Blogless After all these years.....

It has been so easy to slide into a nonblogging state. DD borrowed my camera to take on a school trip to NYC. She has yet to give it back so I have no new photos. I have been knitting - just not blogging.

I am slammed at work. The third grant application in the last two months is due tomorrow. We are in fairly good shape to finish on time but it has been crazy at work. I have been so mentally exhausted when I finally got home I have not even turned my computer on - instead, I have been knitting.

Therein lies the next problem. I am not enjoying this knit, not at all. I have had to drop everything to do some monogamous knitting and I have been knitting like a fiend. The new project is Phoenix Rising Shawl designed by Sivia Harding. It is the first installment of Year of Lace. The yarn is silk laceweight dyed by Claudia of Claudia's Handpainted yarns. The color is called "Sivia's Hot Brick Orange".

I do not have a photo - remember, no camera.

However, the description is: The shawl grows from a few cast on stitches at the top into a triangle shape with a centre panel, which features a flame-like design with textured, elongated diamonds. Textured diamonds with wrapped tips emerge from the diagonals that wave down the body, and the shawl finishes with a beaded garter stitch eyelet border.

1. Knitters who began immediately reported problems with a great number of knots in the yarn. The shop owner has called the factory and is going to replace yarn. I wanted to wind the yarn to see how many knots I had in the yarn while the replacement offer still existed. There were 4 knots in my skein. Is that acceptable? Not really but it is better than most. I decided that I could live with the knots and began the knit.

2. The yarn is crocking. My hands are red after each knitting session. They recommend that we soak the yarn in vinegar. I don’t have the means to do that until after I have knit the shawl. The yarn has some white spots. I think this is probably from where the yarn was tied during the dyeing process.

3. Some so the knitters have completed their shawl and report that they are running out of yarn. Sooooo, I am knitting like a fiend. I have joked on my blog about how I sometimes think that if I knit quickly I can get there before the yarn runs out. Not this time. If I run out, I would rather do it this year when there is still some yarn available rather than next year when it is all gone.

The design of the shawl is adequate. The designer is well know. The yarn dyer also has a reputation but I am disappointed. I sure hope the next kit is more satisfactory.