Entrelac is getting hot!

Before going into the progress updates, just want to mention the latest issue of IK. There is a gorgeous entrelac knee socks pattern that you shouldn't miss. Will entrelac be a prominent trend in 2007?

A few more from the group have started the project and it seems that things are going pretty well. However, I did have a little bit of mishap during the weekend. I used the KnitPicks dpns as stitch holders for the idle stitches ... BIG MISTAKE! The needles are extremely slippery ... and I forgot to put the stopper back ... oops, several stitches slipped out and became unravelled. After some unsuccessful attempts to salvage the damage, I resolved to frog ... and you know how the rectangles and tiers are related to one another. I ended up having to frog 4 rectangles. But I still count myself lucky as I don't have to frog the whole thing! I have almost thrown the dpns into the trash bin ... now I am using bamboo dpns.

Alison hasn't made much progress on the stole ... but she's been busy finishing her second snowman vest (a wonderful fair isle project) and a tutorial on making polymar clay buttons on her blog. If you want to learn something new, go check out her post.

I was over-excited over the idea of vacation trips, others' vacation trips, that is ... hahaha ... Anita told me that she hasn't left for vacation yet! She has started and is trying to get the base triangles finished before leaving.

Anne M was frustrated when she switched out 2 of the rectangles and ended up having to frog. She was happy to report that everything has been fixed now.
She is also in love with the Zephyr she is using.

In Beth's own words, "all is going well, just like molasses". This is because she said that she was slow in seed stitch but she has finally got all the triangles done.

Colette is working really hard on another enormous lace project - the Unst Stole! So progress on FPS has slowed down a bit ... she is now on Tier 10. She has a plan ... to complete one tier a week among other knitting projects she is working on. Can you tell she is a multi-tasker?

Dawn has just completed her first tier and would have updates on her blog every other week. See if you can spot her FPS here:
Another multi-tasker!

Denise/CT just got home from a vacation in FL (Is everyone going on vacation here? *sigh*) So, her first priority right now is the laundry and groceries. Afterwards, she has a decision to make - a lace weight silk in a soft pink or a lace weight cashmere in a pale blue. Let us know if you have decided, Denise.

Dorothy enjoyed the knitting of a Debbie Bliss sweater so much that she had hardly worked on anything else.

Gail has found a way to keep track of her work: "make a photo copy of the layout diagram, take 4 different colors of highlighters or colored pencils. As you complete a square, color it in. The 4th color is the border triangles. This way I can see at a glance where I am and how far I've yet to go. It also makes it easier to see the diagonal set up of the different squares. I also colored in the diagrams below the chart of each leaf so I could see at a glance that green was fern, blue was birch and orange was lily of the valley." Sounds like a very useful tip ... and I am going to do that! :) Thanks for sharing, Gail!

Heather was very excited because she not just received everything she needed for the project (it's a birthday present from her husband, by the way. How sweet!), her swatch came out perfect and she was very happy with her choice of yarn. She is going to do garter stitch for the border. She is also planning to challenge herself by knitting through the charts instead of written instructions. Well, it's really not that difficult, Heather, and I'm sure you'll feel like so many others once you are used to it ... charts all the way!

Heidi has done some serious calculations before starting the project in order to get a size that's good for her. Instead of casting on 141 stitches, she did 96. This means fewer triangles and rectangles per tier ... would that translate into faster FO?

Janine couldn't resist the temptation of the stole anymore and started ... she has finished the seed stitch part and will be moving into the lace patterns. But for the moment, she has to put the stole down and come up with a hoodie for her 10-day old great nephew.

Janina is still waiting for her yarns. Her hands are not idle, though. She is working diligently on her introduction-to-lace project, the Swallowtail, and is half way through the bud lace pattern in the center of the shawl.

Katrina just got past the base triangles and started on the Birch lace. She had to frog the first attempt because she forgot to do the ssk at the end of the rows.