New Design & Ktog

I'm revealing the Midnight Stole today. If you're a Lace Variety Club member you may want to look away if you don't want your surprise spoiled. Only the design, the yarn clourway is different.

This stole was started before we went to London and I got about 1/3 done before we went. while we were in London I got very little done so when we came home it was non-stop knitting to get it done. I'd hoped to have it done by Thursday last week so I could send the lace parcels out on Friday but that didn't happen and I finally blocked the stole at 11pm on Saturday and subsequently the lace club parcels are going out today and tomorrow. My printer is now playing up after printing off half the pattern copies. My printer doens't like hard work so needs a break and then will hopefully be okay again.

Pixie's test knit stole arrived on Friday (or was it Thursday) and looks gorgeous. It's a bit smaller than mine as she did fewer repeats of the main pattern and her tension is much firmer than mine. My tension is quite loose when I knit lace and the thinner the yarn the looser my tension seems to be. I've got some pictures of Pixie's stole but no proper ones of mine as I was out all day yesterday and my model has been at school all day and now it's raining so I can't get any photos done anyway. So this is what I've got to share:

And this is how sheer my version is:

This stole should really be photographed by a model wearing a beautiful evening gown. Unfortunatley Vanessa doesn't own evening wear. I can barely get her into a skirt.

Yesterday was a fantastic day. I went to Ktog in Bovey Tracey which was another fantastic success this year. Tutley Mutley and her workers did a fab job of putting on the show. There were stalls selling yarn from Spin A Yarn, Coldharbour Mill, Devon Fine Fibers, Clare Crompton (author of the Knitting Bible series) and Jane Sowerby (author of Victorian Lace Today) were there too. I got my copy of Victorian Lace Today signed by Jane who had the stall next to me. I managed to have a quick chat to Jane and she was lovely. She'd also brought lots of the shawls from the book and it was fab to see them in real life. I hsould have taken lots of photos but all I managed to take was a photo of my stall. I forgot to take any other photos.

There were a knitting cafe there too and some other stalls selling stuff and a display of various knitted items. gorgoeus jumpers, shawls and socks and one item that stood out for me was a knitted thong. Yes you read right, a knitted thong (or g-string). It looked gorgeous but who would ever wear one?!

There were felting and spinning workshops going on, and I taught a mini sock knitting workshop. I decided to teach a short row heel with mixed success. I had 4 ladies in my class, 3 I already knew from the knitting group and my workshops at Spin A Yarn. We had a great time and I think everyone learnt something. Not easy to teach a sock knitting workshop in less than 2 hours.

Now I've got lots of yarn from yesterday to tidy away. There will be some new yarn in the shop thisweek. If you fancy joining the Sockamania PLUS Merino Sock Club then hurry up as I'm sending out the parcels by Friday. There are also 3 extra skeins for the Lace Variety Club so if you sign up quick you might get in for this month.