Lace Class @ Yarn Gathering

One very rainy Sunday in July I trekked off to Yarn Gathering in Stone for a class on lace knitting. 

I tackled lace knitting once before and started off really well, but then made a huge mistake and couldn't find it.  I had had to undo it and I never had the courage to picked it back up again.  To be honest, I love the way lace knitting looks and obviously the skill, time and effort that goes into it is just amaing, but I really LOVE plain knitting, the simplicity and rustic look to it (and the fact I can do it while watching Corrie!!).  Sometimes I wonder along with many other things (make up, jewellery, a hairdoo) in knitting, less is more....

Anyway...We were given a pattern called The Ulladulla Easy Lace Scarf which you can find on www.ravelry.com .  I chose some Knit Picks lace weight yarn that I had given to me in Monday knit groups secret Santa last Christmas.  It's a lovely green colour which is great for me as I ALWAYS choose purples so it's nice to have a different colour for a change.

I forgotten that I'd taken a pic of it when I received it at Christmas so here it is....

Yum!

You can't really see how beautiful it is in the photo, you'll just have to take my work for it.

So I cast on...
all 41 stitches and it appeared to all be going ok...
then I had to knit a few rows....
still no problem....
then I started the pattern and amazingly I didn't seem to do anything wrong. 

I don't really know how it happened but it did and it actually looks like a lovely piece of knitting.  I can't photo it yet as it's no where near finished and you can't show the pattern off.  I tried taking a photo of it and it just looks like a big block of green.

So all in all I really enjoyed the lace class and would recommend any of you to go on the next one.  I think it gave me the confidence to try more lace knits and I will be finishing off this scarf and maybe do another one at some point. 

A massive thank you to Denise and Jeanette for giving me the confidence to go to the class and to start lace knitting.

Oh no...not more knits on the go!

Well, I've started a new list of UFO's after racing down my last one.  There are still some old favourites hanging around but they will get done...one day!

1. Rowan cardigan.

2. Sirdar 'Big Softie' scarf.

3. Sew buttons onto baby surprise jacket.

4. Granny square blanket.

5. More socks for me.

6. Sock yarn blanket.

7. Little sisters dress.

8. Blue and white West Brom gloves for my Dad.

9. Lace shawl started at the lace class.

Blogging problems.

So the reason I have not been posting as much is really due to my mobile phone.  Why?  Well let me tell you...
Last August I renewed my contract with Orange.  I have been with them for several years and never had a problem.  They've actually been very good to me over the years and I would have recommended them to anyone.  So I ordered my new smart phone and it was delivered a few days later.  I had a shiny new Samsung Android phone, hence the being able to update my blog with texts and pictures from anywhere at any time.  I was ready to rock...

Then the problems started…

Texts were going to the wrong people and the handset was freezing when receiving incoming calls.  None of the texts were bad I’m not really into doing that, but one text which was important was sent to my brother but he didn’t receive it and we don’t know where that one went.

Five handsets later, I am now on a different model. It’s still a Samsung but I refused to have the same model.  I was told by the representative at Orange that the handset used the Android operating system and I would be able to use it in the same way as my old phone but I can’t.  I keep telling myself that at least when it rings, I can answer it!

Too much knitting and not enough blogging!

I'm not sorry to say that I have been doing way too much knitting instead of blogging.  Here is an updated UFO list.

1. Noro Legwarmers.

2. Rowan Cardigan.  (Still haven’t picked it back up!)

3. Sirdar Extra Chunky Tank Top. (It is to be frogged and will be knitted into a cardigan.)

4. Sirdar Big Softie Scarf.

6. Sew buttons onto baby surprise jacket.  (It’s pink so it will be donated to our pink baby.)

7. Waterfall cardigan for me. (Frogged and now my mother is knitting the yarn into a shawl for me.)

9. Granny Square blanket. (Still in the process.)

10. Fingerless gloves.

12. Another Sirdar baby cardigan.

13. Socks for my Dad.

14. Mug Hug for my Dad.

15. More socks for me.

16. Socks for my friend.

17. Sock Yarn blanket.

18. Festival Hat from Lets Knit. (Finished but then frogged as I didn’t like it.)

19. Flowers for shop.

So as you can see I have been rather busy.  For Father’s Day my Dad received a wonderful mug hug in our team’s colours, blue and white, and then a lovely pair of socks knitted in Katia.  The Katia is so beautiful to knit with and I will defiantly be using it again.  I hadn't actually finished knitting the socks so I wrapped one sock up, along with the other sock with the needles still in it!  He didn't mind as it was a step up from the year I gave him a ball of wool for Christmas and an I.O.U!