We interrupt this knitting...

Well, after all my big talk, the Citron Grande is a goner.   I just  could not deal with the oh so very delicate yarn.   It certainly looks lovely and feels lusciously soft but it requires very careful handling or it splits and/or breaks.   Having to handle it carefully, meant that I had to pay attention to what was supposed to be a zen knit.   In the end, I ripped it out and shelved it.   I think maybe it would lend itself to a "knit only" project but I am still deciding whether to try something else with it or just pass it along to a good home.

After some, admittedly short lived, consideration, I have decided not to replace the project in my queue right now.   Rather, I am going to spend the rest of the month working, and hopefully finishing, a couple of already on the needles projects.   In April  I am going to be doing a KAL (a story for another day) with a couple of friends and this would clear the decks a bit before we begin.

By way of proof that I can do this, here is the original Citron that I knit a couple of years ago.   I remember this being a quick knit.  Why did this one handle so differently?   I have no idea.

I’ll have a Grande Citron, please.

In addition to whatever I am working on of my own design, church/movie theater knitting, and a sock (handbag knitting), I almost always have something of someone else’s design on my needles.     This I refer to as my OP (other people’s) knitting.

My OP knitting of the moment is the Citron Grande using Filatura Di Crosa’s Centolavaggi Chine thinking that I was using a lace wt yarn.  Instead, I am using a cobweb wt yarn.   I am not bothered by the fact that it is not looking like much on the needles (Lace typically comes into its own once ruthlessly blocked).   But I am finding the ubber thin string like yarn to be a bit of a trial.   Just a bit of a tug and it breaks.   I bought a big skein specifically so that there would be no knots or joins.   I was so annoyed that I bought an alternative yarn, thinking that I would rip it out and cast-on with the new stuff.  

Then I changed my mind, again.   The pattern is past the fiddly part.  Wool blocks better than cotton, and I really do love the dark purple color.   Surely I can deal with the pretty, thin, thread yarn for just this one project.

Citron Complete...

Well, I did it.   I finished the Citron shawl in time for a friend's birthday party tonight (which we will not make because we are all sick and a virus is a lousy birthday present).    This is the first time I have wet blocked anything (Usually, I just steam the suckers into submission).   Wow, this is hard work.    I was going to unpin it now-ish but since plans have changed, I will let it go overnight.   One of the tutorials I watched/read said that lace needs to be blocked beyond when it first begins to feel dry.    With future lace knitting projects in mind, I will have to place a KnitPicks order sometime soon for blocking mats and pins.  It makes me nervous to have that many quilting pins in my carpet.

Balm for the soul...

Citron

Knitty Winter '09 

Baby Lace Wt / Giant Peach

While I am much more a city (suburb?) girl than a country one, I do love being outdoors.   All the things that I do regularly (knit, read, surf, etc.) bring a greater measure of peace when done outside.  Florida really lends itself to that.   Right now I am sitting outside eating breakfast, blogging, and waiting for TJ Maxx to open.   My knitting is right here beside me (I am on the last ruffle of the Citron), there is classical music playing in the background and soon I will be shopping for a dress to wear to a friend's birthday party on Saturday night.   Later I will get my eyebrows done (ouch), then head home to read and knit until the boys get home from school.    It has been a pretty ragged couple of weeks here at Chez Serenity but I am finally starting to feel human again.

The Citron has been a delight to knit.   It has enough pattern to stave off boredom but is simple enough to be done in the car or while chatting with family & friends.   I am already thinking I may need another (cotton?) one.

A few years ago, I started the Kandinsky Kimono sweater.   Not too far into it, I became seriously ill (all better now) and put it aside in favor of simpler things (like garter stitch and surviving).    While reorganizing my office, I came across this (and other) unfinished projects and started thinking what a cool thing it would be to finish the projects that I could not face in those darker days.   So with that in mind, I have ripped out and restarted this sweater.   I am also going to dig up and work on the Beaded Linen Lace Shawl (yarn and beads were a birthday present from my mom), also put aside during that same time.  I am feeling really good about finally getting back to these two projects.

Tiny denizens of the great outdoors  (aka bugs) are nipping (literally) at my heals.  Time to go shopping.

Down the rabbit hole....

 Citron

Dream in Color Baby Lace Wt.

First Tina and now Alison (both of Knit Picks) have lead me into temptation.   Have you seen Alison's post re: Citron?   Go take a look (here).   I will wait........ Do you see what I mean?   Citron, as it appeared in Knitty, is lovely, but, after seeing Alison's pink one, it really called to me.   Initially, I picked a similar pink lace wt out of my stash, but before I even finished winding it, I had changed my mind.   A citrus shaped shawl.   I live in FL.   Of course, mine should look like an orange or grapefruit.   Off to my local LYS I went, and to my delight I found something new and perfect in Dream in Color Baby.   I love, love, love how it is turning out.   I had to take a break for a few days due to Blackberry Thumb (my name is Lisa, and I am a cliche), but the pain is gone and I am back in business.   Once this shawl is done, I really, really will start on that sweater (with the pretty blue yarn at the bottom of my bag).