Busy, Busy, Busy!!

So, over the last few weeks, I have actually done some sewing! I made 2 skirts and a simple jacket. Those reviews will be coming as soon as I can get them photographed. Anyway, I didn't do too much because I had a niece get married last weekend and had my house full! So, I started a knitting project from Wendy Knits Lace by Wendy D Johnson.

Now, it's been a few years since I took on any kind of yarn project. I did learn to knit as a teenager, my mom is very talented in this department, but I haven't done any since then. So, I picked a beginner project from the book- the "Lace Stripe Scarf".

It seemed like a pretty simple pattern, you only need to know a handful of stitches. Unfortunately, I only remembered the basic knit stitch, and while the book provides descriptions and drawings for the stitches, I still didn't get it, so off to the internet I went! I have to say that I love the internet! I found several sites and watched several videos to learn the stitches that I needed for this pattern. And when I find the slip of paper where I wrote down the sites I used the most, I will be happy to post them. Now the pattern calls for 2 skeins of Madelinetosh Tosh DK, 100% superwash Australian merino. I couldn't find any of that at my local Hobby Lobby, but what I did find was a beautiful yarn with sequins in the perfect color to match a top that I already have! It is Patons Lace Sequin in Aquamarine. Now this could be the reason my scarf looks nothing like the picture.

But I still like how it looks, so I plan to keep going. Of course, after I fell in love with the yarn and bought it, I reread the part of the book where it talks about yarn selection and says that anything over 20% acrylic does not do well for lace knitting because it does not block well. My yarn is 68% Acrylic. Oops! I promise that next time I may possibly get the actual yarn recommended so that my results look more like the picture. Or maybe not. That's just how I roll.