Look what I did!

Funny thing, I have knitted since I was 11 years old. It is something I do with 'half a brain', while watching TV or talking with friends. I have, however, not done a lot of lace. When I saw this pattern, I just had to try it out. The spiderwebiness (yes, I do know that is not a word) of it fascinated me, I could not understand how it could be possible - with knitting! So I tried. And it worked!
Ok, so I had to block it, which hurts my fiberloving heart sooo much! (Can you guess I do not like blocking knitted fabric? :))The softness of the yarn is gone, as expected. But... maybe I can just keep it on the wall to look at? :)

Amazing what you can do with thin yarn and two sharpish needles. I bow to the genius of the designer. (Pattern is Rock Island Shawl by Jared Flood. I got mine on Ravelry)

It Rocks!

I made it! The shawl got done before the yarn went out! It was a true race in the end, fewer and fewer stitches, lesser and lesser yarn. But the shawl won! :)

Now I just need to block it. I am so against blocking knitted material, it truly pains me to have to do it. I feel it destroys the quality of yarn completely. I still don't know why people would block a beautifully knitted elastic and fluffy garment into something completely... not! But... the pattern of this shawl would not really show without it, and it also needs to be twice it size. And it was the cobweb look of the pattern that drew me to it. So I guess I have to 'woman up' to it. Next weekend, maybe.

On the other hand, I try to sew a little now and then. I did not like the way I put the stars together earlier, so I wanted to try something else. I think I like this better. More white, with a little of red. I think it will look nice in the end.

First end, ends first?

So, what will end first?
The stitches,

or the yarn? It is a race, to be honest:)

But we are getting there. Not so many stitches left.

Lacy rock

Never knitted lace before. I just had to try. So this is the result of two weeks knitting. A lot of ripping...
I am now done with the lacy knitting, the rest is in garter stitch. I wonder, though, if this will ever look like this?

However, the allconsuming question, as it is in lot of knitting - do I have enough yarn to finish it? Travelling across the sea and half of the US to get more does not sound like a solution. Crossing toes (as I can't cross fingers AND knit at the same time:))

Nature in different shapes

Long weekend in Norway - Pentacost. Spent yesterday with family visiting family out in the 'woods' in Sweden. With older parents you always wonder if this will be the last time we can get all of us together like this.
Anyway, got the opportunity to photograph nature. I was fascinted by the 'flatness' of these flowers. No need to press these:)

Rain just ended and left its leftovers on some of the leaves.

And my all-time favourite in early summers, the unfurling ferns. Love the shapes.

Started my own 'nature' shape today - Rock Island Shawl. Never tried knitting lace before. We shall see how it works out:) Oh, and the other nature shape? Spike, visiting for a few days. He and his companion, Buffy, is spending the holiday with me while their mother is off galavanting:) hehe.