really have to make sure that I keep up with the clues.  There is also a group that is doing it as a crescent, or three-quarter shawl, so not only did I start a bit of a revolution, but I also helped create more revolutionaries. It has been quite exciting.

I wanted to get a sense of how the cape will look when worn, so I put it on my dress maker dummy.  The cord is a bit twisty and I didn't try to pin anything down to tame it, so it looks a little like a costume from an old Flash Gordon serial.

Pattern:  Treasure Island by Janine le Cras
Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Luxe in Tranquility
Needle:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

The Little Mermaid - Clue 7 Done!

I've been plugging away at this steadily all week.  I actually am not quite complete with Clue 7, I still have to do the wrong side row but I wanted to get a photo before I lost the light.  It is getting pretty hard to stretch it out to get the photos, but that is okay, because the next time I photograph it will be when it is blocking.  Yes, I am about to start the final clue.

Pattern: The Little Mermaid by Janine le Cras
Yarn: The Unique Sheep Ling in Bliss
Needle: US 3 (3.25 mm)

The Little Mermaid - Clue 6 Done!

Clue 6 was a repeat of Clue 4 - lace lattice, so it was pretty easy and fairly quick.  I am liking the colors, but with the Ling I am finding it harder to read my lace.  I don't know if it is the fineness of the yarn, the tight twist, or the silk content, but the stitches slide against each other and distort easily, making it harder to tell what is going on.  It will be very interesting to see how it blocks out, and see if I made any mistakes.  I might have, the spines between the sections are sometimes hard to spot, so I may have missed a yarn over or two, but I am not going to worry about it.  Just two more clues to go.

Pattern: The Little Mermaid by Janine le Cras
Yarn: The Unique Sheep Ling in Bliss
Needle: US 3 (3.25 mm)

The Little Mermaid - Clue 5 Done!

I had actually knit two-thirds of this clue right after finishing clue 4, but then set it aside while I focused on getting caught up on my crochet blocks.  I picked this back up yesterday after finishing my March 2013 crochet blocks.  This clue was a bit more challenging to work because it has lace patterning on all rows.  This is not an issue when you are knitting it in the round (or the square, as the case may be), but when you are knitting flat you have to do those lace stitches from the wrong side, so to speak.  It wasn't as hard as I was afraid it would be.  I fired up my lace charting software (Knit Visualizer) and made myself a new key for the stitches so I could get the instructions for doing them on the wrong side.  I had to do some purling two together through the back loop, but the yarn has a nice twist so it doesn't fray easily, and my Addi Lace needles are nice and pointy.  The shawl looks like a squidgy mess right now, and I am amazed at how much it scrunches on the needles.  I could put it on longer needles, but I really don't like working on the really long ones, I just find them awkward to handle.  I am looking forward to the reveal when it is finally done and blocked.

Pattern: The Little Mermaid by Janine le Cras
Yarn: The Unique Sheep Ling in Bliss
Needle: US 3 (3.25 mm)

Ferris Wheel - Bloth Blocks Done

I was pretty lazy last week when it came to crafting.  I did a little weaving on my Silk Twill Scarf but didn't touch my crochet or knitting projects.  I did finish the book I was reading - The Map of True Places, by Brunonia Barry.  I had read her first book - The Lace Reader, obviously attracted by the title, and had really enjoyed it.  I'm not sure how I would classify the books - literature, contemporary fiction - I guess you could say that in both books the main characters are trying to understand themselves and their pasts, but there is so much more going on than that.  Her writing is beautiful, she has a wonderful narrative flow.  Of course, now I face the quandary of what to read next.

The week started out kind of rough, a carryover from the previous week, but ended well, so come Friday I was ready to be creative again.  I cranked out the first clue of the latest Unique Sheep Mystery Knit Along, and yesterday morning I cranked out the second block of the March 2013 shipment.  The pattern was fun, but working with the darker yarns was a bit challenging and required good lighting.  I will probably make this block again out of some of my leftovers using brighter colors.

Pattern:  Ferris Wheel by Donna Kay Lacey, March 2013 Unique Sheep Crochet Block
Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Verve in Coal and Earth
Hook:  2.75 mm

Post Script - 17 March 2013.  It has been pointed out to me by Margaret MacInnis that this crochet block pattern is actually from a vintage pattern - Cathedral Window Tablecloth by Cecilia Vanek.  Just wanted to make sure that credit went where it was due.

Treasure Island Lace Cape - Clue 1 Done!

The first clue came out yesterday and I wasn't sure I was going to start it, but there was someone on Ravelry worried about the circular cast on so I came up with a scheme for starting it flat and then joining it after you've got enough to work it on a circular needled.  For those who are curious, add an extra stitch at the beginning and end of your row, so cast on 18 stitches instead of 16, and begin with a k1, end with a k2.  Around row 10 or 11 there should be enough stitches to join on a 16 inch circular, just do a central double decrease and sew up the seam later with the tail from the cast on.

I even thought of working my shawl that way because I am not crazy about doing a circular cast on, but I also don't wear circular shawls.  I do, however, love capes.  I used to wear a full length gray wool cape, and I still pull it out on occasion, so I decided to turn this one into a cape.  I started on row 11 of the chart, just before the lace patterning began.  I used a garter stitch tab and was delighted to discover that it is exactly the right length to go around my neck.  I will be using up every bit of yarn of every skein to minimize the risk that I'll run out, but if I do, I'm sure that I will figure something out.

Pattern:  Treasure Island by Janine le Cras
Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Luxe in Tranquility
Needle: US 4 (3.5 mm)

Ferris Wheel - One Block Done!

I feel sort of like I should have a drum roll or something.  Here I am working on the March 2013 Unique Sheep Crochet Block of the Month and it is March of 2013.  This is Ferris Wheel, by Donna Kay Lacey.  The yarn is Verve in Coal and Earth.  Still using my trusty 2.75 mm hook.

So this morning I click on my Google Reader tab to catch up on the blogs I follow and a pop-up window appears telling me that Google Reader is going away, I think the date was June or July 1 of 2013 (it was kind of early in the morning, so I'm not sure which), and there is a button on the pop-up that says "Okay".  And the only way I can make that pop-up window disappear and read my blogs is by pressing that button that says "Okay".  But it is not "Okay".  Not at all.

Here's a piece of trivia for you, do you know why we usually put the punctuation inside of the quotation marks?  Because in the good old days of type-setting, the punctuation was usually a pretty small block and it had a tendency to fall out of the tray or fall over, but the quotation marks would hold them in place.  Ah, the things one can find out on the internet.

So now I have to figure out what I am going to use to read my blogs.  I am trying out Feedly, but don't really like it.  I'm an engineer and I like the simplicity of the Google Reader interface.  I don't need fancy layouts and pretty pictures, and only displaying the ones that have new posts.  I don't even know if Feedly will translate my foreign blogs for me.  What is going on with Google?  First they get rid of the iGoogle page, now they are getting rid of the Reader?  What's next?  What is the world coming to?  Sigh.

Post Script - 17 March 2013.  It has been pointed out to me by Margaret MacInnis that this crochet block pattern is actually from a vintage pattern - Cathedral Window Tablecloth by Cecilia Vanek.  Just wanted to make sure that credit went where it was due.

Intervals - Both Blocks Done!

And here they are!  The last of the 2012 blocks.  Now all I have to do is finish the March 2013 block and I will be all caught up, with at least one club, anyway!  These are the September 2012 Unique Sheep Crochet Block of the Month, Intervals, by Donna Kay Lacey.  The yarn is Sushi Socks in Prana and Gia.  I gotta say, it feels good to be done.  Of course, I still need to assemble the blocks into throws, and then there is all that left over yarn that I have to do something with.  Originally I was making small blocks out of my left overs, but now I am thinking that I will repeat some of the club patterns and just mix and match the colors.  There is always something more to be done, isn't there?  I guess if we finished everything there wouldn't be any reason to get up in the morning.

Pattern:  Intervals by Donna Kay Lacey, September 2012 Unique Sheep Crochet Block
Yarn:  Sushi Socks in Prana and Gia
Hook:  2.75 mm

Here is the obligatory solo shot of the second block.

And a picture of the three sets of Sushi Socks blocks all together.

A Taste of Things to Come

Now that I am almost caught up with my backlog of crochet blocks, here are a few things waiting in the wings.  First up, of course, is the March 2013 Crochet Block, Ferris Wheel by Donna Kay Lacey. The yarn is Verve in Earth and Coal.  Check out that cute little spinning wheel stitch marker!  I rarely use stitch markers, and when I do they are pretty plain, but I have a whole tin (not an Altoids tin, but a Newman's Own Cinnamon Mints Tin) full of pretty stitch markers that I have received as part of kits and clubs.  One of these days I am going to make some jewelry out of them.  I'm thinking a chain-mail necklace.  I've always wanted to try chain-mail jewelry and even have a kit I picked up a couple of years ago at Bead & Button.

Yesterday I received two packages from The Unique Sheep, which went a long way towards making up for the rough week that I had.

This is the first shipment from the new Gourmet club.  The yarn is Back to Basics 2, a worsted weight Merino that I have never tried before, the colors are Lemon Balm and Laurel.  Along with the yarn were two cute cookies cutters, two cookie recipes and a pattern for a double knit pot holder.  I've been wanting to try double knitting and this might be just the project to get me started.  The pot holder is also supposed to be fulled, which is something else I have never done before.  And I am seriously thinking about making some cookies today...

I also received my yarn for the next Unique Sheep Knit Along - Treasure Island.

The colorway is Tranquility on Luxe, with gold lustered raspberry beads.  I will probably not be knitting along with the rest of the group because this is another circular shawl, well, actually I think it will be octagonal - pieces o' eight - get it?  But I will probably modify the shawl because I have decided that I don't really do circular shawls anymore.  Been there, done that, they are lovely to display and there is one living on my piano, but I don't really wear them.

Some time ago, when I pulled my Evenstar shawl out and placed it on my piano on permanent display

 I vowed that I would make another one to wear so I ordered a set of Eos from The Unique Sheep.

The colorway is Midnight Delight, and it is a set that is specially dyed up for the Evenstar shawl, which is why that skein on the right is fatter than the rest, that one will be the outer edge.  I still haven't completely decided on my design modification, but I am thinking about making it a circular cape, so keeping with the circular theme, but making the neck area bigger, and obviously not working it as a circular shawl - that would turn it in to a poncho, which would not do for this design.  I have seen some beautiful dresses made out of this pattern, especially this stunning one by FadenStille, but am not sure I want to tackle something quite that challenging.

You will no doubt have noticed the constant thread running through this post.  All of the yarn is from The Unique Sheep.  With furloughs looming on the horizon, my disposable income is going to being pretty sharply reduced, so I have been cutting back on the clubs as well as yarn purchases in general, but The Unique Sheep is exempt from the cuts.  Yes, I love them that much.  Zen Yarn Garden is also partly exempt.  I am sitting out the latest Fickle-Zen knit along,but I did sign up for the next Butterfly-Zen knit along.

Intervals - Block One Done!

This is the September 2012 Unique Sheep Crochet Block of the Month, Intervals by Donna Kay Lacey.  The yarn is Sushi Socks in Prana and Gia.  This was a fun block do crochet, but it has come out a little on the small side, so at some point I will add an extra round or two.  I'm already half way done with the second block and then I will wind the yarn for the March 2013 block and then I will be all caught up!

Pattern:  Intervals by Donna Kay Lacey, September 2012 Unique Sheep Crochet Block
Yarn:  Sushi Socks in Prana and Gia
Hook:  2.75 mm

Royal Romance - Both Blocks Done!

I finished up the second block this morning.  I would have finished it up last night, but was too tired.  I am almost completely caught up with this club.  I have to make the second block in the last Sushi Socks set, and then do the March 2013 set that came this past week.  I must confess that as much as I have enjoyed these projects I am looking forward to working on something different, getting back to some knitting.  I have two shawls that have been languishing, and several other projects waiting in the wings, plus all my unfinished objects to deal with.  These blocks have been a nice break, though, because once I laid out the path I didn't have to think about what to do next.  They also work up quickly so you can see your steady progress.  Finishing a project is always a boost.

When I first joined the club I wasn't smart enough to write the yarn colors and the month on the patterns, so when I decided to organize the blocks I had to do some sleuthing to get them all straightened out.  I sorted them by yarn type, wrote the colors and months on the patterns, and put them in zip lock bags.  Once I had gotten them organized it was easy to maintain it when the next shipment arrived.  When I started working them up I just grabbed a bag and worked through all the sets in that bag, chronologically, of course.  Except for this one, which I had mislabeled July 2012 instead of July 2011.  I figured it out when I went to file the pattern away.  Did I mention that I am an engineer?

Here is a solo shot of the second block.  A really lovely design.

Pattern:  Royal Romance by Melinda Miller, July 2011 Unique Sheep Crochet Block
Yarn:  Sushi Socks in Kate and Irish Lace
Hook:  2.75 mm

Royal Romance - One Block Done!

And after I finished the second Winter Laurel block I immediately worked up the first block in the next set in my queue.  This is Royal Romance by Melinda Miller, the July 2011 Unique Sheep Crochet Block, also in Sushi Socks in Kate and Irish Lace.  Just to show you how little I follow certain things, it actually took me a little while to realize that this was for a certain Royal Wedding that happened last year.  That central motif was really a lot of fun to work up, and it worked up very quickly.  My block was coming out a bit on the large side, so instead of doing a second round of triple crochet I did the last round in double crochet.

Pattern:  Royal Romance by Melinda Miller, July 2011 Unique Sheep Crochet Block
Yarn:  Sushi Socks in Kate and Irish Lace
Hook:  2.75 mm

Winter Laurel - Both Blocks Done!

I finished the second block yesterday, during the snow storm that ended up not being much of a snow storm.  We took a snow day anyway.  We figure it is better to be safe, and who doesn't like a snow day now and then, and after the day I had on Tuesday I kind of needed a day off.

Here is a solo shot of the second block.

Pattern:  Winter Laurel by Donna Kay Lacey, February 2012 Unique Sheep Crochet Block
Yarn: Sushi Socks in Forest and Mist
Hook:  2.75 mm

Winter Laurel - One Block Done!

This is the February 2012 Unique Sheep Crochet Block of the Month, Winter Laurel by Donna Kay Lacey.  The yarn is Sushi Socks in Forest and Mist.  This is the first time that I have used this yarn, it is a 60% Merino, 30% Bamboo, 10% Nylon fiber, and I find it a bit splitty and not quite as nice to touch as the other yarns in the club.  But it works up nicely and blocks well.

Pattern:  Winter Laurel by Donna Kay Lacey, February 2012 Unique Sheep Crochet Block
Yarn: Sushi Socks in Forest and Mist
Hook:  2.75 mm

Grand Banks - Both Blocks Done!

I finished both blocks yesterday, a record for me.  These are the August 2012 Unique Sheep Crochet Blocks, Grand Banks by Margaret MacInnis in Verve in Storm Cloud and Silver Lining.  This finishes up the blocks in Verve.  I started the first set of blocks in Sushi Socks last night.

Pattern:  Grand Banks by Margaret MacInnis, August 2012 Unique Sheep Crochet Block
Yarn:  Verve in Storm Cloud and Silver Lining
Hook:  2.75 mm

Here are shots of the individual blocks:

And here are all of the Verve blocks.  These last blocks are just a little smaller than the rest.  I will probably do a round of half-double crochet, I just haven't decided if I want to use the same color as the previous round, or go with the contrast.

Kaleidoscope - Both Blocks Done!

I have really been on a crochet kick lately, burning through my backlog of Unique Sheep Crochet Block of the Month Club blocks.  Of course, I have lots of other club backlogs to work through, but this is going to be my year for it.  I am cutting way back on my yarn purchases this year.  Not that it will be much of a hardship, my stash has definitely reached the point where it exceeds my life expectancy, as well as my ready storage capacity, for both yarn and finished objects.

I am almost done with the blocks.  I am over half way finished with the second block of the next set, which is the final set in Verve that I have in my stash, and then there are three sets in Sushi Socks to do.  No word on the March block yet, so I posted a message on Ravelry.

Here is a shot of the second block.  The Conch has a nice subtle variation to it.

Pattern:  Kaleidoscope by Donna Kay Lacey, April 2012 Unique Sheep Crochet Block
Yarn:  Verve in Conch and Turquoise
Hook:  2.75 mm

Kaleidoscope - One Block Done!

I started this on Tuesday and finished it up last night.  This is the April 2012 Unique Sheep Crochet Block of the Month, Kaleidoscope by Donna Kay Lacey.  The yarn is once again Verve in Conch and Turquoise.  The design is lovely, but then you know that I am a sucker for lace.  It is also a bit more challenging, because of the lacy pattern.  I love the colors, they make me think of a tropical beach far away from all the pressures of work.

Pattern:  Kaleidoscope by Donna Kay Lacey, April 2012 Unique Sheep Crochet Block
Yarn:  Verve in Conch and Turquoise
Hook:  2.75 mm