February 11, 2018
Bobbin lace projects
I started this scarf project last fall and just started this Downton lace project for a demo I am going to do at the Knitting Pipeline retreat. Can’t wait to tell knitters about bobbin lace. 
August 28, 2016
Shawl season is coming
So excited that cool weather is coming. Finally got this Pebble Beach Shawl by Helen Stewart blocked and ready to wear. I think the size is going to be very useful.
May 10, 2016
Simple summer shrug
I never thought a shrug would be something I could wear comfortably, but this time of year when I want to wear a cute top it is too cool to be sleeveless so a shrug is just the thing. This was a free pattern and I used CoBaSi Plus. The silk and bamboo with the cotton give it a great drape and it feels luscious. Now I think I want one in every color!
April 30, 2016
I dreamed about knitting last night…
I woke in the middle of the night, unable to sleep, and considered getting out of bed to knit. As soon as I realized the thought occurred to me , I was so happy. I’ve been going through some personal challenges in the last 6 months and have been unable to knit. When I could concentrate there seemed to be a disconnect between my head and my hands. For someone who always has a project in her hands this was very disconcerting. Yesterday I had a happy stop in my local yarn store and went to a friend’s house where I cast on for a new project. It’s a simple shrug to wear with a sleeveless summer dress , but it’s a lacy pattern and I love lace. it was this project that made me want to get out of bed and knit at 4 o’clock in the morning! I hope I’m back.
April 10, 2016
Sweater screw up
Finished the body and started the sleeves. Just for fun I thought I should pin the shoulder seems to check the armhole depth and realized I shaped the wrong side of the right front. At least I only have to rip back to the armhole but I was really glad to be done with the stitch pattern! It is a very nice design but I don’t find it intuitive or easy to memorize. Oh well, I like knitting and don’t mind doing more of it. At least that is what I tell myself!
This is the Banana Tree Cardigan.
March 16, 2016
Lace on the wall
I was looking for something to go on the wall with my framed lacemaking stamp when I thought of this piece of lace I made. It fit in the plastic frame perfectly with a piece of dark fabric behind it. I’m thrilled it isn’t lying in a drawer any more! It is ‘s Gravenmoerse lace from the bonnet I made for my sister.
October 3, 2015
Football season
Happily knitting lots of points on my #scoreboardkal scarf. This is my son’s senior year as a football player so I am knitting the season for his team – all in one scarf. The Pirate colors are blue and white so I knit one row for each point scored by Galena in blue and one row in white for each of their opponents’ points. The grey rows signify the breaks between games. When it is done I will join the end to the beginning and have an infinity scarf with all the scoring for the whole season. I hope to have lots more blue than white!
This morning I am sitting snugly in my warm camper knitting up last night’s scores. The sun is shining but it’s very windy outside so in a minute I’m going to go out and wander around the campground and see who is here this weekend.
August 24, 2015
IOLI Convention 2015 – Lace on the Prairie
This year’s convention of the International Organization of Lace was held in Coralville, Iowa and hosted locally by the Doris Southard Lace Guild, of which I am a member. I arrived on Sunday, July 26 as set up and events were beginning on Monday the 27th. The convention prior to ours was Anime Iowa, so everyone was dressed in lots of great costumes and people watching was fun while waiting for friends to arrive and our room to be available. The anime folks didn’t just let us take their pictures – they posed!
The IOLI convention has evening events, group meals, and tours but the main draws for me are the classes, the vendor room, and the lace exhibit. I chose to take a 12-hour class in the afternoons with Karen Bovard in Pearl Tatting. I’ve been looking for a jump start to my tatting and thought that learning this new technique would do it for me, and it did! Karen was an excellent teacher, very excited about her topic and encouraging. I don’t have a lot of my samples because most of them turned into bracelets for the nieces. We started a big project that I haven’t finished yet but am eager to get back to it. I will do another blog post about that project and an overview of pearl tatting.
I didn’t buy much in the vending room, but I decided that I would purchase one fun book that is not readily available from other sources. Since so many Japanese people respond to my pictures of tatting on Instagram I realized that tatting is big over there and they are publishing some gorgeous books. I pondered and am thrilled with the Japanese tatting book I chose to buy. I have already made a few of the bracelets from the book and started a necklace and the belt. The patterns are diagrammed and clear for an intermediate tatter who doesn’t read Japanese, like me.
I also purchased several threads for tatting and some for a bobbin lace scarf that I plan to start soon. I picked up a few bobbins, a brake for my roller pillow and a kit for a bobbin lace-covered neckace. Oh and a tiny latch hook for making sewings in tape lace. One thing not shown is the lovely nostepinne for winding yarn balls that I got from Al Frederickson. It’s already in my knitting bag.
Each meal and event had favors at the place settings. Thank you to all the groups who donated and made items for us.
I think there were approximately 250 people registered and attending. People traveled from all over the US and the world and if they hadn’t been to Iowa before I think they were pleasantly surprised. The Marriott staff were marvelous and bent over backward to make sure all our needs were met. So many of the attendees commented to me about how nice the staff was. And the volunteers made the whole thing run; some of our members had never attended a convention but they jumped in and helped and made it a great experience.
The week ended with our gala banquet and entertainment by a woman who gave an excellent and engaging program about hats. As soon as it was over I flew out of the hotel because my brother and his family were visiting from Connecticut and I was eager to spend time with them. He was there waiting to whisk me away, what a great guy!
August 22, 2015
Beautiful tatting thread
I promise to do a whole post about the IOLI convention and how it was amazing and inspiring. But that requires thought and this thread is all about the smile it gives me.
This was a sample spool of size 20 thread from Handy Hands. I am usually not one for highly variegated threads but I wound a little on my shuttle and immediately noticed the very short color changes. I got out my favorite Tatting with Visual Patterns by Mary Konior for a shuttle only motif and started working “Posy.” It works out that nearly every ring is a different color! How fun is that?
Diane's lace, knitting and other crafts 