It's Easy to Live Fast...

     This summer has absolutely flown by.  I have no idea where the month of July went!  So, I left you with updates on my projects for May and June and an update on my transportation dilemma.  That has been resolved successfully.  Let me re-hash quickly.  My husband and I bought a new vehicle, a 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser.  We traded in one of our 2002 Pontiacs and kept the other 2002 Pontiac.  The day after we brought the FJ home the car we decided to keep died on us.  So we muddled through with the one vehicle for a couple weeks and three weeks and one day later this is what I brought home:

A 2013 Toyota Corolla S Special Edition.  The color is "Hot Lava".  That's the FJ beside it.  So we should be set on cars for a least a decade now, in theory.  
     There was a massive heat wave in July, so I didn't do much in the line of complex knitting in that time.  I did complete a few dishcloths for the round two challenges.    I had been wanting to get my stash back up to par.  (I have a game plan for Christmas this year.)  Here's a quick run through, nothing new or fancy.

Near the end of the round the heat finally subsided and I started a new endeavor.  It's a checkmark for my list of goals this year.  Beaded knitting!  I started it on the 21st of July and came really really close to finishing it for round two, but alas close only counts for partial points.  It is done now.  The pictures don't do it justice, its been really overcast lately and I got at this too late today but anywhoo:

The pattern is:  Jeweled Cowl.  The yarn is Malabrigo Lace in the colorway Paris Nights.  The colors are darker in real life.  Its more of a dark blueish purple with lilac highlights.  There are beads all throughout the lace section.  I tried many angles, the camera just doesn't pick up the beads.  This was my first experience with Mal Lace.  I loved it!  Its 2-ply and just a tad felted.  Its amazingly soft and drapes really nicely.   

This is only a marginally better picture.  At least the beads sort of show up in this one and it shows how huge the cowl is.  The beads (all 728 of them) are placed individually with a 0.75mm crochet hook.  Its actually easy and quick considering its lace weight yarn.  I really enjoyed this project and I cant wait to wear it somewhere.  I've already picked up yarn for another one.  Right after I finished this project I started a shawl, which I just finished up this morning.  I've officially been bitten by the lace bug.  This has not been blocked yet.

 

The pattern is:  Cassis Shawlette.  I used Cascade Heritage Silk, which is a fingering weight, machine washable, mulberry silk blend.  Its spun very tightly and therefore has a great amount of spring.  Its soft and the silk gives it a slight sheen.  I would have no problem using this again.  I still have quite a bit left actually.  I will be gifting this shawl, but I plan to make another for myself.  (I already picked up the yarn and I plan to put beads in mine.)

     That segues into my recent yarn purchases, and I nearly forgot.  I bought a spindle at the end of June!  I haven't had much time to spin but I've tried at least.  I have a long way to go before I'll have something good enough to call yarn.  In the month off, between tourneys, I hope to practice, practice, practice.  Right now I've become rather addicted to lace and beads.  Okay back to yarn.

This was back in July from Yarn Cupboard.  (That's where I got my spindle and fiber to go with it.)  The four skeins on the bottom are Brown Sheep Lambs Pride Bulky.  They were on sale.  The two blue-green hanks are Malabrigo Rios in the colorway Solis.  They are slightly greener in real life.  The little purplish hank in the middle is the Malabrigo Lace I used for the Jeweled Cowl. 

These are from the same day but from Sheep Thrills! Yarn Company.  The darkest purple hanks are Cascade Highland Duo.  They are 70/30 Alpaca-Merino.  The softness and squishiness in beyond words.  I'm looking forward to winter this year.  The lighter and middle two purple hanks are Manos del Uruguay Maxima.  Manos is a company that employs very poor individuals who otherwise wouldn't be able to find employment.  Each tag has the name of the artisan and their location hand written on it.  It's kettle dyed 100% Merino, so there is a wonderful variation of color.  I was out of town for my birthday so I did some belated birthday yarn shopping yesterday. 

Left to right; I picked up the new Knitters Pride Karbonz needles for my next project.  They are carbon fiber needles.  I've heard wonderful things about these needles and I've been wanting to try them since I first read they were available.  They are comparably priced with other "good brand" needles as well.  The multicolored hank is Lorna's Laces Solemate in the colorway Franklin's Panopticon.  The Panopticon penned by Franklin Habit was the first knitting related blog I started following when I started this blog twoish years ago.  It is by far one of the most entertaining blogs out there.  Franklin is a very talented knitter and has an amazing sense of humor.  He, like nearly everyone, is on Facebook as well.  I friended him a while ago so I could keep up with his escapades.  He teaches classes at various knitting events and is publishing designs of his own now.  He must have several hundred followers, well this gentleman wished me a happy birthday on Facebook.  I know its menial, but I was touched that he took the 5 seconds to wish me, some total stranger, a happy birthday.  It makes me enjoy the blog that much more, and renews a tiny shred of hope for humanity.  I'm not sure what I'll do with this yarn.  I'm on a lace kick right now so I'm thinking a lace shawl or scarf or something.  The small hank in the middle is more Malabrigo Lace, in the colorway Bobby Blue.  I've already ordered the beads to go with it.  Last but not least is Malabrigo Sock in the colorway Lettuce.  Beads have been ordered for this too.  This will be made into a second Cassis Shawlette.  I've found it nearly impossible to find 8/0 seed beads.  All the craft stores have a plethora of 6/0, 10/0 and 11/0, but not 8...  I don't understand, so I was forced to do my bead shopping on line.  I've heard rumor there is a bead place around here somewhere, I need to make some inquiries.  I prefer to support local businesses if I can. 
     I've been able to enjoy my knitting socially recently.  On Sunday July 28th I attended a fundraiser knitting luncheon at a historic estate out in Cazenovia.  It's an annual event and I very much plan to attend next year as well.  I was attempting to finish my cowl by midnight that day so I didn't get pictures.  The estate was built in the late 1800s and it overlooks a lake, its not as grand as Downton Abby, but it felt a bit like that.  Last weekend after a family gathering of my Mom's side of the family, I spent the evening with my paternal grandmother.  She still knits, so we spent our time working on projects and watching Lawrence Welk.  It was wonderful!  That's it for now, I have a hat planned as my next project and I'm eager to start it.  More fingering weight and its colorwork.
Until later, Happy Crafting!
-Q