It must be fall...

Must. Knit. This. Immediately.

I think everyone in blog land is suffering from Startitis right now, I know I sure am.

In response to spending my entire life (ok, the summer) on the big blue Mum-shawl, I needed a little something to knit.

I received some gorgeous Filatura di Crosa Zara in my perfect red from an SP swap many moons ago, and have wanted to make myself a hat/scarf set from it. Finally, I cast on for the hat, using the top-down no-swatching method from the Live Dangerously, Don't Swatch Hat by Susan Lawrence.



I've used this method before, notably for the Sweet Pea baby hat. I love it, and probably won't knit a hat any other way unless there's a really gorgeous pattern that I can't stop myself for. I mean really, no swatching!! I'm using the Addi Turbo Lace needles that I'd picked up for the shawl, and they make a big difference with the M1L and M1R increases. So easy!!!

And in a blatant stash expansion moment, I picked up some divine yarn from the Farmer's Market today. I've been chatting with Silvia from The Stoddart Family Farm for a few weeks now, and she managed to dye me up my own colourway. It was supposed to be pinks and purples, and by a happy accident, managed to include lovely gorgeous blues!



It's fingering weight, and so soft. As it is hand-painted, and variegated, I don't want it to be knit in a lacey pattern.

I think it is destined for an AmyKnitty Stockinette Crazy Lightweight Tube Scarf. You know, like this: ravelry link. Although, I think that will be worth swatching for to see how this yarn knits up in stockinette.

The Wrap, It's a Wrap!

†I gifted my Mum with the Path of Flowers Stole (big blue thing that ate my summer), and she adores it!! (phew!)

Action Shots (click to make big):






Project Details:
Pattern: Path of Flowers Stole by Chrissy Gardiner

Yarn: A Kidsilk Haze knock-off from the basement (sale section) at Romni. No labels, no tags, no dyelot...

Needles: Started on 4mm Holz & Stein Rosewood circular needles, but after struggling too much with the P2-tbls, I picked up a pair of Addi Turbo Lace 4mm circulars. The difference is unbelievable, and I swear my knitting got faster!

Time on the Needles: July 13 - October 10, 2008, with no less than 5 restarts!

Ravelry Link: click here

Progress Pacer

Well, according to my nifty (knifty?) excel spreadsheet - I'm at 2.6% complete on the gorgeous Path of Flowers Stole. Le sigh. I figure I'm looking at about 33 pattern repeats (of 16 rows each, and about 8 minutes per row) to get the 65.5" required, so I might be blogging this exclusively for a while as I'd like to have it done by October 14th (my Mum's birthday). That means a minimum of 7.45 rows per day, with no days off, leaving one day for washing, weaving in the ends, and blocking. Yeah, wish me luck.

In random knitterly news, I bumped into the Yarn Harlot on the street today when I was post-yam-burrito and she was pre-yam-burrito. Yum. I don't think I was too much of a dork. Although, I did accost her when she was in a non-yarny situation.

The ladies at Lettuce Knit were incredible this evening - both the staff and the knitters! They helped me pick out some Addi
Turbos, the new-to-me lace ones, and MAN are they incredible. The stole is going faster already, and these P2 through the back loops are SO much easier! Huzzah! Definitely money well spent. I was worried they would be too slippy for the silk/mohair blend - but the coating is different from the regular Addi Turbos, so they're incredible! Yes, it's love.

Okiedokie, off to bed to dream of lace.