UFO No More

I finished knitting this a long time ago, but only last week finished blocking and sewing in ends.  This is the Freya Shawl designed by Renate Haeckler, a free pattern on Ravelry HERE.

The pattern is for a 3/4 circle shaped shawl, but I did fewer repeats to make a half circle so my yarn would last for more rows.  I knitted until I ran out of yarn, but I don't remember how many rows short of completing the pattern I was.  It came out a good size though, about 28 inches deep after blocking to a lacy effect.

The yarn was hand spun by me on a drop spindle using some slightly variegated Romney roving, about 9 ounces.

Palmetto Fun 3

Here are some class projects from this year's Palmetto TatDays, earlier this month.

During regular class time, I had only one free period, and chose Karey's Pendant Necklace class, and even finished the project later that day.  I adapted it to make a lanyard.  My beads are small, but the only ones I could find locally that went with those rings I wanted to use.  I think I will remake those lower sections to match the rest.

Anyone who knows me well, knows it was greatly out of character for me to get out of bed early enough for the Early Bird Class.  But I greatly admired Karey's Leaping Lambie and wanted go give it a try.  Unfortunately, my brain was still asleep, so after numerous mistakes, I had to trash my in-class project. I made this one after I got home.  It's an interesting pattern, with an onion ring in the head, and roll tatting in the feet.  The pattern also appeared in the August issue of Tatting Times.

Another pattern I made after getting home was Erin's Flowery Crinoline Angel.  Isn't it pretty?  I added a halo.

One of the great things about Palmetto is that they make a pattern CD, so people who couldn't come (or could only be in one place at a time) can get the patterns so they can share the fun.  On the Palmetto site, they say this year's CD should be on sale soon, so check back HERE to find when it is available.

Palmetto Fun 2

A Palmetto tradition...  The famous poncho ugly has been passed on to a new owner.  Original owner Crazy Mom looks on.  How will they manage to move this on to another unsuspecting victim next time? Time will tell.

Palmetto Fun 1

Here I am at Palmetto TatDays, having fun with Sherry Celtic Dreamweaver.

And those Moseleys.

:)

Bee Happy

Look at this sweet card Sarah S. sent me.  The bee is my pattern, I'm not sure about the rest.  It made my day.

Update: the smiley face is the center of Jane's Sun pattern.  I thought it had a Jane-y look to it, but I unscuccessfully looked for it in the Emotitats.

The Big Day

The wedding party

The happy couple

Such a lovely girl

Mother of the groom

DH chilling out

The Sliding Picot Gauge -or- Conquering the Graduated Picot

I'm just home from Palmetto TatDays.  I had such a good time, but I'm really tired now. So more about Palmetto itself later.

Anyway, I tried out a new idea there, and it seemed to go over well, so I'll share it here too.  I love graduated picots, but they can be hard to get them the right size.  Sometimes I can eyeball them and they look OK, and sometimes they don't.  Sometimes I use a stairstep picot gauge, but sometimes, there aren't the right steps for the picots I need.  

So, I made up this little thing I call a "sliding gauge" and the idea is that you can make one yourself to fit your project.  If you know how many picots are in your set, and how tall the biggest one needs to be, you can draw one on heavy paper and cut it out.  You can read how to to do it.  Click on "Free Patterns" up at the top of the page, and then scroll down for the link to the instructions in a pdf file.

I used the gauge to make the little angel up at the beginning of this post.  It was one of the classes I taught at Palmetto.  You can get the pattern in my new book, A Flight of Angels, or you can get this year's Palmetto pattern CD which will probably be on sale to the public beginning sometime this fall.