Hats and lace

I've been busy with the part-time job and looking for full-time work. It is actually quite exhausting physically so there has only been minimal knitting at casa de stitchcounter.

First, I made another hat (preemie-sized) for the Hats for Alex using the Microspun I had left over from the first baby hat. (Its going in the mail today.)


If anyone can tell me what kind of plant that is, I would really appreciate it.

I have started A Wide Triangle from Victorian Lace Today. I was chugging along while I waited at the mechanic's. (The beads are from one of the big-box stores, just some glass beads in a coffee color.)


Please forgive the crappy looking patio furniture in the background. I am even making it out of the same yarn, same color as the one in the book. One thing I have noticed about these patterns (in addition to how gorgeous they are) is that the yarns used are easily found and not terribly expensive. I have no doubt that I'll be making more of these lace shawls.

Unfortunately, I came across a knot in the yarn. First, I tried to just knit a few stitches holding both ends together but decided that looked too bulky. Then I tried to weave in the ends while I continued knitting. Again, it looked too bulky when I would pull to get a sense of how it would look when I blocked it. I decided this was the perfect excuse to try a Russian join.


My join isn't as neat as Eunny's but its not too bad. Its a little easier to see if you click on it. I did need hubby to help by placing the second strand across the first.

It is hardly noticeable in the knitting itself:




I'll wait to see if those little ends are noticeable once it is washed and blocked. The yarn shouldn't bloom very much but I won't mess with it until the very end since I assume that area is pretty fragile. I was so focused on making sure I didn't pull the yarn too hard or mess up the join somehow, I missed a YO.


Now I'm going to attempt some lace surgery a la S. Kate (who does not appear to have a blog but is featured in this Yarn Harlot entry). Wish me luck!

Although there haven't been many FOs, my knitting has definitely improved since I started this blog a year ago.