Release party: The new Niebling

Ta-da! Knitted lace. Made in the round, with thread, on itty bitty bamboo needles.

Obviously, I was a lazy boor while blocking this piece. The irregularity of the circle is due entirely to my lazy blocking; the pattern itself is pretty faultless.

Project details:
Pattern: “Lace Doily,” also known as “Starry Night” or “Erika” depending on which publication you’re looking at.
Designer: Herbert Niebling,  duh. Can I say “Niebling” a few more times?
Yarn: Vintage crochet thread, thrifted.
Needles: Size US0 bamboo Clovers
Time spent: 4 days
Modifications: I followed these modifications for the first few rows & triple-decreases, and did some boring mathy things to switch from four pattern repeats to six. Which just barely worked.

I don’t know what it is about Niebling that makes me love him so much more than most designers. There are certainly other interesting lace designers out there. I just have a connection with this guy; I feel like I know a lot about him just by working on and studying his patterns. There is very little biographical information available about him, but I get the sense he was a little impetuous, stand-offish and quiet; all qualities I admire.

I currently have no actual use for this piece; if I decide to base my tattoo off of it or find some other function, I will re-block it. This time with precision and patience. If you’ve forgotten or missed it, you can see my first swing at this pattern here.

Coming up:

• More shawlette release parties
• An announcement about the Etsy shop
• Vacation pictures
• Outfit posts? Perhaps? If I get the courage/will?

she has created a monster!

When I took this picture (June 13), the Niebling was going very well. It’s actually easier than I anticipated. But it has these huge increases (made using 4 abutting yo’s that make a base for 9 new stitches) that look like angry eyes when held correctly. So, you know, monster Niebling. I’ll share the finished product tomorrow!

Shawlette-obsessed, chapter 3.

You know what is hard to photograph, apparently? Bright red against bright green. I kind of failed at this attempt.

Anyway, this shawlette was easy enough. I did it right after finishing some more complicated lace shawls, so it was pretty boring. That lace pattern is just a 3-row repeat.

Project details:
Pattern: Little Shells by Holly Griffin-Weidner
Pattern availability: Free online
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool
Needles: US 8 circular
Time spent: Maybe 3 low-commitment days.

I did it!

I did it! I completed the first 20 rows of my first Niebling! (Technically I did this on June 12, but I didn’t want to mess up my queued pre-written posts, and I didn’t schedule the post that mentions my Niebling thoughts until just yesterday. So this has been just a twinkle in my eye for quite a while. Months, really.)

Qualifications:

• Sure, I’m using easy yarn. Not doing it in crochet thread like the great laceman desired.
• Sure, it only gets harder from here. Sure, the first 20 rows look to be the absolute easiest part.
• Sure, I’m working relying heavily on the notes of other ravelers.
• Sure, my needles are much larger than typical lace needles.

I’m still pretty damn proud of myself. For a lace knitter I am not. YET. Watch out elbow, here Niebling comes.

Motif madness, chapter 5

“An atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church. An atheist believes that deed must be done instead of prayer said. An atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death. He wants disease conquered, poverty vanished, war eliminated.”
-Madalyn Murray O’Hair

Made using pattern #77 in Beyond the Square: Crochet motifs.

Written Jan. 25.

Motif madness, chapter 4

“In the theory of gender I began from zero. There is no masculine power or privilege I did not covet. But slowly, step by step, decade by decade, I was forced to acknowledge that even a woman of abnormal will cannot escape her hormonal identity.”
-Camille Paglia

Made using pattern #46 in Beyond the Square: Crochet motifs.

Written Jan. 25.

Somebody get married STAT.

I really need a reason to make Grady wear this dress in public.

Written Feb. 12

Motif madness, chapter 3

“You cannot find peace by avoiding life.”
-Virginia Woolf

Made using pattern #81 in Beyond the Square: Crochet motifs.

Written Jan. 24.

Yarn: Cheaper than meds! Snugglier, too.

I am currently knitting a chartreuse worsted-weight shawlette. It’s complicated lace (well, complicated for little ol’ me. I’m not much of a lace knitter.) and I haven’t made one mistake yet! 20 rows in! Woot.

Anyway, I’m starting this because a) I finished my mystery KAL tonight and b) I don’t want to go back to sewing Christmas presents until after finals. And c) because I want to dare myself to wear a chartreuse shawlette. And d) because I purchased an expensive knitting needle for the KAL and need to get some more use out of it.

I’ll post photos of the mystery KAL object once it’s blocked, but let me warn you: It’s pretty hideous. Comfy, but hi.de.ous. That’s what I get for not thoroughly reading the description of proper yarn choice.

Note: I can’t watch television while working on lace, so instead I’ve been listening to music, and that has been so lovely.

Tada!: It's going to be a cold December

Pattern: Branching Out by Susan Lawrence. (on Ravelry)
Source: Knitty
Yarn: Rowan Rowanspun DK
Needles: US 8 straights
Date started (and completed): November 2007 (I don’t remember the exact dates …)

I really really really love this yarn. It just breaks my heart that it was discontinued. I mean, it did break easily, but that was the only flaw I could see. I love the look of it – like the yarn itself was pre-felted. You can see how rustic and lovely it makes the lace look. It was squooshy and subtly heathered and practically perfect in every way.

The pattern was lovely, but you probably already know that because everyone has made this scarf. Right now, Ravelry says that there are 2,263 projects, and it is in 1,964 knitters’ queues. It’s one of those Knitty staples, like Fetching or Dashing. But is a dandy for your first lace project, I’ll give it that.