Da-da-da-da, Superlace!...



Fleegle has another interesting post today about what she calls superimposed lace. She gives a lovely example from a Japanese knitting book. I decided to give it a go. I started my swatch with a circular needle and two double points and two strands of contrasting yarn. Anyone who decides to try this should know that each extra pattern repeat will require one more double point or better yet the whole thing should be knitted on two circulars.



It doesn't start out spectacularly.




It is a kind of double knitting.




The reverse stockinette between the motifs is knit with both strands of yarn. Then the number of stitches required to knit the motif are picked up in white on the double point and the stitches in the yellow are placed on the circular. Then the background is purled using the yellow yarn to the end of the motif. The motif is then picked up and the lace pattern is knit with the white yarn . Finally both strands of yarn are used to knit the reverse stockinette.

Whew, is it really worth it? Check this out




I think I love it. I wouldn't want to make a huge garment with lots of pattern repeats, but what a cute baby sweater this could make, or maybe socks. I think you could make a very nice scarf with this technique because the back is very pretty.





I guess I should mention the doily I am currently working on. It's called "Gotthold" and it is in Kunststricken: Grosse und Kleine Decke which you can get here or here.








I am enjoying it a great deal as it is the perfect distraction from the never ending Forest Path Stole.

Goodies Galore



Check out the goodies I've recently received from far and wide.




The issue of Anna on top is the June 1986 edition containing Herbert Niebling's Lyra. It also has a couple of simple and pretty lace scarves and lovely yellow rose needlework designs. I'm definitely loving it.



Next is Pitsilised Koerkirjad the fabulous Estonian lace book I mentioned earlier. This book is even better than I thought it would be. There are almost 300 different stitch patterns inside. It is in Estonian, which looks kind of like Finnish. (I know it's strange but I had a little Finnish obsession when I was 19, which culminated in learning to conjugate one verb 'to divide' and say "Where is the ashtray?") There is a chart symbol translation key available online here. You can't get this fabulous book in the states but it is available from Martina's. Beware of the shipping, it is very expensive, but if you stock up on Addi Turbo's which she has at shockingly low prices, it's totally worth it.



Last, but certainly not least is Kunstricken: Grosse un kleine Decken. This little booklet has thirty doilies and tablecloths, several designed by Herbert Niebling. It comes with great big clear charts. The only possible negative is that the crocheted bindoffs are not charted and as far as I can tell not described in the limited German written instructions.



Knitting lately has not been going well. I whipped up this nifty swatch for Eunny Jang's Print of the Wave Shawl.




I used the same yarn and shade Eunny used for hers. I've never done that before and it was kind of an accident. It is Merino Oro from Ornaghi Filati. This yarn has been calling out to me every time I go to my LYS, Yarns2Ewe, but I'd never seen this color before. It just bowled me over. You can't begin to appreciate it's loveliness from a picture.

Well knitting the swatch was a breeze. I used the only size 0s I had at the time which were bamboo double points I usually knit socks with. I finally cast on for the shawl a couple of nights ago, and it was a total disaster. I have never had to frog a lace pattern four times during the first pattern repeat. I don't even think knitting my very first project was as frustrating. I dropped stitches, my stitch count was all over the place, totally dismal. I finally realized that dark yarn on size 0 Addi Turbos, requires a lot more light.



I know it's not the needles, because last night I gave up and cast on for one of the doilies with the same needles and things are just fine. If the needles were too slippery, size 20 cotton would have been hard to knit with, but it gripped just fine. I didn't add a lamp or anything, but the yarn is pure white so no problem. I guess I should get one of those fancy natural light lamps you see advertised in craft catalogues, but they are so expensive.



Well, fortunately days are getting longer so I may be able to make some progress on the Print of the Wave in the next few months. As for the never ending Forest Path Stole, I guess I should just admit that it is on hiatus. I finished the fourteenth tier about a week and a half ago and I haven't picked up since. I refuse to put it away, because out of sight really is out of mind. I find that if I put a project I'm stuck on away it never gets finished.

I really do think I just need a break. I worked on it and only it for several weeks and I don't think that was a good idea. I usually work on several projects at the same time. I think I over did it and I need to get re-energized with some new projects.

The Forest Path Stole had a lovely picnic in the backyard...






I thought it would help her feel a little less neglected. I haven't been knitting much at all lately. I've managed to finish the 12th tier, but I haven't touched it for a week. I have been thinking about knitting though. I tend to go through these periods of obsessing about new projects... what yarn to buy, which books to order or borrow. For some reason, all of the actual knitting just stops cold.

So what's the problem? Well by the time the books are available at the library and the yarn has come in, I'll just be getting back into the swing of things. So now I'll be distracted by all the new yumminess, and next thing you know I'll need the needles I'm using for my current WIPs for the new WIPS. This is how you end up with a huge pile of unfinished objects mouldering in the back of the closet.

I would make a public vow to finish what I start and get a little more disciplined, but that's just not going to happen. So in light of my current frame of mind, here is my ridiculously overthought, terribly underplanned, and totally preposterous list of future projects:

1. Niebling's Lyra.






Okay, what you should be thinking is: "Girl, you haven't even finished those simple little doilies you started months ago. Who you think you're fooling?" Well, you are absolutely right, but I know that I am far more likely to complete tedious finishing if it's on a complicated project that I have invested hundreds of hours on. Those other doilies were just practice. And besides fooling myself is fun.

2. A fairisle scarf based on Eunny Jang's Venezia pullover from Interweave Knits.






Don't even say it. I know it will likely cost about 50% more than the sweater, and take even longer. I've been lusting after that sweater for a long time, but a) I have sworn off knitting sweaters for myself for the next two years, and b) a gorgeous 12" wide double sided fairisle scarf always fits you and never goes out of style. If I'm going to invest that much money and time in a project I want my niece to be able to wear it in 2050.

3. A masculine yet fashionable cashmere/silk scarf for He Who Will Not Be Named as thanks for all of the wining and dining. I haven't yet decided on a pattern. This one's hard. I need the perfect scarf for a male fashionista, glam, yet subdued. See, I'm starting to have more reasonable expectations.

4. A pair of Jaywalkers in the Cestari sock yarn I picked up a while ago. Oh my, I've gotten almost pedestrian now, but this is a really great pattern. It's just about the only one I've found that works for this yarn that's not just a plain sock.

5. Best Friend Cardigan from Big City Knits by Wen Len Chai.



It would look smashing on a good friend of mine with a not so busty figure. Wow, now I've finally succumbed to huge needles and rope-like yarn.

6. Mary Lynn Patrick's multidirectional lace cardigan from the new Vogue Knitting.




I know I swore off knitting sweaters, but don't worry. Things this far down on the list never get done anyway.