Lace-ilicious!

Groan. I know, worst blog post title ever. Blame it on the Saturday evening blahs, when I just can't come up with anything better.

I do have an FO to show!


Pattern: Asphodel Lace Coasters and Centerpiece from Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders
Yarn: Louet Gems Fingering weight, cream, 1 skein
Needles: 3.75mm Knit Picks Options

(I'm well proud of us that we still have Easter eggs left. That's not all that's left, either. I still haven't opened my Bunny & Sheep one)

Here's a close up:



I loved knitting this. The yarn is just delicious, it really does feel like butter. It even feels more buttery after washing & blocking. AND I have one more skein if it left! Yum! I have a feeling I'll be making the actual pattern place mats and coasters to match.
I think it turned out great. I modded the pattern to make it 7" wide and just knit till it was 56" long. Worked out perfectly, I had the barest smidge of the ball left.
The pattern wasn't that hard to follow, it's a 6 row repeat. It is lace on both sides; but to be honest it's not that hard. It reminds me a lot of this shawl (Ravlink) from Victorian Lace Today. I might be persuaded to give it a go after this!

For my next project, I think some socks may be in order. I never really count socks as projects, as I like to always have a pair on the go for waiting rooms, knit night etc. I was round in my parents today, and I managed to get Mam to pick a pattern, just for something to do with her. I was delighted she held her concentration long enough to go through the whole of the Interweave Favourite Socks book, and she decided she liked this one best. How could I not knit it when she picked it?



The pattern is Merino Lace Socks (Ravlink) and so far I'm leaning towards using the green Lang Jawoll sock yarn I got last week.

I also have some sooper seekrit knitting going on that I can't show you, so I've plenty to occupy me without admitting that the Ethereal top is lurking in the basket beside me, quietly weeping with neglect and loneliness.

I made a decision the other day, too. I'm not going to Knit Nation this year in London. Even though I had a ball last year and there are tons of brilliant Irish knitters going, I'm just not able to get excited about it. I think it's a combination of the situation with my parents, minding money in these tough times and the list of classes just isn't floating my knitty boat. I was really hoping Nancy Bush would have come back, I missed her classes last year and would definitely have gone over if she were on the list. That's not to say that the teachers that are there this year aren't good, the class topics just aren't exciting me. I think it's like the old break-up line, "It's not you, it's me". Maybe next time.

I great news, look what arrived yesterday!


Y'all know what this means... another review! Stay tuned, I hope to get the majority of it done tomorrow.

In other news, Dad ended up back in hospital last Monday, and didn't get out until Thursday. Typical, he got sick the day before I was due back in work. I ended up having to take the Tuesday off, and my brother came up for the other days as he'd finished his 4 day shift. So stressful. They still haven't found out what's causing his intestinal bleeding either, so I have a feeling I haven't seen the end of the hospital yet. Mam isn't so hot either, the disruption of Dad being gone was bad enough, but she now has an ulcer on her ankle that's quite bad. Her poor feet are in an awful state altogther. Between the ulcer and the pustular psoriasis she has, it's no wonder she can hardly walk. AND we have to wait until June for the dermatologist appointment. It was September, but I kicked up murder and got it brought forward. The health service in this country is a total shambles. I feel sorry for the people working in it, they must get awful abuse. By the time someone finally gets seen, they are so frustrated I bet they take it out on the nurses and doctors.
However, this is not the place for a rant against the Irish health service, so I'll leave it at that!

Good knitting!