Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Thanks for letting me join!
But I've had some alpaca cloud in my stash for a long time, it's crying to be knit up. I just have to figure out who sells beads locally, if anyone. It's not fair, a couple of towns over ( 5 miles) there's a place that sells beads online, but they don't have a storefront. I saw some beads I like for less than a dollar, but they ship priority only (according to the website). But I'm not going to pay $4.60 for shipping 5 miles!
Oh well, I have to finish up some projects before I can even think of casting on anyway. Looking forward to knitting this one, it's a beauty!
Can't Wait...
Question: are all of you knitting it as written? Is anyone doing the altered version with the provisional cast on and just doing the cherry blossoms?
I can't decide which way I'd like to go. Of course, I could do both ;)
I would like to finish my MS3, first though. (And some of the other things on my needles. Ahem.)
This should be fun!
Monday, July 30, 2007
Hello
Is anyone out there knitting MS3 off of a zephyr cone? I am, and I will have a ton leftover when I complete MS3 (I think there is 5000+ yards on those bad boys). I know that I will want a new color for the next stole. I love my color (a red wine color, claret, I believe - you can see pix of my MS3 WIP at my blog to get an idea of the color) but I need to mix it up a little. Would anyone be interested in swapping partial Zephyr 2/18 cones for this project? Just a thought.
Thanks for letting me join your group. This should be a lot of fun!
Holly
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Hanami
My First KAL!
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Beads, beads and more beads
Amanda
Kerrie, Australia
Hello from HOT Florida
Happy Knitting,
Leslie Rodgers
Keystone Heights, FL
Hey from Charm City :)
I'm still checking out yarn possibilities. Currently I'm waiting on some Zephyr Wool Silk - Vanilla to knit Leda's Dream for my sister. She's getting remarried (possibly a sunset wedding on a beach-Hawaii) in the spring and I thought it would be nice to make her a wedding shawl. I thought the story behind the shawl, the pattern, etc. was a perfect match.
Looking forward to seeing everyone's progress on MS3 as well as the Hanami stole. :)
How-Dee! from Tennessee
I just wanted to jump in and say How-Dee from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee (USA) to everyone knitting on with Melanie's Hanami Stole. I thought it might be fun to knit along with the group even though I must confess that I have already started my Hanami. Like the other stoles Melanie has designed, the Hanami is a great knit. I'm about half way through having completed the basketweave section.
I'm using 3 strands of the 2/28 lace weight 100% silk from ColourMart in a pale celery green shade called "Melissa". Because the silk yarn is so fine, my stole is a bit smaller than Melanie's pink one. I did an extra repeat of the basketweave chart and added extra rows of raindrops in the transition section to make sure that my stole wouldn't end up being too short. I added silverlined clear 8-0 beads to the cast-on edge following Melanie's directions. I found this process to be a royal pain in the you-know-what >:-( After all that grief fighting with slippery silk and tiny crochet hooks, you can hardly see the beads in the knitting. If I were to do it all again I would just skip the beads and knit the stole, since the beads are only on that cast-on edge anyway. As always, that's just my opinion :-)
Like most of you, I'm knitting the MS3 (actually-2 of them!)so the Hanami isn't getting much attention right this minute. I'll keep you posted when I get around to taking more pictures :-)
Friday, July 27, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Your Hosts
We are both pharmacists living in Edmonton (in Northern Alberta, Canada) - a city of about a million. We used to work together, and now we mostly just knit together. A lot. As much as we can. Like when we meet up for lunch without the kids. We also like to engage in retail therapy (of the non-yarn type) - we both have a little weakness for shoes.
Check out our blog at: www.baadmedicine.blogspot.com.
We think we're pretty funny - at least we make ourselves laugh.
Welcome to all - we can't wait to get started.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Shout out!
I'm so amazed and delighted. I've never been so involved with something so huge. And all I had to do was say "Hey, T! Set up a blog so we can have a knitalong!" It's good to have friends.
Hi from Temecula, CA
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Just joined in
I love to knit lace but the laceweight in MS3 is driving me crazy so I am will do this one in Fingering. I was at a knitting retreat in early July and a few of us had our MS3's to show off, not to knit on. Too hard with so much other knitting to look at. Another knitter started Hanami while we were there and it made me go home and download mine as soon as I turned my computer on.
I am really looking forward to knitting this one.
CA Knitter
beads in Hanami
What do you think?
Location and Yarn Choices
Thanks for letting me join. I recently purchased the Hanami pattern and was planning to use Jojoland Harmony for it since I have this in my stash already, but it is not the right colors, so I will let it sit on the burner for a while and percolate. I was thinking of going more Autumnal, from browns up to reds and oranges and think of it as the leaves scattering in the wind, since this will be toward Fall. Pale pinks are not for me. I am currently working on a Kiri shawl in ebony Blue Sky Alpaca Silk, which by the way is a beautiful yarn. I am in North Carolina, currently north of Charlotte but moving soon westward towards the mountains.
Krista GG
hello
Are you in?
If you'd like an invitation and haven't received one, please email us at hanami.knit.a.long@gmail.com.
We now have 75 knitters signed in with another 35 open invites. That's over 100 knitters, people! I thought we'd get 12 at most.
Bead Question
I have painters at the house this week and the office is one place where stuff from rooms that are being painted as been stuffed. So until I can clear some stuff I can't get to my pattern.
But I think I may have found some perfect beads last Saturday in Richmond. I had been thinking of using the crystal ab beads I bought as a possibility for MS3. But then I found pale pink ab beads. I'm hoping 8/0 is the right size and one tube will be enough.
Oh, and I'm map impaired, so I'm near Fredericksburg, VA.
Mary in VA
Monday, July 23, 2007
In progress . . .
I've got cardinal CashWool burning a hole in my stash, and the perfect red 8/0 beads...and I was already on the needle and cruising along on Hanami when I found out about you guys. I'm also MS3-ing with many of you, though I am a dedicated lurker there.
Unfortunately, I have absolutely no connection or association with cherry blossoms. On the other hand, that means I have no compunction about using whatever color I want!
It's probably for the best that I will be a bit ahead of the rest of you when you start, because I am absolutely not a project monogomist. In fact, if I were any more of a project polygamist, I'd probably have to leave my home state of Mississippi for Utah - every nook and cranny in my house is either yarn or project or both. I will do my darnedest to keep up with you all, though!
I've seen that we have at least one other knitter from Mississippi - hi, Chanda - but I don't know from where. I live in Biloxi, on the Gulf Coast and at the southernmost tip of the state. We lost our LYS in Hurricane Katrina, and it has not been replaced. The next nearest (besides the giant useless craft, hobby, and superstores) are in Mobile, AL, or New Orleans, LA - each an hour away, so I've given up supporting the local and begun buying online. We did have a small knitter's group in a local coffee shop for a while, until there were only two of us left . . . so now we meet on my couch every Thursday. Sometimes we are three. We have simple dinners and wine and whine... and laugh and watch movies and knit. Often in that order.
Anyone else want to join us? I look forward to getting to know you all and seeing your work progress. Pointed sticks at the ready? Knit!
Where are you?
Amy
Joining in
I am very much enamored of the Hanami stole -- am going to order the pattern today.
I have some lilac colored lace weight that will look fine, if I can put my hands on it -- I tucked it away when I got it in March as lace was beyond my capabilities; but working through MS3, slowly, has encouraged me!
Maybe it's just me and/or my browser, but I can't read the post on the blog as the map covers some of the text--- anyone else have this trouble?
Karen
Global Knitting!
I'm just delighted to have all of you along for this ride. Thanks so much for being here!
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Thank you for letting me join
Have needles, have pattern, ordered yarn this morning. I'm ready to go. I love her design's and I'm looking forward to doing this shawl. I'm currently working on the Civil War Shawl just about finished thank goodness, and the infamous MS3. Again thank you so much for letting me join.
Faye in Southern Ky.
Where are you?
Happy to Join & Yarn Musings
Friday, July 20, 2007
Glad to be here
I'm happy that I am joining this KAL. I am currently working on MS3, and I'm only one clue behind, so I think I am doing very well! LOL I signed up for the first two mystery stoles also, but I didn't finish either one. This one, I am bound and determined to finish because I already have plans for wearing it to the Embroidery Guild national seminar banquet. :o)
I live in Jackson Mississippi. I am a new lace knitter, and I definitely have been bitten by the lace bug. I already have my Hanami pattern, and now I will be looking for pretty pink lace yarn so I will be ready to go in September. And I have found several other luscious shawl patterns that I just must knit also. :o)
I also spent some time in Japan when I was a child. My father was in the air force, and he was stationed there from when I was three to about six years old. I am currently studying Japanese embroidery at the Japanese Embroidery Center in Atlanta, and really enjoying that. If you would like to see some gorgeous embroidery, check out their web site: http://www.japaneseembroidery.com/index.html. If this stole turns out good enough, I am thinking about giving it to my teacher, Masa Tamura.
I'm off to start Clue 3 of the Mystery Stole. I am looking forward to knitting this stole with you all.
Lisa in Mississippi
wyrdneedles.blogspot.com
I don't have a blog so a lot of this posting busines will be new to me. Please forgive me if I goof up!
I can't wait to start Hanami... except that I will because it's going to take all my lace knitting attention to finish MS3.I have the pattern already, and I will be looking for a good yarn. I'm rather attracted to the idea of doing this in silk too... I suppose the Japanese theme and the silk seem to be a good combination.
I lived in Japan, for a very little bit, when a child, and DH spent several years there teaching English, so there is an emotional connection for me to this stole as well as the pure visual admiration.
Be "seeing" you all!
UPDATE to Hanami KAL
A couple things to let you know:
1. We will do the KAL over 8 weeks starting in September (we'll let you know the exact start date soon). J and I have the number of rows/week figured out. So, we'll emulate the Mystery Stole idea, but it won't be a mystery. It will be approximately 60 rows or so every week. Very do-able for most we hope.
2. We will have 2 prizes over the course of the KAL. The first prize will be at week 4 and the second prize will be at week 8. Your name will get put in the draw if you write a post on the blog or if you comment on someone else's post. Each time you write something, your name will go in the draw. I think Mary in VA is currently our most active writer, so she will have a little head start. The prizes will be of use to lace knitters!
Again, if you haven't received your invite, please email us at: hanami.knit.a.long@gmail.com. Also, check your spam filter in case it's ended up there.
For all those doing MS3, have fun with the extra big clue and to every else, happy knitting!
T.
Wow!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Hi From California
=)
Signing in from Mississippi
I have successfully mastered the beaded cast on (you only need less than 50 beads - that's the only beading on this stole listed.) And I've done five of the seven repeats of the basketweave section. I'll be picking it back up after MS3 and continuing on with all of y'all.
Plan on using stitch markers between the repeats and your life will be easier. I ordered mine from a vendor on Ebay or Etsy (forget which one) and got some that were long plastic wire loops with a wooden bead at the end. They are long enough and slightly stiff so they don't get tangled in the laceweight yarn. And they keep their shape well enough when I move them with my mouth sometimes. Don't laugh! You'll end up doing it too when the K2tog requires you to use a stitch from either side of the marker! :) (That only happens every 7 or 8 rows, I think.)
I'm using Lorna's Laces Helen's Lace in the pink. It's beautiful! I found the Mill Hill Beads she recommended at Hobby Lobby in the NEEDLEWORK section (not the bead section) for only $1.37 and there are more than enough in one little package. You'll need that little bitty crochet hook for this one too.
Looking forward to knitting with y'all! Chanda in Mississippi
silk Hanami?
Yarn hunting
Amanda
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Excited for this knitalong!
It was great to see on the MS3 boards that this group had been created to knit Hanami once MS3 was finished – since that was exactly what I hoped to do anyways!
I have a skein of purplish blue Silky Merino laceweight from Blackberry Ridge that has been waiting patiently in my stash for the perfect project, so I'm glad to have finally found it in Hanami, even if it will be with a twist. Even though I love the cherry blossoms that bloom here in San Francisco starting in February, both the color of my yarn and the pattern of Hanami remind me instead of the jacaranda blossoms that fell on the grounds of the university in South Africa where I did graduate work. So mine will be a bit of a pseudo-Hanami, but I still look forward to knitting my version along with all the rest of you!
Hello from another member
The Mystery Stole 3 is pretty fabulous, as well - I am about half-done with Clue 3 but lost a bit of knitting time to re-reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to get ready for the coming book 7 launch.
My own knitblog is here - www.theknitfarm.com - no new pictures since I finished Clue 2 and started Stole 2. I'll fix that tomorrow, I hope.
Nice to be here!
Yeah, I'm finally here!
I've had the pattern and some Lisa Souza lace yarn in a gorgeous pink in my stash for a little while. I'm thinking I want to make it for my mother for Christmas, so this will be perfect timing.
Here's the story. I live near DC, but my mother had never managed to be here when the cherry blossoms were in bloom. A few years ago my father had retired, so they decided I would give them updates and they'd just drive down from Massachusetts during the week for a couple days when prospects look good. To avoid some of the east coast traffic the wanted to come during the week even though peak bloom was predicted for the coming weekend.
So they're on their way and I hear that due to the weather the previous few days, they now thought that day would be the best day for viewing the blossoms.
But the good luck doesn't stop there.
I have a cousin who lives in Argentina. When ever she visits we joke about her good parking karma, because when she's with you a parking space miraculously opens up just where you want to go, even in a busy city in the worst area for parking. She'd get a spot right in front of the entrance to Fenway Park on opening day. If we have good parking luck we say we're channeling Maria.
Which I apparently was that day. Because they come by my office and I take over driving. My mother can't walk well, so I'm thinking the best I can do is drive them as close as I can get to the places you can view blossoms. But just as we swing by the parking lot at the Tidal Basin the cop guarding the entrance lets us know there's a spot if we want to go in. So we do and the spot gives us this view from our front bumper:
I think that day deserves a commemorative shawl!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
can't wait!
Thanks!
Monday, July 16, 2007
Hi
Happy knitting
Liblady
Baptism by fire
JUSTARRIVED
Woke up this AM to 393 emails in my box (it was empty at 6AM when I went to bed, honest) and most of them were from MS3. Tucked down in the list was the invite to this group - thanks so much.
I think I have found my yarn - at least I am going to order it and if it isn't what I want, will have plenty of time to look for something else. Once the yarn is here, will have to order the beads to go with it - so I am glad we have time before starting this. Don't have the pattern as yet, but since I don't have a printer, I better order it early so I can start setting up my charts - takes a long time by hand.
I didn't hear about MS3 till the last day, so started late. I am making two (both with beads) and have finished Clue 1 on both and almost Clue 2 on the first one. Maybe with the HP break, I will get up to date, but in no hurry, just enjoying the trip.
Have to make this one, even though I haven't a idea in the world how to block it, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. The first lace shawl I made is still sitting just as it came off the needles. I don't think even with aggressive blocking it would be anything but a neck scarf with a point. It was a great way to learn though.
Thanks for letting me join in the fun.
Sue in AR
Introduction
Sending out Invitations
We will keep registration open up until we start (in September).
Remember - you need to purchase your pattern from Melanie's site www.pinklemontwist.blogspot.com.
And some people have asked if we have a button yet to put on their blog. We don't - we'll try and have one ready for when we start. If you go to our blog (www.baadmedicine.blogspot.com) you'll understand why we don't have one yet.
Happy Knitting.
T.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Housekeeping
1. Please email us at hanami.knit.a.long@gmail.com if you would like to join. If you have left a comment saying you'd like in and have not received an invite, please email us. The response to this knit-a-long has been great, so give us a couple of days to get you on board.
2. We'd like to cast on two weeks after the last Mystery Stole clue is posted. This will give us all time to finish MS3 and admire our work before embarking on another lace adventure.
3. We will give guidelines as to what rows to knit each week. This way we will all be more or less together. That's not to say you can't knit ahead or take your time. The point is to enjoy what you're doing and to be proud of what you make.
4. No trash talk. I mean it.
I think that's all for now. The knit a long will be run from this website so visit often and post as much or as little as you like. I hope we can all help each to make some pretty amazing lace.
J. for Baadmedicine.blogspot.com
Friday, July 13, 2007
Here We Go!
We'll start knitting in September once the Mystery Stole 3 has been wrapped up. This gives us lots of time to stock up on supplies and get to know each other.
Welcome! We're looking forward to knitting with you!