Tuscany - blocked! - and payday treats

Two things to report today... yee-hah!

1. Tuscany

Done and blocked! The promised action photos are sadly lacking as it was raining and I couldn't take Aphrodite for the forest stroll. However, I just couldn't wait. I LOVE it. ;-)

(a) Full Frontal

(b) Hindsight is 20/20
(c) The devil is in the details
(d) Beads, Beads... good for your heart...
(e) The apparently requisite lace display shot

Specs:

Pattern = Tuscany by Amy R. Singer (No Sheep for You)
Needles = 3.75mm Addi Turbo
Yarn = Handmaiden Silken (2 skeins: one blue, one rainbow)
Date Started = 7 October 2007 (I think)
Date Finished = 14 October 2007
Size = 66" across by 23" deep
Pin = bought at Romni Wools in Toronto


Notes

- I found the lace pattern relatively simple and only had to tink once! :-)
- I did run out of yarn for the full pattern (I had only the two skeins) so the shawl is finished at the 8th row of the 9th pattern repetition (full pattern = 11 reps). However, despite the fact that I used a slightly smaller needle than recommended, the shawl is still close to full size (and big enough for me, I think).
- It is bound off using raspberry sea silk from the stash
- I put beads on each of the side edges, placing one bead on each end every second row.
- Halfway through, I thought I should have gone with one colour. However, now I'm quite happy with the result and like the separate swirls that the colour alternation created :-)
- I will likely make this again in future as a gift for someone.

I cannot believe that I am someone who is now enthusiastic about knitting and wearing shawls, not to mention lace, period...


2. Payday Booty

Today marked the bimonthly yarn spending binge otherwise known as Payday. This time, I completely overdid it to the extent that I am a bit embarrassed. Not embarrassed enough, mind you, to refrain from showing it off!


I told you I overdid it!!!

From the top left hand corner, going clockwise:

(a) two skeins of Handmaiden Silken (red colourway)
(b) 12 skeins of Dale Svale of Norway (on sale! - 50% cotton, 10% silk, 40% viscose and very lovely and soft - colour no. 4019) - designated for the High Neck Pullover in Vogue Knitting Holiday 2007 (project No. 11)
(c) two skeins of Fleece Artist Italian Silk - I think it's in the Rainforest colourway
(d) A Treasury of Knitting Patterns - Barbara Walker

Don't ask how much this set me back.

I almost, almost, almost made it out of the shop (Knitomatic) without buying the Silken after the following internal debate (which I fear was actually not internal but spoken aloud, much, I'm sure, to the amusement of the ever-kind and enabling Leane:

EVIL SELF: (picking it up and examining it, over and over again)

GOOD SELF: You just finished knitting something with Silken! You have another skein of it at home... plus god alone knows how much other Handmaiden stuff... plus...plus...plus...

EVIL SELF: But I don't have any red Silken. I never have had anyway.

GOOD SELF: You're buying 12 skeins of the other yarn in lovely poppy red!!!

EVIL SELF: But it's not Silken.

More of this ensued, and Evil Self finally reliquinshed the Silken and put it back in the basket where it belonged. Good Self paid for the other stuff with the cash she had set aside and which was supposed to be the maximum spent on this visit. Good Self took the bag and started to walk out of the shop...

...then...

Evil Self turned back, grabbed the Silken and said to Leane "Well, I'm just going to come back for it later in the week anyway, so I might as well just get it now." And out came the debit card.

Moral of the Story: Go not ye to yon LYS on payday. (second cousin to that ever-important rule "Shop not ye for groceries on an emptye stomache". (Which rule, by the way, both JJ and I broke on Saturday... so I don't feel so bad.

And, really, if I did feel bad, all I have to do is go and stroke this for awhile:



Wishing you all a wonderful week! (and thanks for putting up with the longwinded blather if you've made it this far)

Kristina