Eureka

I think I've found the perfect scarf pattern for knitting night! Whenever I try to knit a complicated lace or cable pattern at knitting night, I invariably have to rip back a row or two after I get home. Dim lighting and good conversation just don't mix well with fancy patterns. The Opera Scarf pattern is free from Blue Sky Alpacas. There's just one pattern row that's quite easy to remember.
I'm using the Plucky Knitter's Merino/Cashmere/Nylon sportweight in "Grace Kelly - Rear Window." I cast on 29 stitches rather than 23 (multiple of 3 + 2), and I'm using US 9 needles.

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Monday's mail included a lovely pay-it-forward parcel from Stacey, AKA Peaknit. The Sweetheart washcloth is so darn cute I'm almost afraid to use it! Susan B. Anderson (a Madisonian) designed this pattern, and my knitting circle is doing another one of her patterns as a KAL at our retreat next month -- Knit Chickens.
And the soap (from the Lippincott Soap Co.) smells heavenly. I love fancy, handmade soap. All the other goodies are marvelous, too. Some of the chocolate has already been consumed (yum!), and stitch markers and lip balm always come in handy. I still have one more pay-it-forward parcel to finish up myself (Melissa @ Owl & Acorn, I'm sorry I'm so slow!).

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The pieces of my Ariosa cardi are all knit up, and I'm blocking them in stages. With any luck I'll seam it up this weekend!
Overall the pattern was easy to knit. The directions for how to do the decreases aren't terribly clear about how to maintain the lace rib pattern, but it wasn't hard to figure out.

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sleepy Capricha and grumpy Kylie

the big 3-0 + pay it forward

After pre-celebrating with friends over Belgian beer last night, I'm celebrating my 30th birthday today in the best possible way -- relaxing with Paul and the cats, knitting, making soup, and watching the new Sense and Sensibility adaptation on PBS.

The Not-So-Organic Guernsey just needs blocking and the perfect buttons:
The Woodland Scarf is also off the needles; it just needs to have its ends woven in and to be blocked. Unable to carry on without at least one lace project on the needles, I cast on for a Wabenschal while watching Angels & Insects yesterday:
The yarn is Elann's Peruvian Baby Silk, which is OK but not quite as nice to work with as their Peruvian Baby Cashmere. The first corner is done! For a long time I didn't like knitting lace or cables from a chart; now I realize that I'm perfectly happy as long as the chart is very clear, easy-to-read, and uses symbols that make sense. Any recommendations for very clear lace charts?

In honor of my birthday, I'm giving three of you a gift! A while back Peaknit posted about Pay It Forward, and I jumped at the chance because it's such a neat idea:

“The idea of the exchange is I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on this blog post requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet, and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.”

I can't promise a huge lace shawl or intricate socks, but it will definitely be something that matches your tastes! Leave me a comment if you're interested. U.S. only, please, due to mailing costs and my limited grad student budget.