I seem to have become obsessed with intricate lacework.  I’m also dealing with some severe insomnia.  This all works together to end up with me online reading all kinds of websites.  There are some really great patterns out there.  My favorite right now is http://www.yarnover.net   There are patterns from France, and Germany as well as some amazing patterns that have been translated from the Danish originals. 

 My Rona Lace shawl is on row 108 of 154.  Unfortunately, a 50″ or so shawl doesn’t photograph well on needles, and I don’t feel like taking the 450+ stitches off the needles and put them back after taking a picture, so it will just have to wait.  I keep playing with the katsara yarn, and I’m soooo tempted to do another circular shawl, but I think I’ll stick with the maple leave pattern from the Victorian lace book.  I’m also working on the “Egeblad” pattern from Yarnover.  I can’t seeem to find a translation for what the title anywhere, but I like the pattern :)   I’m really thinking I want more katsara or knitpicks yarn, so if anyone wants to be really really nice, feel free to send me a care package!!   I’m kidding, I’m sure I can find plenty of cheap yarn at walmart.  I also forgot I have that ball of lacey lamb… a burgundy doily would be purty too…  Anyway- enough randomness for tonight.  It’s just been a loooong crazy night.  Back to the insanity!

Oh- one more thing- one of my friends is having a baby girl- what should I make for an adorable little girl?  Any thoughts?  Any cute patterns?  I guess a lacework dress might be cute, but she might kill me too….  I dunno- what’dya think?

Our cat is entirely too crazy.  He loves playing with balloons- and he is a monster cat, so I made it difficult last night and had a shorter ribbon… he could still reach!

And here is my gorgeous birthday present:    (from katsara yarns)

A little blurry, but slower shutter speed shows the color a bit better…   yay!

For now, I’ve given up on the dragones shawl.  The two major reasons are that I can’t devote enough time to it so I keep getting lost.  Also, I don’t think the shadow yarn was the best pick.  I think I want to do it in a smoother yarn so that the pattern shows up better.  I started the Rona shawl from Knitpicks using the shadow yarn I won’t be using for the dragon, and I’m around row 60.  I just can’t wait to get this ribbing bit done, it’s a bit tedious, but I’ve only got two more rows.  I’m also doing a pattern from the victorian lacework book- I’ve seen it elsewhere as “Cat’s Eye Lace.”  It was just a good pattern for learning to read charts as well as learning to work with the knitted-on borders.  I’m still waiting for my hand-dyed yarn.  It shipped yesterday, so it should be here in the next few days- I can’t wait!  I may use that for the Dragones shawl or I may make something else- we’ll see how it strikes me when it gets here!

Well, I got christmas goodies- knitting books and supplies!   My most exciting knitting gift was the “Victorian Lace Today” book from my mother in law.  She’s so wonderful!   I also found a new source for hand dyed lace weight yarn- http://www.katsarayarns.com/    I have ordered some merino lace-weight yarn in the sonata colorway.  The price is wonderful for laceweight yarn, let alone the fact that the colors are just gorgeous.  I just want the yarn to be here!  It should get to me sometime next week, I’m guessing (and hoping!).  I’ve given up on the dragon shawl for now- I just don’t have the time to keep up with it, and I keep losing track of where I am.   I started the Rona Lace Shawl from Knitpicks, but I haven’t gotten far enough to have much to show off.  I’m also doing the “Fake Isle” hat from Magknits a few months ago just so I have a reason to use some Noro Kuryeon.  The colors are just so increadibly amazing.  I also used Noro Silk Garden for the pinwheel purse from the Modular Knits book.  There are some great ideas in that book!  I’m trying to decide what my next lacework project will be after Rona.  There are just so many choices in the Victorian lacework book.  Time will tell…