Vkandis and Mystic Light Updates

I finished chart 1 for Vkandis this morning and ran a lifeline, don't want to rip it completely again. I'm planning on spending today working on him. Hoping to get charts 2&3 done, but will get a far as possible.

I finished clue 2 on Mystic Light this morning as well, then ran a lifeline. Hoping to get pictures later, as it is cloudy today. I love the way it is turning out!

New Update

I ended up frogging Vkandis Sunlord, as I couldn't fix the dropped stitches. I decided since I was having to start over on him, I would go down two needle sizes. I like the way he is looking now better than on the size 6 needles I was using. I'm already almost done with the first chart again.

Since I will be using yarn of the same weight for the Mystic Waters and Slow-Bee Mystery shawls, I will have to wait until I finish Vkandis to cast either of them on. The yarn is on order, so I will have it when I am ready to cast one of them on. Which one depends on how long it takes to get Vkandis done.

Updates

I'll start with Vkandis Sunlord. I'm on row 96 out of 318, plus an optional knitted on border that is done over about 1300 stitches. I'm adding beads to the fourth set of rays for the sunburst, as it needed something to make it sparkle a bit. The beads are about the same shade as the yarn, but are pearlized. After I finish this set of rays, there is a band of firecats, then the border, to do.

Next is the Mystic Light KAL, this is a triangular shawl designed by Anna, aka KnitandKnag. I'm using Berroco Comfort Sock in the colorway "Hari Hari," and it is turning out beautiful. I ordered the pattern for the first shawl of the series, Mystic Waters and waiting on yarn to knit it in.

The Secret of the Stole II is still waiting for me to get back to it. I'll be starting the Slow-bee Mystery KAL, as soon as I get the yarn for it. I'm ordering some 6/2 weaver's cotton in Ultramarine from WEBS, to use for it and the Mystic Waters shawl.

Well...we got denied for that manufactured home, they wanted more down than we could afford. So we are trying to get another one. Things have been slow on getting the survey and site work done due to two deaths in the family of the contractor :( He is finally able to get back to work on things for us.

Now on to knitting! I frogged the Dracula's Bride shawl, it just wasn't that nice and was a very hard pattern to do. Maybe someday when I have LOTS of free time and quiet, I'll try it again. Until then, I'll put the pattern away. I finished Hint 3 of the Secret of the Stole II :) I have a new shawl pattern on the needles, it is Vkandis Sunlord. I'm beta test knitting it for the designer Mmario, it will be available on his Yahoo Group, MmarioKknits tonight. I'm using the bright orange cotton yarn on size 6 needles and it is going to be HUGE. I'm only on row 60 and it is already one and a half feet across UNBLOCKED, he is figuring 300 rows. :) Jenny has claimed this one, but told me I could knit me one out of the same yarn. I might but bead it. :) So that they are slightly different from each other.

I got Hint 2 of the Secret of the Stole II done! Now to get to work on Hint 3. I'm so far behind on it, but life seems to like to interfere with my lace knitting. Dracula's Bride is sitting here waiting for me to put it back on the needles, as I had to rip back to the lifeline at the end of clue 1. Thankfully I always run a lifeline at the end of a section of chart, that has been my lifesaver so many times.

It looks like the move will happen this spring! We are going to start the paperwork to buy the new mobile home this week. On Tuesday we will be talking to the person we are getting the land from and having them start the process of getting it surveyed, the site map drawn up and permits applied for. So, things are starting to come together for us.

I am almost done with Hint 2 of the SOTSII!!! I sat and knitted on it most of yesterday, and got up to row 103 of the 120 rows. :) I will work on it some more later today, should be able to finish up those 18 rows and get started on Hint 3.

I will get back to work on Dracula's Bride sometime, want to get both of them off the needles so that I don't have to worry about moving them to the new house.

Tagged! Shelly tagged me with a Meme.

Here are the rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

Here goes...

1. I love to spin, especially natural animal fibers. If they are dyed, they need to be in rich, jewel tones to really make me happy.

2. I raise my own fiber animals. Navajo Angoras and Nigoras, both rare breeds of goats, that produce great fiber.

3. I love to knit lace. This is a new thing for me as I have always knitted practical items, like socks, hats, scarves and sweaters. Last summer I tried a lace stole with encouragement from my friends and did it. :) So, I got hooked.

4. I like designing things, from knitting patterns to graphics for websites and even websites themselves. I can't draw very well, but I do work on trying to improve my drawing.

5. I'm pretty much a loner, but do have a few good friends.

Now to think who I can tag....
1. Shelly, since she got me into this.
2. Dorothy, she does such good work and is a great person.
3. Marion, she doesn't have much confidence in her work, but it is beautiful.
4. Lisa, she has such great patterns.
5. Jenny, she needs to learn to relax and post to her blog.

Had to rip back to the lifeline at the end of Hint 1 on the Secret of the Stole :( I will get it back on the needles and work on it again. I'm NOT going to give up on it.

I'm playing around with some worsted weight yarn, trying to get a 3/4 circle shawl design that is in my head to work out. I won't say anything more about it until I get it done and the pattern written, proofed and test knitted.

I am still working on Dracula's Bride, haven't had much time to work on it this past month. I was busy taking care of my dh, as he was home sick. Since he left, I have been working on the Secret of the Stole. I have the first clue done and I am half way through the second clue. It is turning out really nice. I am taking my time, as I love working with the yarn. I am hoping to get more of it later for other projects.

Well, I decided to frog the Secret of Chrysopolis. It just wasn't working out. I will use the yarn for a different project and will get something else for the Secret of Chrysopolis. I pulled "Dracula's Bride" out and started working on it again.

I also have a pair of socks on the needles, for me. I'm using the "Arrow" pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks, using B&L Durasport in the Denim colorway.

I finally got some pics of Bob's mittens. They are turning out great, except for one problem. I ran out of the yarn I was using before I got the thumbs done. Since I can't get more of the fiber I spun for that yarn, I'm going to use some of my mohair for them.

I am finally on the fingers on Billy's second glove. I'm hoping to have them done by the end of the week, so I can go back to the two lace projects that I have on the needles.

Seeing this post on a friend's blog Ask The Bellwether: Meme: Spinning Resolutions 2008.Got me to thinking about New Year resolutions and what I would like to accomplish this year in my spinning and knitting.

On the spinning front, I would like to get back to carrying a spindle and fiber with me and using it, as I haven't been doing that as much as I would like. I also want to try to spin down the mohair stash, I have 2 shearings worth of fleece to spin, with another one coming up in April. I have about 6 pounds of shetland (one fleece), 10 pounds of llama (one fleece), 15 pounds of mohair (two years worth from 5 angora goats) and assorted mystery wools.

On the knitting front, I would like to get all the sock yarn I have knitted up for everyone in the family, finish both lace projects I have on the needles and do some other lace knitting. I also would love to be able to design a true lace shawl pattern, something that is totally original and different.

Ok, Yahoo didn't like the amount of hits I was getting on my site, so they shut it down :( I put the pattern files here. I hope you enjoy them.

I ended up moving my site to Yahoo...not really happy about that, but it is better than where my ISP wanted it moved to. So the link to the Stormy Morning Shawl has been changed as well. It is now here. I am hoping to get a domain name and have it hosted soon, so things will settle down. I hope everyone will just bare with me during the transition time.

I also posted the pattern for the Dragon Scale Gloves on my site. They are turning out really nice and I already have a request to make one of Billy's friends a pair.
I cast on and knitted the hands for Bob's mittens, but didn't have enough yarn to do the thumbs. I will be spinning up some mohair to do them in. I'll be using fiber from my buck, Hawkeye, as it is as soft as the yarn the mittens are knitted in is and will be a blend of white and gray.

I have finally gotten the pattern for the Stormy Morning Shawl written!! This is a shawl that is designed for chunky to bulky weight yarn, so that it is nice and warm. It is an easy pattern and makes a modified triangle shawl. This is what the shawl looks like unblocked and a close up of the lace border. The pattern is here.


I uploaded a corrected version of the pattern on 12/30/2007.

Well...I didn't finish my Christmas knitting :( I got Sandy's shawl and wristwarmers done, Jenny's wristwarmers done, but didn't finish her shawl, still had the thumb to do on the FIRST glove for Billy and didn't even get started on Bob's stuff. :( They are all understanding about it and willing to wait for me to get everything knitted.

As for what I got for Christmas...an 8 gig MP3 player made by RCA, the sheep needle sizer from The Bellwether, the movie "Paint Your Wagon", and a fannypack. Plus chocolate in my stocking. :) Not much, but all things I wanted and can use.

I got Jenny's wristwarmers done today, now to wash them and put them away for Christmas. I also got the lifeline in the Dracula's Bride shawl and took pics of it. Here is one showing what I have done on it.

The Secret of Chrysopolis got put on hold while I do Christmas knitting, but I did get some pictures of it. This one shows the progress I made before I had to put it on hold.




For Sandy, I designed and knitted a shawl out of bulky hand spun merino and knitted her a pair of lace wristwarmers. Jenny is getting a pair of the lace wristwarmers out of hand spun shetland and if I can get it done, a "Dracula's Bride" shawl.


Billy is getting a pair of Dragon Scale gloves (a pattern that I am designing). Bob will be getting a chullo hat made out of hand spun mohair from our goats.

Well, I finally got the Secret of Chrysopolis cast on this past week. I am up to row 60 and it is turning out very nicely. I am using ColourmartUK 2/28 NM 100% silk in Blush for it on size 2 needles.

Today I cast on Dracula's Bride. I'm using some 6/2 cotton in orange for it, on size 4 needles, with beads that almost exactly match the yarn color, but with a bit of sparkle. I'm up to row 15 of the first clue already. This is a project that my daughter wanted to do then found out it was to difficult for her to knit. I offered to do it as I love knitting lace and challenging myself.

Well...I had a couple of changes to my to do for Christmas list. The younger daughter is getting a hand knit shawl, but out of some cotton yarn by a pattern she signed up for and found out it was way over her head. My son's gloves will be out of some hand spun yarn that a friend gave me a few years ago, he has one pair out of it that he calls his "gaming" gloves as they have no fingertips. This pair will have fingertips, to keep his hands warm while outside doing chores.

The oldest girl's shawl is coming along, the colors remind me of a stormy morning, so that is the theme of it. I am still working on the lace border design for it. I might have to spin up some gray wool/dyed mohair/angelina blend I have here for the final color in it.