Saturday, February 09, 2008

Not my original plan


First lace scarf
Originally uploaded by fiberbrarian
Starting on a knitted lace scarf last night was not my plan. The night before Hat Attack? Start a new project???

I did two bumps last night. The rest I did this morning, waiting for my courage (and the pancakes) to kick in so I could head out into the blizzard. Since I live in town, the blizzard is not too bad -- just horribly cold. (-6'F, windchill -33. winds at 26mph gusting to 34mph)

This lace scarf is SOOOO fun! Now I sort of understand how people can get addicted to lace.

I found this in the Web catalog (http://www.yarn.com). The pattern is from Misti Alpaca (http://www.mistialpaca.com/). Here's the link to Asphodel Lace Scarf (http://www.mistialpaca.com/patterns.php?name=Asphodel%20Lace%20Scarf&imgs=2&patt=14&page=1&ID=Free%20Pattern)

This scarf pattern tells you to knit the two ends first (this is 5/9th of one end - there will be 9 bumps when it's completed). Then turn the bumpy side down and pick up stitches from the smooth end and begin knitting the scarf. It's the scarf pattern that boggles my mind - it's covered in little lacy stars!

BTW: the flash on the camera really ruined the subtle coloring of this yarn. I hadn't even seen the striping until I looked at the flash picture. The color is quiet - subtle - Anne Black - includes black and purple and navy and bronze/copper. Gorgeous.

I was going to take a picture of the blizzard to show you what a blizzard can look like in town - and I actually stopped on my way into the building, and then realized I would have to take off my mittens. I didn't even get to the part about having to take the camera out of its bag, aim and focus, etc. The thought of taking my mittens off stopped me cold. So - think about horizontal fog...whapping at you...and instead of that misty dewy feeling substitute a sharp angular biting sensation. That's the Cliff Note version of a blizzard in town.

Seriously, I had planned to come in really early to get the Hat Attack pattern. Hearing the wind that came in about 4am made me think that I'd wait a bit. Then listening to the radio - a sheriff from a little town up north called in asking for help. He asked that the radio broadcast a message to the woman who had been stranded for three hours in a ditch somewhere, with low fuel and a now-dead cell phone: "Hang on. We're trying to get to you." He called later to say the same thing to a man who was stuck (except that he had a full gas tank). Much later, or so it seemed, he called in to say they'd gotten the lady, and they were on the way to the man. Visibility could be measured in feet.

Seriously. You don't mess with blizzards. You take Mother Nature very seriously.

Okay - off to Hat Attack!

(One more thing: the KnitPicks (www.knitpicks.com) catalog references 'doing cables' tutorials on their Web site. I need to let my assassin know - she's new at cables.)

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