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I have to admit that I was starting to get nervous with anticipation… and even more so after looking at some of my fellow blogger’s swatches. My yarn overs looked too big by comparison, though I liked the sea foam like quality, I worried they would produce a poor shawl.
After seeing the first clue, I was even more nervous. The charted pattern is gorgeous, but looks very complex, it doesn’t even fit on one page! I’m so glad I decided not to try and do the beads. 
Casting on was another matter: the pattern instructions are very clear and the charted pattern follows an internal logic. I think the yarn looks just fine (though it’s not properly blocked of course). Hats off to Melanie, so far so great!
The knit portion above only represents chart A (the bottom point) I still have 2/3rds of clue 1 left to knit)
It was a good weekend for knitting, despite having to spend nearly an hour trying to figure out why the MS3 webring button was messing up the configuration of the blog. After much webresearch, staring helplessly at html code and retracing my steps, I discovered that for some reason, the button has to be in the side bar on the right. This messed up my system a bit because, if you haven’t noticed, I have a "his" and "hers" thing going on with the sidebars and the sidebar on the right is "his". Nevertheless, the MS3 webring button wouldn’t have it any other way, so there it is: right below the smoldering silver. (BTW: we’ve recently posted some glass and silver jewelry on etsy, more to come in the next few weeks).
As a sort of warm up exercise to MS3 and a release from other stresses (besides the stubborn button), I’ve managed to make some good progresss in my Adara shawl. I’m much happier now that I started fresh with the simpler pattern (the horseshoe lace in the original center section). A lined straw tote from the dollar section of one of my favorite box stores has made this project delightfully portable. I think I’m going to put together a similar "kit" for the mystery shawl (ie. yarn, drawstring bag so as not soil the yarn, needles, stitch markers, pattern broken down on index cards, measuring tape, scissors etc.)
My mystery shawl gauge swatch, in Grignasco SilkMerino, natural. Size 3.25 mm needles.
Spinning Wheel and cotton at the Mission Espada in San Antonio. Maybe someday I’ll have a corner of my house that looks like this 🙂
Where has the last month gone? I couldn’t tell you, and for the most part I have been up to the same old mischeif. Casting on, *running into trouble, ripping back, reknitting, running into the same or other sorts of trouble. Deciding this needs more thought to resolve than I can give it right now. Setting the problem aside, casting on, repeat from* about 4 or 5 times. So what do I have to show for it my friends?
1.) I reknit my easy breazy raglan-T from the underarms down for a better fit and now it actually has curves. (Check out the earings from seeds picked up here and there on walks this Spring.) They bring me great joy. Also check out this interesting Herbalgram article on botanical jewelry if you are so inclined.
2.) I reknit the neckline to the pink variagated tank I knit for Frida earlier this Spring and wrote up the pattern for blackpurl (hence no pictures, you’ll have to wait for the summer issue).
3.) My "generous crocheted swatches" continue to languish, due to the fact that I did not think to measure fully blocked pieces and they are now all too big. Some artful draping reveals potential, but still… too big.
4.) In a burst of inspiration after elann.com’s debut of Adara and its rainbow colorway, I decided to finally knit Victorian Lace Shawl which I had long admired. Unforetunately I haven’t been able to get a hang of the pattern. I’ve reknit several sections as many as 3 times, knit blithly on through various errors, marveling at the beauty of the yarn and the overall pattern, which does somewhat resemble the original if you squint. I think its time to give up though, now that I’m halfway through. The yarn is so lovely but it obscures the fussyness of the pattern (in this case to my advantage) but I feel like I’m short changing them both and should just pick a simpler pattern. Perhaps the Camila Flower Pattern Shawl,which I have also long admired. I really do like knitting with this yarn so I won’t mind doing it all again.
And yet… before I can fix all these mistakes… I’ve been called to cast on again (yes, I truly am hopeless)…
Mystery Stole 3 is about to begin!
La Sirena 
