So as to not turn this into the All Birch All The Time channel, as well as having to get some of the other projects done, I did work on other things, while finishing the first repeat of Birchy goodness. I’m pretty sure I blew something in one of the patterning rows early on but refuse to tink it. I can now read the lace pattern, even if it isn’t looking like some others at present. Cassie did help greatly in supplying a link to a chart. Woo! Thanks Cassie! I know there are others who would love to knit Birch but are put off by the cost of the pattern book and/or the yarn. I’m still hoping to find something in the Rowan issue other than Birch that I can knit because Rowan #34 isn’t cheap. There is available a pattern on the internet, Kiri, put together by another blogger based on Birch but worked from the tip up rather than the long edge down. It is far less daunting to cast on 3 stitches rather than 299. While the Kidsilk Haze is just dreamy, it is a tad expensive. I know that Jannette is selling a cheaper alternative to the Rowan: Plassard PICHENETTE Kid Mohair but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more.
Yes yes, it still is reading like a Birch lovefest, I promise, I’m moving on right now. To this:
I finished the first sleeve for Trellis last night. Here it is reclining on the lovely train seat this morning. A bit overcast today so no benefit of sunshine. Add sunshine and this blue yarn looks lilac. Freaky. You can see the two finished front pieces nicely attached at the shoulders to the back. Nice. The stitch holders are hanging onto the front band stitches for working the shawl collar. I read ahead and on the good side, I get to knit a strip 11 or so stitches wide. Yay. Then I can graft them together in the back. Not so bad. Then I can sew the whole works to the body. Ick. Oh well. The light at the end of the tunnel is indeed visible. I should have this little beastie done shortly. Oh no. Buttons. Sigh. Good thing the baby isn’t due until September. We all know how long it took to sew on Alex’s buttons 
Need more caffeine, oh and to make a mental note to pick up coffee. I used the last of my beans this morning. I can’t begin to imagine how horrible tomorrow morning would be without coffee.
I stopped in the hardware store this morning on my way to the office and picked up some tiny black rubber O-rings. The nice man gave me a funny look as he pulled out his box of O-rings. I found a bunch that fit my size 7 needles with room to spare and took 20 (well actually 21 and he threw one in as a bonus in case I counted badly). For $.10 a piece I have some fab new stitch markers.
Craft on.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Elaine // Jun 22, 2005 at 3:56 pm
Yup, O rings work well as do lots of other cool stuff in the hardware store. My local Home Depot guys find me quite ‘amusing’ on my searches for fibery things. Hardware stores are almost as much fun as bead stores.
2 Erin // Jun 22, 2005 at 4:02 pm
I can totally understand that you want to find more than one pattern out of those Rowan magazines. I’ve held off on buying some of those because I can only find one or two patterns I could ever see myself making!
3 Laurie // Jun 22, 2005 at 7:48 pm
I’m still balking at the one pattern for that much money schtick. I may cave, or I may try Kiri in something less fuzzy. We’ll see.
4 Kim // Jun 22, 2005 at 9:28 pm
I hate to be a follower, but I am hearing such nice things about birch, that I may just have to break down and give it a try.
Your yarn choice is lovely!
5 Deb // Jun 22, 2005 at 10:34 pm
Well, 34 DOES have the Elfin cardigan that sure is lovely!
6 Denise // Jun 25, 2005 at 4:47 pm
Coming out of lurkdom, I shouldn’t say anything, it might disapear before I get to order more. But, Little Knits Yarn has Kid Seta from Cascade for a very reasonable price. http://www.littleknits.com/products.php?cat=70
I hope I didn’t mess up your comments by trying to add a link. If I did, just smack me. Answered my question, would’nt let me post html. *S*
I haven’t bought a magazine in years because of the lack of patterns I would actually knit. I usually end using the patterns only as an example and coming up with my own.