Forest Path Stole-A-Long

2008-07-01T19:08:00.002-05:00

Heather is getting to the final stage of her knitting. She is about to start the side borders! Yay!

I also spotted a gentleman working on the FPS ... find out who he is. :)

Wish you all a happy July 4th.

Surprise! Hot off the press!

2008-06-03T19:26:00.002-05:00

Rochelle has started on the FPS again:
She is now on Tier 5. Believe it or not, she said the knitting has become mindless since this is her 3rd attempt. I don't want to wait another month to report on her progress, so we have a second post in June! YAY!

2008-06-01T14:11:00.002-05:00

Summer is almost here and certainly somebody is still knitting. I have proof:
Micky has reached halfway in her stole ... and is striding onto the 13th tier. YAY!

Have a great time in June and I'll see you again in July. :)

2008-05-01T16:04:00.002-05:00

Only one piece of news for today, but it's very good news -- Heather got her much needed extra skeins of Campfire Heather. Now she is working through Tier 20! Congratulations, Heather. Also congrats on her becoming a Raveler. :)

2008-04-01T17:15:00.003-05:00

So it seems only a couple of you are still working on the FPS. I think this is a natural stage of any KAL. My thinking is as long as there is someone in the group working, I should keep the KAL blog open; however, it may make better sense to stop adding new members. So, if you have expressed interest in joining us lately, Debi and I sincerely thank you for the interest ... and the information and experiences we had shared in the blog would always be here to help.

Now, the latest update. I haven't received any news from Heather concerning the 3 skeins of yarns she needed to finish the project. Hopefully, all would work out alright.

Micky has made progress:

I always look forward to see Micky's progress ... as I am fascinated by the turn of colours. Actually, I am inspired to try using my last Opal Petticoat for an entrelac sock pattern again ... I think it would be great.

That's it for this month's update. See you in May. :D

2008-03-02T19:42:00.003-05:00

First and foremost, we have another finisher amongst us!
This is Polly's finished stole, blocked and tidily folded. Go and admire other pictures of her beautiful FPS here. Congratulations, Polly! Your stole is stunning! Would you consider a modelling shot? ;)

Heather will be starting Tier 19. There have been some twists and turns in her yarn-for-the-stole story. First she found that she was short. Then KnitPicks told her they still have her colourway in stock. When the package finally arrived, she discovered that the yarns were of a different colourway! So, please wish Heather good luck in her search of yarns to finish the project.

Last but not least, look at Micky's multi-coloured stole:
I think it's growing nicely.

It's been one year! (ETA)

2008-02-01T19:41:00.000-05:00

February 1st! Today is our KAL's one year anniversary! I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who participated in this KAL. Hosting a KAL was a new experience to me and I had the chance of meeting all you wonderful knitters who are also passionate for lace. :)

Back to this month's update. Not a lot is going on. Micky is still working and is on Tier 8. Just Me is on Tier 15. Lastly, Polly has picked up her black FPS again after a hiatus of 6 months.

Well, this project does take a lot of patience, so let's take the approach of one tier at a time ... gradually, it'll come along. Wish you all have great progess!

ETA:
I just read Heather's blog update. She is still working hard on the stole and is on Tier 17. However, she ran into quite a serious problem ... she might not have enough to finish the stole and the colour she is using has been discontinued by KnitPicks. Read more about it here to see if you can help her out. Thank you.

Almost at the one year mark....

2008-01-15T16:33:00.000-05:00

And things have slowed down considerably.

February 1 will mark the year anniversary of our FPS KAL.

Many beautiful stoles were completed, some are still plugging along, some have gone into permanent hibernation while still others will emerge from the frog pond in a different incarnation better suited to it's knitter.

Hopefully, whether we completed our stoles or not, we all had fun, met some new friends and learned a few new things - even if it's what not to knit :)

This is gonna be the last bimonthly update. From this point on, updates will be on the first of each month so those that are still knitting, the KAL will still be here for you! Our email links have been fixed so when you have updates just let Agnes or I know or post to your blog before the first of the month.

Our only update for this post if from Denise and she needs our advice!
Here's the update she sent to Agnes...

I did make some progress on the Forest Path Stole, in between Christmas gifts . I have put it aside for now as I'm concerned that the edge will be too tight. I did not block the stole first, but am thinking I need to. I don't feel the side panel has enough give to it to accommodate how much it will need to stretch. I have put in extra rows, but this does not seem to be helping. I find when I'm perplexed like this it is best to lay aside and revisit with a clear mind and eye at a later date, so that is where I am now. Does anyone have any advise on this? Did others share this concern?

I've attached a few links for you to view the progress.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/denisect/2149496913/in/photostream/

Happy New Year!!!
and Advise needed !!!

So that's it till February 1, hope everyone is enjoying 2008 so far!

can anyone give Denise a helping hand?

A New Year! A New Year!

2008-01-01T17:07:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year Everybody! This is the first post of 2008 and Debi and I would like to wish you all a productive and pleasurable knitting year to come!

Heather's lovely stole keeps on growing, one tier longer now:
Heather, aiming at finishing the stole before the one-year anniversary of joining the KAL is a great objective.

Tia would focus on taking care of her health at the moment, so the FPS would have to wait. Tia, we would all keep you in our thoughts and hoping to hear from you about your gorgeous 2-colour stole soon.

While some of you still feel the need of a break from the FPS, finishing it is actually one of Rebekah's resolutions for 2008. I wish you success, Rebekah.

Last of all, I have a little piece of unfortunate news. A while ago, my email address was hacked and now I do not have control over it anymore. Some of you have been keeping in touch with me through that email. I am sorry to tell you that please use the new one (the link on the sidebar) so that I can keep receiving news from you. Thank you.

The last update of the year....

2007-12-15T16:48:00.000-05:00

Heather is making some serious progress. Have a peek:

Heather's made it to tier 12, w00t! Of all the FPS, I love this orange one so much, I can't wait to see it finished...almost there Heather, knit on!!

Wow, our first bi-colored FPS is making an appearance thanks to Tia!

Look at how pretty...

So that's the last update for 2007....Happy Healthy Holidays and Happy New Year and see you 2008!!

Preparing for Christmas

2007-12-01T15:17:00.000-05:00

Stepping into the month of December, I think many of you are starting your gift projects, right? Heather sure is, so her FPS would be put into the backseat.

Though Polly is now in the ON HOLD group, she hasn't given up yet. While sorting out her WIPs, she has decided to keep her FPS ... which is currently at tier 17. That's great, Polly. Can't wait to see you finish off the remaining 6 tiers ... just 6, you sure can do it.

Believe it or not, we have another new member, Tia. She is from Oahu, Hawaii. She just casted on using Cascade Venezia Worsted in a brown colour (124) and Addi Lace Needle US6. It would be interesting to see the stole in a heavier yarn.

That's about it for today. Wish you all a wonderful weekend.

2007-11-01T10:40:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! How did the trick-or-Treating go last night? I hope everybody had fun. It's another new month and here comes the update.

::drum rolls:: I am proud to introduce Dorothy's pink FPS to you:Isn't that gorgeous? Great job, Dorothy!

So, who else is still knitting? Quite a few. This is Heather's at Tier 10:while Micky has started Tier 6:I keep thinking when finished, Micky's FPS would be like a rainbow hanging over the forest! :D Last but not the least, Leigha has made it to Tier 4 and the stole is starting to take shape.

That's about it for this round of update. Another update would be coming up on the 15th, so if you make any progress in your FPS, remember to post on your blogs or give Debi or me a shout. Happy Knitting.

Movement but not so much in the finishing direction!

2007-10-15T14:10:00.000-05:00

Another 2 weeks, another update so here we go...

Dorothy is making real progress! She's on her last 2 tiers and then just the border to go! YAY Dorothy! Now go see what knitting rock star our Dorothy has been hanging out with!

Carine Opal Polly and Wendy have been moved to "ON HOLD" status cause we haven't heard a peep about your progress in well over a month! No pressure ladies, work at your own pace, but Agnes and I decided if we hadn't gotten any updates in more than a month, we would change your status so we wouldn't keep bugging you for updates!

See ya in 2 weeks!

Are you still knitting?

2007-10-01T21:00:00.000-05:00

It has been quite some time since the KAL started, some of us have finished and some have discovered that the stole was not for them. Sometimes I feel that it is a legitimate question to ask, "Are you still knitting (on the FPS)?"

Well, I am happy to tell you that the answer is definitely positive! Without giving much detail, Carine let us know that she is still working on hers. We hope a photo is on its way!

Denise's FPS has grown to Tier 25. Yes, she added 4 more tiers to make it to her desired length. She should be working on the border now, which she decided to dropped the method in the pattern. Instead she would pick up stitches and knit the seed stitch. Let's see how that would turn out.

Busy gal Heather is making slow progress:Keep going, Heather, even if it is one row at a time. You are doing great.

Leigha has switched her project to the KnitPicks Harmony needles. It seems that she loves the wooden needles more:She is now at Tier 3.

Micky's multi-colored FPS never stops to amaze me with its color changes:Lovely, isn't it? Half way through Tier 5 already!

And of course, we have Dawn's FPS modeled shot this time:You can see more photos in her blog.

But of course, there are still some of you who are in a somewhat limbo, like Janina, who emailed me this:

"Hello, Agnes and everyone. Janina here, having recently picked up knitting needles after a busy summer. There has been knitting, honest. I finished a modular knitted stole, an Iris Schrier design, for my MIL. Now her shoulders can stay warm in the air conditioning.

I re-knit my first sock. I am up to the exciting heel turn part. The first time I knit this sock, it came out big enough for Sasquatch. It's looking more human-sized this time.

But the beauteous, the awe-inspiring, Forest Path Stole? Not even swatched. I could not explain my reluctance. I tune in for the updates on the KAL page. I revel in the progress reports and in the glorious Finished Photos. But beginning my own has a decidedly "meh" factor. I finally, after much stash-and-navel gazing, figured it out.

It's the yarn. It's not perfect. I have in my stash Cherry Tree Hill alpaca in Birches. Too many color changes, not enough yardage, and besides, that is slated for Kiri.
I have a large amount of Zephyr in Blueberry. A forest motif in denim blue doesn't seem right. I bought more Zephyr, in vanilla. A good plain, go-with-everything shade that will showcase the exquisite lace work. Utterly logical and reasonable choice, I had a hard time explaining to myself (after the package came in the mail) that it wasn't quite ....right.

I am a very emotional and intuitive person. When I think of the Forest Path, when I look at the motifs, the first thing I see is birch leaves against a blue spring sky. And then, lily of the valley, the shade of the new shoots deepened by shadows and earth. How can I find a yarn that perfectly expresses that? To further complicate things, green is a color I do not wear easily, and do not have much of it in my wardrobe. Yet, green it must be. Not too emerald, not new-leaf green, not yellow toned at all... only the perfect green will do. The stole is flatly refusing to even consider anything else.

I have googled and searched for so long, but I need help. I need the perfect color. A blue-toned green, perhaps a "near solid" type of hand paint? I greatly admire the JoJoLand Harmony that Mickey is using, and her nearly-solid green is so close, but ultimately too balanced green a green. If there were a yarn with a looong color change into a sky blue here and there, well that would be just IT, you know?

Does this yarn exist? I know working with a yarn artist is possible, but budget is an unfortunate shackle here. All comments gratefully accepted.

Janina in Canada, where it is getting cold enough to think of shawls on a daily basis"

Any thoughts and ideas to share?

P.S. I must apologize to Debi for not forwarding the updates to her last month since I was caught in my Mother-in-Law's visit ... I didn't even realize it was time for the update until she has left! :P

One is the lonliest number

2007-09-15T15:57:00.000-05:00

Cause our lone update is from Dawn!

Dawn has finally blocked her gorgeous FPS! Isn't it a beauty?

We're still waiting on a modeling shot! Come on Dawn, show us the glamor!!

Hopefully with the onset of fall, those unloved FPS of our other FPS-ers will jump back to the head of the queue and cross the FO finish line!

Til October, enjoy your Indian Summer and happy fall!

2007-09-01T14:02:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone. I think I'll save the small talk (which I am not very good at, BTW) and dive right into the updates, what do you say?

Dawn's FPS was off the needle! All she needs are some spare time and spare floor space for the blocking.

Denise has been spending some quality time with her FPS on the beach:She is getting really really close to finishing up with the border. Go, Denise, go!

Heather has the latest picture of her beautiful Campfire Heather FPS:
The colour changes in Micky's FPS still amazes me:She is starting Tier 4 now.

Wendy is determined not to start the FPS until after she has 2 UFOs finished, but she is planning to use Jade Sapphire Lacey Lamb in Champagne.

That's about it for this update. Now you can go and enjoy the sun and warmth while the day is still long. Wish you all a wonderful Labour Day Weekend.

Despite the heat, we have progress!

2007-08-15T13:38:00.000-05:00

Such dedicated FPS -ers!!

Dawn was *this close* to being finished in her August 3rd update, see....

She MUST be finished by now - come on girl, show us the FO!!!

She claims to be on tier 4 but Heather, we're a visual group here. We need pics!

Micky has been busy despite the heat!

She's made some progress on her lovely FPS

And she's making pretty squares and scrolls for future afghans to be!

Polly has been all about the baby knitting so she hasn't given her FPS any love BUT she's celebrating a blog birthday with a contest so go wish her a happy one!

That's it for August, see you in September!

Half-year Anniversay

2007-08-01T17:31:00.001-05:00

Six months ago, Debi and I started this KAL, thinking it would be fun to have a cozy little group to knit along. By its Half-Year Anniversay, 9 of us have finished this gorgeous stole and many of you are still working diligently on it. Although quite a number have given up or put the project on hold, knitting is not always about finishing ... more often, it is about exploring and self-discovering. So, even if you eventually found that despite its beauty, you didn't really enjoy the knitting ... or even hated working on it (like Laura), we are still happy that being in the KAL helps pushing you towards the realization.

To celebrate the KAL being half-year old, we have Lois's finished stole:It is waiting to be block ... but its beauty is already obvious. I think we are all eager to see it in its full glory, Lois.

After a long absence, Carine finally re-joined the group and she is working on Tier 6 right now.

Frequent flyer Denise is on Tier 17 ... getting really close!
Can you believe that Heather has to give up the beautiful white stole (11 tiers done) because her new dog loved this project so much that it chewed a big hole out of it ... despite the fact that she managed to salvage it from her kids, who, by the way, were ecstatic to find Mom's knitting out in the open? I think she definitely deserves a huge hug! ::group hug time:: And she has started the project A THIRD TIME!Isn't the KnitPicks Shadow in Campfire Heather beautiful? Heather, I pray that you would sail through without any hiccups this time.

Opal is planning to pick up her FPS again right after the Mystery Stole 3. She is on Tier 14 and naturally she doesn't want to give up.

Polly estimated that she had 50 UFOs ::gasp:: ... but the fact that she put her FPS on the top of her UFOs parade does tell us something ... I think she has the potential and the determination to finish it.

Last but not least, we have another new gal joining us. Wendy is working on Norah Gaughan's Vintage Pink Cardigan ... she is hoping to start her FPS after the sweater. We would love to hear from you soon, Wendy.

Now, champagne, everyone?

Has it been another month already?

2007-07-15T15:35:00.000-05:00

Why, yes it sure has and some FPS-ers have been quite busy!!

Dawn's feeling quite successful. She's made it to tier 19!!

Blogless Denise/CT is working hard! She's on tier 15! You may not have a blog but PLEASE keep sending us those pics Denise!

Even tho she's made it past tier 16 and it's gorgeous, Dorothy seems to be a bit distracted with killer sales and lots of other projects!

Katherine's been a busy woman and look how it's paid off.....She's FINISHED!! WOOT!

And doesn't it look lovely on her!

Heather's making tons of progress, she's on tier 9 and plans a November completion date!

Yooo Hoooo Laura??? Come in Laura!! We miss you!!

Wow! Lois is managing a tier a day and is already past tier 15!! Go Speed Knitter! Go!

Micky's got a healthy start and dontcha love how her yarn changes color with each lace unit? Plus she took some time out to make some way cool knitted toys, go have a peek!

Hey there Polly, your FPS seems to have gone the way of Laura's and not a nupp has been heard from in over a month!! Come back to us Polly, come back!!

Another beautiful stole completed, YAY!!! Regina has finished her beautiful buttery stole!!

She even got her adorable niece to model it.

And here's another finished FPS!! Rochelle finished a little bit ago but we finally get to see those glorious blocked shots!

She's a beauty Rochelle!!

Thus ends another month in our FPS saga.

See ya in August! :)

Some ends, some beginnings

2007-07-01T16:48:00.000-05:00

Hello everybody! I've been waiting to write this first update after the blog's little vacation. There have been quite some exciting developments. So, let's not waste time and go right in.

We have 4 more finishers added to the list:

Cheryl and her beautiful black stole

Gail loves her green FPS and thinks it's a good reason
to dine out in a good restaurant

Valerie looks elegant with her green stole

Rochelle, we are waiting to see your stole blocked and modelled in its full beauty. :D

They will be joined by Katherine and Regina very soon. Both are working on the finishing borders. Katherine sets her target finishing date before July 20 so that she can wear it to her new job.

And there are new members joining us too. Colleen started the project in May 2005 and felt that she can use some encouragement from us to help her knit along. She is using Suri Alpaca in soft gray and is on Tier 12 right now. Lois just joined us but she is already on Tier 15 (she can get 1 tier a day! Super Knitter!) ... well done, Lois! Keep knitting at this speed and we'll have to add you to the finisher list very soon: Micky is another new girl. She is using JoJoland Harmony variegated lace (HC05) with Clover bamboo needles in US#3. The variegated yarn is going to make the stole very interesting:
The rest of you are making progress at your own pace:
Barbara is on Tier 10 and is still finding the birch leaf and lily of the valley painful to work with.
Dawn reached Tier 19 and finally decided to knit to the full 23 tiers. Just 4 more, Dawn!Denise found herself ripping back 3 panels after attempting to knit on a red-eye flight. Despite this little setback, she is past Tier 13 now. Isn't her pink lace beautiful?Dorothy is knitting past Tier 16.
Heather is on Tier 9.Opal is having very slow progress but the stole is coming along beautifully:You should all go to Peggy's blog and read about her FPS evolving into the Diva in her house ... hilarious!

Cool Diva look!

Polly has reached Tier 17.

Finally, here is the link to the Forest Path Stole Flickr group. I have sent out invitations but some of you haven't responded yet ... but there is no hurry, just take your time. And if I missed you in the invitation, just send me or Debi your email address and we'll send one your way.

It's just exciting to see the bustling activities among you. So many of you are getting so close to having an FO ... keep the effort up. Remember, the new updates schedule will be 1st and 15th of every month. So, see you on the 15th.

New seasons, new beginnigs

2007-06-22T00:54:00.000-05:00

H fellow FPS-ers! Happy Summer! (or Winter for our friends in the southern hemisphere!)

Since it's a new season, Agnes and I have made some changes for our KAL that we hope will keep everyone interested and motivated!

Starting July 1 there will be TWO updates per month, one on the FIRST of each month and one on the FIFTEENTH of each month.

Agnes will do the first, I will do the fifteenth. Both updates will cover progress for the WHOLE GROUP but each group will still "report" to your assigned group leader for updates, problems, changes in status, ect.

In addition, if there has been no progress updates on your blog for one month, your status will be moved to the "on hold" list.

For those of you "on hold" please let us know when you plan to resume active progress but again, if we haven't heard from you in a month's time, we will assume you have resigned from the KAL.

There have been some stunning stoles completed and Agnes and I both felt that these changes will be beneficial to keep the momentum going.

So happy new beginnings and keep on knitting everyone!

The current status of the FPS KAL

2007-06-08T21:00:00.000-05:00

Hello fellow FPS Knit-a-longers!

Agnes and I have collected and compiled the current status of all our FPS participants in the following list:

FINISHED (you rock!!)
Agnes
Colette
Katrina
Rochelle
Valerie

ACTIVELY KNITTING (no matter how slowly!)
2trees
Barbara
Cheryl
Colleen
Dawn
Denise
Dorothy
Gail
Heather
Katherine
Laura
Lois (added 6/18)
Opal
Peggy
Polly
Regina

ON HOLD (hope is a wonderful thing, girls!)
Dallas
Jackie
Janina
Kimberly
Melanie
Nancy
Rebekah

RESIGNED FROM KNITTING THE FPS (AKA those who know when to fold 'em, heh)
Debi
Janine
Julia
Kris (added 6/17)
Leslie
Linda
Meg
Melissa #1 (Tia Knits)
Vicki

RESIGNED BY DEFAULT BECAUSE THEY WERE EITHER NEVER HEARD FROM OR NEVER POSTED AFTER FEBRUARY (even the Psychic Friends couldn't find this bunch!)
Alison
Amy
Anita
Ann
Anne M
Beth
Bonni
Carine
Deb
Heidi
Janette
Kathy
Leah
Lotte
Louann
Melissa #2 (Wooly Jumper)
Melissa #3 (Baggywrinkle)
Miriam
Morgan
Rosanna

If your name is missing or listed under the wrong status, please contact me or Agnes as soon as possible!

Once y'all *approve* of this final list, Agnes and I will divide up the remaining participants and let you know about the revised groups/update schedule!

Have a great weekend and don't forget, tomorrow (June 9) is WORLD WIDE KNIT IN PUBLIC DAY so get out there and show your sticks!!!

A Little Announcement

2007-05-30T12:30:00.000-05:00

Dear fellow knitalongers, this week's update will be interrupted for a little announcement. Debi and I had a little chit-chat and we agreed that now is the time for a little streamlining and re-organizing of the participants list.

We are planning to re-organize the participants into those who have finished (and give the link to the blog posts or photos), those who are still working on the project, and finally those who have decided to put the project on hold or decided the FPS is not for you (but wish to stay involved as our cheering squad). There are also a number of you from whom we haven't heard since the start of the KAL and/or there have been no updates or mention of your progress on the FPS on your blogs. We really would like to know what it is that you are planning to do so we can update accordingly.

So, except those who have finished, all of you please contact either Debi or I as to your plan for the FPS project by next week, Friday June 8.

Lastly, I have created a Flickr group for our KAL where you can send your photos. I will soon send out invitations to you all via your email addresses. To those of you in Debi's group, unfortunately she lost all your email addresses in her recent computer crash so she asks if you will all be kind enough to email HER with your current addresses. In addition, if any member has changed email addresses since February, please let your group leader know.

We hope the new arrangements will keep the group going strong and be more interesting and encouraging for everyone. YAY!

It's so quiet I can almost hear a pin drop!

2007-05-25T00:48:00.000-05:00

The update pickin's are mighty slim around these parts these days!!

No pics from Laura but she's made her peace with the nupp, in fact she actually kinda likes them!!! What's brought new happiness to her knit life? She learned to knit backwards!! WOOT! Go visit her blog for a cool video that will teach you too!

Valerie finished last week but we're still waiting on that modeled shot grrlfriend!

The only other posters who even *mentioned* the FPS are Opal, Rebekah, and me! We three have acknowledged our struggle to finish but we haven't given up the ghost yet! We'll see what next week brings!

So can you guys over in Agnes' group spare some of your enthusiasm for us? Please? :)

2007-05-22T21:00:00.000-05:00

Hiya! Time flies and boom! Memorial Day is around the corner! Scary, huh? Okay, so let's not waste time and start this week's update.

First, let's come and admire Katherine's beautiful long white stole:Exciting exciting ... Katherine told me it was about 150 cm long. I guess she is getting real close to the end, right? Well, Gail is another excited one ... she just has 2 more tiers to go. She promised to have a photo once it's done. Besides, there have been people expressing interest in her project and she would use hers as a sample for her class. :)

Denise is a frequent traveller. Before setting off to her son's graduation, she sent this in:She was having second thought about the yarn as the lace was not as well-defined as she wanted it to be. Luckily, she blocked the 5 tiers and was very happy with it ... so now she can continue happily with the project.

Though feeling a bit bored at the moment, Dorothy thought she may try to make it to the full 23 tiers. Right now she is on Tier 14:If you like large stole, make the full 23 tiers, Dorothy ... you won't regret it. I love my full length stole!

Due to various issues in her life, Heather has to put the FPS on hold. And let's all wish Kathy good luck with the 3rd time casting on.

This week's sole representative.....

2007-05-17T16:36:00.000-05:00

Only one member of our group (including me) had any updates this week.

Our sole update is from Valerie and what a fine representative she is cause she's FINISHED!!

Just LOOK at this beauty....

And the money shot...

Well done Valerie!! It's truly lovely!

And now for a bit of comic relief to make up for the skimpy update, have a gander at this little guy....

Do you think he uses mousse or gel for those ear tufts? :)

2007-05-15T19:13:00.000-05:00

It continues to be pretty quiet ... but hey, we have a fresh FO this week:This is Katrina wearing her second FPS. Isn't the pink stole gorgeous?

Cheryl and Dawn are getting closer to the end. Dawn has completed Tier 12 and finally decided to switch to bamboo circular needles ... which made the knitting a lot easier for her. She has also decided to make the full 23 tiers. Cheryl is on Tier 17. One advice from her is that one should try not to get too complacent with FPS, otherwise one would make "bonehead mistakes" ... you can read about her experience here.

Both Denise and Barbara are on Tier 4 now. But Barbara has loads of birthday gifts to make before May 23rd, so I guess she would have to put down the lace for a while. Denise is still having some hiccups with the Lily of the Valley pattern ... and the turbulance on the plane certainly didn't help! But hang on, Denise, hang on!

Before I call it a day for this week's update, please go over to Alison's ... she has just finished the beautiful Lace Skirt from the latest Vogue Knitting! I love that Regia Silk pink!

So quiet around here I can hear the tumbleweeds tumble!

2007-05-10T16:31:00.000-05:00

It's been a quiet week for updates in these parts!

I've been concentrating on some deadline gift knitting so again this week my FPS has gone untouched and unloved. I'm almost finished with my gifts so I *promise* to have an FPS update next week from Chez FKD!

Leslie has decided the time isn't right for her Forest Path Stole. She was just stressing too much and above all, knitting should be FUN! Leslie loves the pattern and her yarn is yummy so perhaps she'll come back to it someday...or not :)
Even tho she wont be knitting the FPS, she'll still be hanging with us to cheer us on!

Yay for Rebekah, she's our only progress reporter this week!! Look at her lovely gray stole....

Rebekah's made it to tier 5 and it's shaping up to be a beauty! Go Rebekah, go!

Have a great week and show your FPS some love!

2007-05-08T18:06:00.000-05:00

Sure the warm weather is here ... are your hands clammy? Mine certainly were yesterday ... the mercury hit 90F! So, it's the best time to put the wool down and work on some delicate lace. :)

And that was what Barbara did. She finally had her FPS started in Zephyr Aegean Blue ... this is a beautiful colour, isn't it?After making to Tier 3, she thought she finally overcome her fear of entrelac and start to enjoy the knitting.

After 63 hours, Cheryl completed 13 tiers and started to wonder if the stole would become too big if she made the whole 23 tiers. Well, I didn't take the measurements before the blocking, but my impression was that the blocking didn't enlarge the stole a lot ... Polly thought this might be due to the seed stitch borders which don't stretch as much.

Remember Colette was working on her own lace design? Well, Merilyn's stole was well and finished ... she has a special meaning for Colette ... go see her beauty and read about it.

Last but definitely not the least, Janine and her dancing daughter are taking part in Race for Life, a fund-raising run for cancer research in UK, on May 28. Would you be able to spare a hank of yarn's worth and sponsor her for this worthwhile cause? If so, please click here. Thank you very much.

Makin' up for lost time!

2007-05-03T11:17:00.000-05:00

Sorry I missed my last 2 updates (thanks for filling in Agnes!) Hopefully my computer will cooperate for this week's update so here goes....

No news here on the FKD front. My 5th tier completed FPS is in a time out. My one and only niece turns 18 as well as graduates from high school in mid June so I'm concentrating on knitting a few things for her. Once I'm done, I'll get back to my FPS because once I get in "the zone", I do enjoy knitting her and I know she'll be a beauty when she's done.

Altho there are still some things that drive her crazy, Laura's made her peace with her FPS and she's feeling the "not hate"! Look at her beautiful first 2 tiers....

And go read her funny post about her love/hate relationship with her stole!

Peggy's made it to tier 19 but ya gotta show us some pictures grrl!! We need the visuals!

Our resident green thumb gal, Polly has both a garden and an FPS that's growing like crazy! just have a look at this...

Her stunning black FPS has grown to tier 14 - almost there grrl, keep on growing!

Still waitin' on those pics you promised me Rebekah!!

Look at this green beauty....

Despite her busy theater schedule, Valerie has made a ton of progress! Look, she's made it to the border! It's stunning Valerie, can't wait to see the pre-Gala modeling shot!

Thus ends another update - you all are so inspiring! Have a great week everyone!

2007-05-01T20:41:00.000-05:00

Are you ready for some updates? Here you go:

A few of you were going on trips. Dorothy just returned from vacation and hopefully, she'll give us some updates on her blog soon. Denise is attending her sister's wedding in Florida ... we'll see how much she could have done on the plane. Despite being tricked by the "not-shown-on-the-chart" selvage stitches, she managed to make it to Tier 2 before leaving for Florida. Well done, well done, Denise. And this is the most exciting of all, though not really related to the FPS project ... Kathy is having a blast with knitters from all over the world on the Sea Socks Cruise. This morning I read her blog and found that the cruise stopped at San Francisco for the day! Oooooh ... I am so jealous! :D

Katrina has finished all the tiers and will embark on the borders ... which she wondered why took so long. Well, Katrina, it actually was a lot shorter than I first expected ... so, keep going ... I'm sure we'll see your FO soon.

Katherine is now on Tier 17 and she is determined to have 2 more done before next week's update. That's a reasonable goal, Katherine.

Heather found that she made a little calculating mistake. Instead of one-third, she is one-fourth done. Well, no matter how much, her stole is looking gorgeous:

I guess Cheryl is the most detailed among us ... she is keeping tab on the hours spent on the project! She has worked 31 hours on the stole and is on Tier 7 now.

2007-04-24T21:34:00.000-05:00

After some bummers in the course of choosing and getting the right yarn for the project, 2trees finally found what she needs in her stash! Now she is on her way through the base triangles:
Cheryl had a wonderful time meeting the Harlot in Bluegrass Festival of Book ... only that she was desperately in need of a sock project there! She did managed to have some knitting time for the stole on the car and is starting Tier 6.

Many of you are still working hard on the project: Dawn is on Tier 10; Katrina on Tier 13; Katherine Tier 16 and Heather is 1/3 of the way done. Very good job, ladies!

And save the most exciting news for last ... after finishing her FPS, Colette took up another challenging lace adventure - having her own design! So far, Merilyn's Stole is looking gorgeous and you should all go and have a look!

2007-04-20T11:58:00.000-05:00

After restraining her need to light her FPS on fire, Kris has made it to tier 3! Look at how pretty her stole is......

I think it's so interesting how Kris' yarn is making each lace unit a different color - totally cool, right? Well done Kris!

(Agnes took over from here due to technical problem happening again in chez FluffyKnitterDeb.)

Laura finished the borders and ventured into the lacy tiers, thinking doing 2 tiers before the weekly update would be a reasonable goal ... instead she found herself engaged in Nupp Wrestling, which she thought should be a new item in Olympic Sports:But the Lily of the Valley lace is soooo lovely!

Peggy is moving into the home stretch of Tier 16! 3 more and she would be doing the finishing border. Go and read about her opinion of Clover and Brittany needles in lace knitting.

Polly sets herself the goal of starting a sweater project when she reaches midway of FPS:She is now on Tier 7.

Rebekah has finally finished with her baby gifts knitting, for the time being at least, and is able to work on her FPS.

Valerie hasn't had too much time to knit, but she managed to get lots of new yarns and new book. Her FPS is looking gorgeous too:
Congratulations to all you ladies! All your works are looking great.

Good things come in two

2007-04-17T18:09:00.000-05:00

Hello everybody! I hope you all had an exciting weekend as I did! Before I tell you what the excitement was about, let's have a look at this week's updates.

New members keep coming in. This week, we welcome Katherine from New Zealand. She started the FPS project a couple of years ago and is taking her time working on it. Right now she is on Tier 14 ... 14! You are getting really close, Katherine ... keep going! She is using a pale blue mystery wool lace yarn she got from her LYS and she is very happy with it because it shows off the stitches very well:3.25mm metal is her choice of needles and she employs a small needle size when it comes to the nupps. Right now, she is aiming for the full 23 tiers.

Cheryl is having a take two on the project. In her own words, it is "sucking the life right out of her" ... go here to read about why ... and offer her some support.

Dawn is gradually progressing and she is now at Tier 9:
Colette finally got her FPS blocked ... and boy! the sage green is so suitable for this project:
Well, as the title suggested, good things come in two. There is one more completed stole this week:That's me! Yeah, I had been in an excited mood whole weekend because of it!

Well, that's it for this week. I hope the 2 FOs can serve as boosters to your knitting. :)

So much for a mega update :)

2007-04-12T12:17:00.000-05:00

Only two updates this week so I'll jump right in!

Meg has discovered the secret to make her FPS a more enjoyable knit - she's knitting backwards instead of turning each row! She's gotten to tier 5...

I love that beautiful eggplant color and your stole looks amazing Meg!!

"The Blob" as Peggy likes to refer to her FPS is coming along nicely!

She's on tier 13! Lucky woman :) She's a little worried about her stitch definition because of the fuzziness of the alpaca but let's all assure her of the miracle of blocking! No worries, Peggy, it will block out just fine!

Have a great week, knit lots and for those in the US, don't forget the dreaded tax man!! :)

2007-04-10T16:12:00.000-05:00

Hello again! Another week passed and here are this week's updates ... (and I have virtually run out of ideas for titles! hahaha ... )

Okay, it's a pretty slim report this week. First of all, I am done with the body of the stole and am marching into the border ... which is always a love-hate thing for me:The feeling of "so close, yet so far away" is killing, you know. But after finishing the Monkey socks, I would go back and finish it!

I just heard from Anne M, who has been busy with lots of baby knits for the 4 new family members. The stocking stitch made her long for the lace ... and now she is on Tier 8.

Denise is still extremely busy with the home remodeling project. But she is going back to Florida later this week, hoping that she can have some quality knitting time on the plane. Right now, she has just finished the top triangles:Don't be surprised if they don't look exactly like your top triangles because she used provisional cast on.

Finally, Heather is making steady progress of one tier a week ... she is on to Tier 6 now.

Slim pickin's this week

2007-04-05T18:08:00.000-05:00

Must be cause it's Passover or spring break, or Easter week, or the moon is in the seventh house, or....? but the update pickin's are might slim this week!

Slim, maybe but very impressive nonetheless. Just look at this beauty!

Regina has 12 tiers under her belt and isn't that cashmere just delicious?

Finally, I too have an update!

Here at Chez FKD after finishing up my Carnival Throw that had been languishing for more than a year, I've finally gotten back to my FPS! I'm just about to start tier 4 and I'm really enjoying the process.

That's all for this week, enjoy whatever holiday you celebrate or whatever house your moon is in! See ya next week with TONS of updates (that's a HINT ladies!)

Proudly marching into the 3rd month

2007-04-03T18:42:00.000-05:00

Yep ... no matter what stage you are in, feel proud because you are making something gorgeous! *grin*

Yet another new knitter joining ... let's welcome blogless Deb. She hasn't given me much detail about her plan yet, but I'll let you know once I get anything.

This past week has been bubbling with activities among us. Before leaving for vacation, Cheryl has a brief moment of being lost ... which side is the RS and which is the WS? Luckily, all were sorted out now. For those of you who haven't started yet, one way to avoid this confusion is to pin a tiny pin on the RS of the border as a reminder ... this is what I did.

Something exciting in chez Colette ... she has finished knitting the body of the stole! Woo hoo! Here is a close-up shot:You can see another shot of the whole stole on her blog. You are an inspiration, Colette!

Dawn is now on Tier 7. The light yarn on light needle is still a woe to her. Besides, she is considering whether to make 19 tiers or 21 tiers:
Denise is back from the gorgeous weather in Florida. She has just completed the base triangles ... this is a big leap because everyone would be eager to have these done so that they can jump into the beautiful lace! However, the FPS isn't the only big project on Denise's hands ... she is taking a 2-socks-on-2-circulars class and the huge project of remodelling her home! Good luck, Denise!

Heather is one crazy girl! Why? She is having 2 FPS on the needles ... AT THE SAME TIME! She is farther on the white one than the maple leaf one ... Tier 5. When she finishes the white one, there will be a happy lucky bride ... because this one is going to be a wedding gift.

Both Dorothy and Katrina are now halfway done. Katrina is hoping that the second half would go faster because she has memorized the patterns already. Don't worry, Katrina, that is exactly what is going to happen. ;)

Lastly, I have been pushing really hard on the stole too. Right now, I still have 3 more rectangles to go and then I would be done with the body and moving into the top triangles!I am really really loving this project!

WOW, lot's of news this week!!

2007-03-29T12:36:00.000-05:00

Laura's got a great beginning. See?

She's decided she wants to do only two lace patterns on her stole but can't decide which two! Any suggestions for Laura?

Leslie is still busy practicing her lace units but she has begun her border.....use that new camera and show us some pics Leslie!! Leslie was also kind enough to let everyone know that The Alpaca Yarn Company now has an errata page for the FPS and will send out the corrections to anyone who's purchased the pattern! Thanks for letting us know Leslie!

After a pretty difficult beginning, Melanie has made some decent progress!

She admits she's been distracted by some other knitting projects but now she's a knitter with a *plan* so we should all see lots more FPS from Melanie!

Nancy has finally cast on too! Look at her lovely blue alpaca...

This is Nancy's travel and summer project (brave girl!) so she should have lots more to show us soon! And if you want to see some brilliant color and beautiful pics go have a gander at her lovely garden and her stunning quilt!

Talk about a close call! Opal accidently pulled a DPN out of one of her Lily of the Valley lace units!!

Luckily, she was able to jump in and rescue the escaping stitches before disaster struck! Be careful Opal, that stole is too pretty to lose!

Our Regina's been a busy woman! Not only did she celebrate a birthday and was wined and dined by a handsome gent, she still found time for her FPS! Look...

Hope your birthday was as lovely as your FPS is! Happy Birthday Regina!

Rochelle has been a busy bee! Look at her progress.....

She's already up to tier 15 and it's a beauty! Wow, nice job Rochelle! Rochelle is pretty close to finishing but she is thinking of doing less tiers because she feels the stole will be too big as written - is anyone else having the same thoughts?

Valerie too is finding her stole is coming out quite big! She's in the middle of tier 18 and she's thinking of stopping at tier 19 for a length that works for her. Her stole is just stunning....

at any length!

Can't wait to see it stretched out a bit and I know you're thrilled to be *this close* to the finish line!

Whew, my group has been very busy this week! Keep up the good work ladies, y'all all are my inspiration! See ya next week!

Spring is a fickle lady

2007-03-27T17:21:00.000-05:00

... at least in this part of the country where I live. Last week it was all sun and shine, then it rained yesterday and today windy and cool. But perhaps we all have a spring lady in us ... flying from one project to another ... :) The update this week would be short. But first of all, let's welcome another new comer ... Cheryl of Diva Knitting. She would be using yarns from Alpaca Yarn Company ... details to be decided.

Anita is having a good start with the project:While you are reading this, I think she is well into Tier 4. Oh, she told me she was getting really good at knitting backwards. ;)

Dawn had a struggling moment choosing between FPS and Persian Poppy Waist Coat, a colourwork project. For this round, lace lost to colourwork. But I am sure she would pick up the stole very soon.

Heather found that she was progressing much better in her second attempt of the project. She is now halfway through Tier 4.

I put down the stole for a week to finish a pair of socks. Now that the socks are done, I am all ready for my lace again.

See you next week!

Is it Spring Fever?

2007-03-22T15:55:00.000-05:00

Seems like everyone in Knitbloglandia is having a busy, busy Spring cause only TWO members of my group have updates this week!!

But oh what updates they are!

Opal has finally started her FPS and she's totally in love with it! She's using Zephyr in a stunning bottle green....Look at this beauty!

She's already past tier 4! Go, Opal, go!

Polly has another beautiful example of a black FPS cause Polly's using black Zephyr just like Agnes.

She's already on tier 2 and her knitting looks lovely but she still thinks the Lily of the Valley pattern is the enemy, hehe!

Everybody else seems to be knitting but either not the on the FPS, no pics or they haven't posted on their blogs in a while. I hope everyone is still enjoying the FPS and let's hope we can have some more updates for next week!

Have a great week and don't let the Spring Fever get ya!

No, I haven't lost my internet access

2007-03-21T23:05:00.000-05:00

... and my computers are working fine. Only that the husband suddenly had a back pain yesterday afternoon, the usual time I have for posting, and decided to work from home. The laptop he used for work is, unfortunately, where I stored the updates! Really sorry about the delay. So, let's jump right into this week's update, shall we?

How about starting with moi this week? I devoted the whole week to knitting the stole last week and made significant progress:I am pretty excited, you know ... from Tier 12 to Tier 16! I just have about one third to go before the border, which I anticipate to be rather boring! :D

I know someone else was extremely excited the last week too. Guess who?Heather restarted the project using a cream/vanilla yarn and we can all see the beautiful lace patterns even without any "hand blocking"! She has close-up shots of each pattern on her blog. If I am reading her correctly, she is planning to make TWO Forest Path Stoles! Woo!

So, remember Denise who is on vacation in Florida with 5 kids? She is still having her sanity intact ... hehehe ... But can you believe it? She brought along the cone of yarn and the pattern with her! We'll see how she was doing after St. Patrick's Day.

Despite some frogging due to inattention due to familiarity with the pattern, Dorothy made it to Tier 10. Look at this pretty pink lady:The element of monotony does set in with such a big project. This is also why I would put the project down for a while once I made good progress. This way, when I pick it up again, I kind of having to get familiar with the patterns again.

Janine is already on Tier 3:Do you like how her modified version turns out? I think it is neat!

Kathy came to a realization at 10pm one night that she was not knitting the stole in the right colour! So, the green version was in the frog pond and she would be making a cream-coloured one ... the perfect colour for a masterpiece lace. I hope we would have a chance to see the new project soon.

Katrina is 1/3 of the way:From time to time, she needs to move on to something less brain intensive ... exactly how I feel!

I haven't heard from Janina for a week and it turned out she has lost her internet connection. During this time, she has done some "soul searching" concerning lace knitting. She conceded that having more than one lace project on the needles is something too much for her as a beginner lace knitter. She decided to focus her attention on the Swallowtail Shawl and put a delay on FPS. One very important thing as a knitter is learn to listen to that "little voice" within us. Let's wish her good luck with her Swallowtail Shawl ... which she wants to wear in June.

So, that's all about it for this week. I would try to be punctual next week! ;)

Ennui reigns in blogland but not here!

2007-03-15T17:21:00.000-05:00

Except of course for me! Nothing much to show from yours truly, I've just started tier 3 and it looks pretty much like my last pic so I'll spare you the excitement :)

Opal's finally started but no pics - poor Opal, it's a dark day in ~~Paradise~~ Hawaii so no pics for us yet! She is doing well tho cause she's already on her third tier too! Can't wait to see some pics next week!!

Smart Peggy has found a way to make her FPS knitting less painful! It's working cause she's on tier 5! For those of you having difficulties following the charts, go pay Peggy a visit, I highly recommend her solution!

There are finally flowers in Polly's part of the UK!! No it's not an early spring, she's started her FPS! She's using pretty zephyr in black.

I know you're praying for uncharacteristically sunny days in England so you can see your FPS Polly!

Our newest "team" member Regina, has made a great showing, just look at her lovely stole.

She's using yummy cashmere in a colorway called Lemongrass and she's already on tier 3. Way to go, Regina!

Here's Rochelle's stole from a few weeks ago

She's even further along now, she's started tier 11!

Thus ends this week's installment of As the Lace Knits!

Since there is so much green yarn around here we all must be *honorary* Irish so Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! May the Zephyr rise to meet you and your needle tips master every nupp! :)

It's been quiet lately

2007-03-13T11:22:00.000-05:00

Another week, ladies! It has been quite a quiet week mostly because, I think, for those of us who have started, we've gotten into our own rhythm and kept knitting along; while for those who haven't even started, well, just remember to give me and Debi a shout if you do so that the group can cheer for you. :)

First of all, let me introduce another new member to the group. Blogless Amy is going to use Zephyr in Basil for the project. She is feeling excited about this project not only because it is gorgeous, but also it is her first project using laceweight yarns. She has made a Charlotte's Web Shawl using Koigu. I think you'll just need some time to get used to the laceweight, afterwards, it would just be like knitting any other weight yarns, Amy. Perhaps the best to get the hang of laceweight yarn is to swatch ... this way you can get to know what needles you like best too. Welcome to the fun, Amy!

Dawn found that she just couldn't work in the evening because the colour of the yarn is too close to that of the needles. So, she can only work every other weekend. But she is already onto Tier 5:

After reading last week's Tuesday update, Denise wondered if the calling for 2 different sizes of needles was once again the result of the difference between the magazine pattern and the individual pattern. Anyone knows? She hasn't started her stole yet as she is now enjoying a 10-day spring break in Florida ... with 5 college-aged kids!!!!! (One exclamation mark for each kid ... hahaha ...) She would be doing some needle hunting there too.

Poor Heather! After finishing Tier 4 and some hand blocking, she finally decided that the lace patterns won't pop out with the stripy colourway. So, all those efforts in the last 4 weeks were now put into the frog pond. {{{HUGS}}} She is now waiting for the new yarn in the Campfire colourway to arrive.

I think all of us have our own nemesis in lace patterns. For many, the lily of the valley lace is the first on the list because of the nupps. But for Janine, it is the birch leaf lace ... for some mysterious reason, she just couldn't get the decreases to line up correctly. So, she kicked it out of her stole and just knits the fern and lily of the valley. Interestingly enough, I don't like the birch leaf pattern either ... but not so much as to completely abandon it. :)

Kathy has returned and is about to start Tier One! Yay!

After messing around with other projects for a week, I finally returned to my black stole and am moving onto Tier 12. Since I bet you won't see the difference between a photo showing the stole at Tier 10 and one showing Tier 12, I spare you that one! I would be working on it mainly the following 2 weeks and hope to get more done.

Despite Gateway's best efforts, I'm back :)

2007-03-08T20:12:00.000-05:00

And I'm here with lots of updates and progress pics!

Kris was having serious nupp issues until she discovered the *perfect* needle, and right in her own online store stock too! Viva le Inox Gray and viva Sonny and Shear! It should be much smoother sailing for Kris from now on!

If you want to read a great post about the love/hate feelings that the FPS elicits, go give Meg a read....she's made it to tier 2 and has some wonderful opinions to share.

After a rocky start with a pattern rife with errata, Melanie has finally ironed out all her issues and she and her FPS have fallen back in love! She's gotten thru her first tier and she's rocking the knit this time around! Look....

Have a gander at the yummy green Melissa is using for her FPS!

Her yarn is delicious but she's having a bit of angst over how long term a project the FPS is....does anyone else have any suggestions for keeping the project "fresh and new"? I suggested managing 2 tiers a week would get the stole done in about 3 months and for me, that's very do-able....anyone else have others tips to add?

Opal's finally finished her Hidcote shawl and it's stunning! Can the FPS be far behind? I wonder what yarn she'll choose, she seems to be a real Zephyr fan!

Looks like Peggy got those needles cause she's already on tier #4. Here's a pic from tier #3....
She's another one with that ole love/hate thing going on....she's worried all the shawl "irregularities" wont disappear when the stole is blocked. Let's all reassure her about the *magic* of blocking when it comes to lace!

We have a new member to our group.....go meet Regina! She's still waiting on her yarn to arrive but her pattern has made it's appearance (make sure to read about all the problems in the posts here to save yourself some serious angst grrlfriend!) She sure does have some pretty knitting on her blog so go make her welcome and say hello!

Even tho it looks like an unrecognizable blob, Valerie has made it to tier 13!!! WOO HOO Valerie, well done!

Can't wait to see that *blob* after a good blocking!

And last but not least, your fearless group leader, aka me! finally has some progress shots and a yarn that's a keeper (thank all things holy!) Have a peek:

It's Jaggerspun Zephyr in Juniper which is a lovely bluish green that reminds me of blue spruce Christmas trees! I love knitting with the zephyr and the color is just perfect!

Sorry for missing the update last week but things seem to be back to "useable" again so keep your fingers crossed for me!

Have a lovely, knitterly week everyone, see ya next Thursday!

Sorry I'm late!

2007-03-06T19:55:00.000-05:00

Well well well, ladies, I am so sorry that I am a little bit late today with this week's update. But here you are!

First, Denise is in need of advice about the right needles:

"Can anyone recommend a circular needle in a bamboo (or wood), with a smooth join, in a size 2 needle. I'm finding I need a size 2 for the lace weight silk I'm using. I also need a bamboo because the yarn is so slippery and I'm such a loose knitter. I'm using Crystal Palace Bamboo right now, but the join keeps catching the stitches. I looked into the Bryspun but they don't come small enough."

Any thought? Any experience to share? Please feel free to give Denise your advice in your comment, or you can send me a mail and I can give you her email so that you can talk directly. Thanks for the help in advance.

Then another lady in my group needs some advice. Janina has recovered but since the hubby was having a week-long break from work, she was still too busy to do any knitting. She finally received her vanilla Zephyr (it's about time, I'd say) and she thought this "plain jane" colour would be best for showcasing the lace patterns. Very true ... though I think vanilla is "lovely jane" ... hahaha ... Okay, she has a question concerning needle size:
"I see that the pattern calls for different size needles -one for the seed stitch border and one size up for the lace. Has anyone done this, or chose to use one size for everything? Swatch, I must swatch to see what the difference is."
Honestly, I didn't notice the pattern called for different needle size ... but this is just normal for me who is always absent-minded. Again, feel free to throw in your opinions for Janina.

There are quite some setbacks among us this past week. Here 2trees thought that her multi-coloured yarn was good with the border and base triangles, but not so much with the lace panels:
So, she is going to frog this and start over with a solid colour which won't compete with the lace. The poor girl frogged 2 lace projects in one week!

Then Beth is still struggling with the unmatched number of stitches. With the advice of other knitters in her lace knitters group, she decided to start from square one ... with swatching and washing the swatch.

Janine is taking matters into her own hands. She doesn't like the pattern the way it is because it is just too busy for her. So, she is going to make great changes to the pattern so that she would get a stole that would suit her physique. This is what she has in mind:Turquoise will be the fern pattern, yellow will be the lily of the valley pattern and the grey will be as per the original - seed stitch. I think it is a pretty clever way to get something less complicated but retaining the spirit of the design.

Colette was having some knitter ADD and found it hard to concentrate on anything ... but she is now on Tier 15! Think where she would be when she gets rid of her ADD?

Besides having dyeing fun with her kids, Heather has been making steady progress. She is onto Tier 4:
Lovely, isn't it? I think the lace patterns would get more outstanding when the stole is blocked.

Katrina has made it to Tier 4:
*whispering* Go check out the car she bought the past weekend ... it's a mercedes benz!

For me, I haven't knitted a stitch on the stole the past week ... I was suddenly bitten by the Clapotis bug and just had to finish the impromptu project! I think I'll get back to the lace soon.

Technical Problem

2007-03-01T14:00:00.000-05:00

If you are waiting to read updates on Debi's group, I'm sorry to tell you that it's not going to happen today. Her computers are both down and she has no internet access ... most probably for a few days. So, please go on with your knitting and check back next week. Wish you all a wonderful weekend ahead.

Here is a little something to motivate you ...

2007-02-28T18:44:00.000-05:00

I am really sorry that I totally forgot this when I post yesterday. If you need a bit of motivation or incentive booster, go visit Rina's post here. She just completed her FPS ... and that's looooveleeeee! Since she used needles in a very large size, her stole is really large ... but beautiful all the same!

Some sad news, some good news

2007-02-27T14:17:00.001-05:00

Yet another week went by. I have some good news and some sad news to deliver this week. Let's start with the sad news. With too many things going on, Julia sadly decided that working on the stole would just be too much for her. It is indeed not easy with a baby in the coming. But I do hope she would be able to pick up the project again ... no matter when. :)

Then, Janina has not been feeling too well, so not much knitting was done. Besides, the poor soul is still waiting for her Zephyr to arrive! Let's all send some good karma her way!

Now, some exciting news. Quite a few of us have made some progress. But before we get to that, I'd like to introduce Colette's new blog to you. It is still very new, but she has already put up photos of some of her beautiful knits ... wonderful projects indeed. Besides, she is now halfway through Tier 10:

Alison has been very excited about her first toe-up sock. I love knitting socks toe-up too, BTW. She has not ignored her FPS, though:

Anne M has been out of town for a week and has just returned. She is now ready to start on Tier 5. Photo will come when she gets more done.

Beth found it very hard to concentrate on the lace knitting when 2 little kids and one big kid were always around trying to talk to her! So her progress has been slow:
She is still having problem with the matching number of stitches. One tip from my experience, Beth, is that I always count that there are 20 live stitches to be matched before starting a new rectangle. I hope this help.

Dawn thought that she would be lucky if she could get a tier or two done in a week:
But as you can see, she has already completed Tier 3! As you get more done, you will also be more and more familiar with the lace patterns ... and you will get faster too!

Dorothy is now at Tier 6:

Finally, Heather was extremely excited over completing Tier 2, despite interferences from innocent cats and kids:
I think her multi-coloured yarn knitted up surprisingly well. Way to go, Heather.

Ooops, I almost forgot to add in my progress:
I managed to finish Tier 10 over the weekend. I am now at the stage when I can remember the 3 lace patterns by heart ... so things are going well ... and yes, I still have all the selvedge edges on the wrong side! :D

Another week, another tier?

2007-02-22T12:40:00.000-05:00

So how's everyone doing this week? Seems like things are pretty quiet around Knitbloglandia so I'll just get on with this weeks update!

Don't most knitters have a stash of needles similar to their yarn stashes? Not at
Meg's house! She has one needle with TWO laceweight shawls clamoring for equal time!! Now that's frugal Meg! You had better finish that Clapotis soon or we're gonna have to have a fundraiser for your poor FPS!!

Valerie has had some sad news but she's keeping her hands busy with her FPS to comfort her. She's already on tier 9!

Finally Laura's got a meager beginning because her needles finally arrived but more importantly she's got a stunning new sweater that she's not 100% happy with...go see if we knitters can lend her a helpful suggestion or two!

Opal has a "one shawl at a time" rule but her resolve to stick with Hidcote is getting harder and harder.....come on girl, finish that Hidcote, your FPS is calling!

Kris has her FPS in time out - nupp issues, dontcha know? But she's headed out to her knitting group tonight where hopefully she'll get some nupp support!

After all of Melanie's troubles last week, she too has but her FPS in a time out while she knits pretty socks and a pretty sweater to "keep her sanity". Go take a peek!

I'm still recouperating from my juvenile FPS's untimely demise but the good news is I've chosen a new yarn (third time's the charm, right?) and I'll be debuting it soon. It's green, it's "safe" and it's lovely so things can only get better from now on!

Have a great week everyone and let's see some progress pics next week!!

Someone stole my time!

2007-02-20T11:30:00.000-05:00

Hello everybody! Can you believe it? It's another week already! I start to believe somebody is stealing my time behind my back, otherwise, where has it gone? How about you?

In the past week, we had much of the pattern errata woes resolved ... I hope! It's a good thing actually ... the sooner we discover these suckers, the better. Hopefully, we can all sail through our knitting from now on.

Last week, Anita sent me an email saying that she was confused about the instructions for picking up stitches. To answer her question, I read more closely into the pattern ... and voila! that's when I discovered how a big inattentive nitwit I am! I have been reading the instructions the way I thought they were ... not exactly what they are!

First, to clarify Anita's confusion:
For odd-numbered tiers (the knitting from right side to left) - pick up the stitches on the RS, insert needle from back to front, wrap the yarn around needle as if to purl
For even-numbered tiers (the knitting from left side to right) - pick up the stitches on the WS, insert needle from front to back, wrap the yarn around needle as if the knit

In both cases, you'll have the selvedge edge appearing on the RS of the stole, serving as the divider between the lace panels. This is where my nitwit part comes in ... I did exactly the opposite as instructed so all my selvedge edges are now on the WS! Thanks to Debi, I now know I have been doing a totally different thing! On examining my mass of lace, I thought that the difference between the selvedge edge on the RS or the WS is not that significant ... at least to me. So, I am not going to start all over again.

Now, let's see how the others are doing.

Alison was annoyed by turning the piece after knitting just a few stitches ... and who isn't, actually? So she put up a really really cool tutorial on knitting seed stitch backward. Go check it out and see if it helps you.

Anita should be on her vacation trip now. She sent me a photo to show how she organizes her lace charts and progress chart ... really cool. That handy red thing was a plastic folder she got from a past meeting. Instead of a pad of writing paper, she slid a magnetic board and it became the coolest chart reading board you can hope for:
Beth experienced a brief moment of panic when there were 7 stitches left waiting to be picked up on the left side needle ... and then discovered that she hadn't come to the end of the lace pattern yet! Still 14 more rows to go ... so the numbers added up. Isn't this a familiar scene to you?

Dawn's knitting lamp was broken thus making it really hard for her to knit with the teeny tiny cobweb lace. But don't worry, she has lots of other projects going on which are not cobweb weight. :)

Denise/CT has been playing with her silk lace weight from Colourmart. She will decide if this is the yarn she wants to use for the stole after the swatch dry out. Besides busy finishing her Hanna Falkenberg Diva jacket, she will also be busy entertaining guest this week, so it seems not much would be done on the stole.

Dorothy has progressed to Tier 4:She was happy to report that she now had the hang of the knitting ... but that didn't mean no frogging was happening. That's words of wisdom, Dorothy! I just happen to learn that just one slip of attention for a few seconds would mean frogging action following! hahaha ...

Gail is on the 18th tier! 18! WOW! She would also like to share with us that instead of using stitch holders or dpns to hold the idle live stitches, she uses pieces of waste yarns. This way, there is no sticks or needles getting in the way of the knitting and no danger of stoppers getting loose.

After much fiddling and frogging and starting again, Heather finally got her base triangles done and kept them safe from the kids and cats! Hide them well, Heather! She seemed to be struggling a bit with the lace patterns, especially the nupps. But that's the way it is ... you'll get better and better along the way. I'm sure you'll still be young and beautiful when you get to wear the stole, Heather!

Janine has finished her Kiri and now has time to focus on the FPS.

Janina is still waiting for her Zephyr to arrive. But when working on her Swallowtail shawl, she suffered some serious doubts of her own knitting because she thought the stitches were just too wonky. Then one package in the mail changed everything! She received her Bryspun circular needles. Test-driving the new tools, she immediately noticed how the right needles changed her knitting life:
"The stitches were even, and with the scoop tip there wasn't a fight to maniuplate the decrease manuevors. The join isn't perfect, but it isn't half bad, either. And the cord-- oh the cord! It doesn't twist, it doesn't kink, it just stays pleasantly put in a smooth, flexible, agreeable circle. The larger cord diameter keeps the stitches more in shape. I like these needles!"

How about the rest of you? Are you knitting with the right needles?

You gotta know when to hold em, know when to fold em

2007-02-15T00:45:00.000-05:00

Hello FPS-ers!

Here we are at week two and it seems some of us have made progress, some of us have made decisions and some of us seem to have dropped off the face of the earth, or at least don't seem to have the FPS on their radar at all.

Here's where you can read about my own personal heartache :)

Now Polly is a dedicated knitter and completely committed to knitting an FPS! She's so dedicated in fact she flew all the way from England to New York to pick up her yarn! Just kidding, she's in NY visiting with family but she did order her yarn while there so she's hoping it arrives before her return to the UK!

Look at Valerie's stunning Basil Zephyr stole!

She's already past tier #5, must be her ingenious way of keeping track of her progress that makes her so productive!

Peggy was all set to begin when she discovered she had the wrong needles! Luckily her wonderful hubby took her to a new LYS where she found not only the right needles but some cool new sock yarn too! She started the shawl and has worked the border and the base triangles but she didn't have her camera! Don't ya know we love the pics, Peggy?

Go give Leslie a big hug! She's hurt her wrists and can't knit right now but hopefully some rest will get her right back in the game! Feel better soon Leslie!

After a few pretty amusing false starts, Kris is now the mistress of her knitting! Look at her lovely beginnings...

Keep up the good work Kris. I knew you could do it!

Melissa has sadly decided the FPS isn't for her. It's a smart knitter who recognizes when her knitting isn't making her happy! We'll miss our Melissa but she's agreed to stay on as our official cheerleader! YAY!

Melissa has discovered cobweb lace isn't her cup of tea. She's ditched her first go and has now set her sights on a truly scrumptious yarn that will make her knitting much more enjoyable. Good for you, grrlfriend!

Finally we hear from Rochelle and isn't she a tricky one? She's knitting her FPS from LINEN!

You are a brave and bold knitter, Rochelle, that linen can be quite fractious but I'm sure you'll tame it for a fabulous stole!

Sure seems like that sage-y, basil color is a popular one around here!

So there you have it for another week....the stoles all look wonderful, the companionship a real morale booster, especially when things aren't going *exactly* as planned!

Have a wonderful week and just keep knitting!

2007-02-14T23:30:00.000-05:00

Hiya group-

This was a correspondance that took place between Melanie and myself tonight. She asked me to post it to see if anyone else was having the same difficulties and to prevent anyone that hasn't started yet from having them....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here ya go Melanie! I'm gonna go post this too so we can get additional feedback from the group!

HI Debbie, It's DEBI actually :)
First off I am so sorry that you had to frog your shawl. How heartbreaking! But, I think you will be happier in the long run. thanks for your support!! A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!
Second, I am having difficulty with the pattern. I bought mine individually from the Alpaca Yarn Co..and I think it has some errata. Did you check the alpaca site for errata, you might also send them an email if it's not posted!
For example, on the last row of the lower border it has an additional (K6;K2tog) twice. I know that is a mistake because that would require 16 extra stitches totalling 157 stitches..and there are only 141 stitches for the row.

So now, I am working on the bottom triangles. The first triangle has you start on a WS row. On the WS rows you slip 1 wyf, purl, purl 2 togs, and do the M1's. On the RS rows, you slip wyb, knit (or moss stitch.), and thats it.
Ok, so now I am on the 2nd triangle and this is what the pattern says to do.

Row 1 (RS) Sl1 wyb; m1 (2 sts for the 2nd triange; 20 sts are left for 1st triangle) turn.
Row 2: Sl1 wyf; p2tog (2 sts): turn. Ok as far as I can see your pattern is wrong! for the base triangles ALL odd rows should be on the WS and you start each triangle on the WS!!

Ok that part is clear..I am guessing that my m1's will now be on the right side rows, and now my decreases will be k2 tog instead of purl 2 tog..or are the decreases still on the WS of the work?? YES, the decreases (p2 tog) will all be on the WS

But then after these 2 rows of instructions, this is what the pattern says.

"Work as the first triangle starting with Row 3 until you have 21 sts on the needle and proceed to next triangle."

So..according to what I just did (see pattern above) row 3 should now be a RS row..but if I follow the first triange instructions row 3 looks like this: No, your pattern is wrong, ALL ODD ROWS WILL START ON THE WS!

Row 3:Sl1 wyf; m1; p2tog (3 sts) turn

and then row 4: Sl1 wyb; k2; turn

The above 2 rows are correct according to my pattern but again row 3 should be a WS row

See? my RS/WS rows are switched...and I am decreasing on the RS (and into the first triangle).

I am not sure what to do..I have done a smidgen of entrelac before, but this is a little "chewey" for me.

I am wondering if you or anyone else in the KAL has noticed this (has the single pattern) and know how to fix it? Or maybe could explain how to do it correctly? It's very odd, beacuse others are using the pattern from the Alpaca company yet I haven't heard of this error before. Vicki did note the discrepancy with the border like you so maybe some patterns have been corrected and some not?

Could you maybe post this? I would have but I cannot..=( I will after I send it back to you!

I am now worried that there will be more errata in my pattern. I have barely gotten started and have already found 2 mistakes. GRRRR!

Thanks! =)
Melanie

P.S. there is also a possibility that maybe the pattern is correct here..and I am a big dodo head..but I am quite confused no matter what! =) You're not the dodo, don't worry :)

Hope this helps!!! Debi

Any comments? Anyone else having any difficulties? Jump in ladies! Thx!!

Entrelac is getting hot!

2007-02-13T11:25:00.000-05:00

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.

We're a week in already!

2007-02-08T01:20:00.000-05:00

We've survived the first week! Just kidding....at least for most of us, the neverending seed stitch is past or to quote Meg "what a slog!" Hee!

So where are my girlz at?

Yours Truly has, like many of us, "slogged" thru the seed stitch and is about to start tier 1. Does it count as extra sloggy if you're knitting with ultra slippery pure silk? I think so! :)

Laura hasn't started yet but she does have a much bigger surprise - she's a new grandma!! Go congratulate Oma La!

Our Meg is quite the lace maven! Not only has she gotten thru the border and triangles in her gorgeous Merlot Misty Alpaca, she's simultaneously begun a beautiful wine colored lace Butterfly camisole. Of course it's summer in Meg's part of the world so the more lace, the better!

Another lover of the green, Melanie says her Inox circ and stunning Emerald yarn are making her a happy knitter!

I think Melissa is dreaming of spring, cause she's knitting a beautiful Rose before she walks down the Forest Path.

Three times is the charm for Melissa ! Look at this stunning first tier! And in her own handspun too!

Nancy's waiting for her yarn to arrive...I can't wait to see the silk/alpaca blend in teal she plans to use. So, no FPS for Nancy yet but if you want to see an amazing quilt and a "real" Forest Path, go pay her a visit!

Opal just finished a stunning Shaped Triangle and has a Hidcote on the needles but her FPS has yet to make it's debut.

Her FPS on hold for a bit, Rebekah is using her time to help a friend and fellow knitter out - go visit her blog and see how knitters can bring a man to tears!

Valerie must be a speed knitter! She designed and knit a cool pair of socks celebrating Mardi Gras and is beginning her first tier in her lovely green yarn! That's a lot of knitting in a week, girl!

Vicki is having some computer issues but has cast on and will keep in touch as much as she can!

Haven't heard a peep out of blogless Lotte, Miriam, or Roseanna. Come on girls, show us what ya got!

Don't forget to check and add to the comments here for info or questions and have fun visiting with your fellow FPS-ers!

Have a great week, knit lots and I'll see you next Thursday!!

What tier are you on? (ETA)

2007-02-06T10:45:00.000-05:00

ETA:
Since Heather had problems logging into her Blogger account, she would like me to thank everyone who shared their experiences with her.
My reponse to Janina's question: I didn't do the rectangles on dpns ... I just put each set onto one dpn for the sake of taking the photo. I actually put ALL the idle stitches onto one stitch holder (made from a dpn) and then do the knitting on circulars. I know some people just used one circulars for holding the idle stitches as well as knitting at the same time. :)

Okay, we got loads of updates from you ladies this past week. But before reporting on that, I'd like to recruit some help for our newest member, Heather, "Do you think that casting on using a size bigger needle gives a loose enough cast on for this shawl? I haven't done lace before, so I started knitty's "Branching Out" and after 6 tries to cast on loosely, I gave up and used a size 8 needle to cast on and am knitting with a size 7. It seems that edge is plenty loose, but not sure about the FPS." Any thoughts to share?

Beth has just finished a gorgeous weaving project, which you should all go and check it out, and she is working on the border of the stole.

Anita did a Lily of the Valley swatch with her alpaca silk blend from Webs:
I think the nupps came out well. But Anita won't be able to start the project any time soon since she would be going on vacation and the coned yarn is not ideal for packing away.

Anne M just told me this morning that she decided to use Zephyr in creamy white, though she was strongly tempted to get the lettuce Suri Alpaca. She is now in the middle of the triangle rows and can't wait to get into the actual lace patterns (who isn't?).

Dawn felt the lighter lace yarn (2300yds per 150g) was a bit scary but I think she has been doing very well. She got past the triangles and did the first rectangle here:

Dorothy experienced the "got it" moment and is heading towards the end of the first tier:
That baby pink is just lovely! She is using the KnitPicks Options needles and, like the Classic Circulars, they are just the perfect tool for nupp knitting.

Janina finally decided on using Zephyr in vanilla instead of the Artisan Lace, which she would save for the Swallowtail Shawl from the Interweave Knits of Fall 2006. She is awaiting the yarn and some Bryspun circulars to arrive.

And now, you should all hop over to Janine's and admire her latest FO, the sexy shrug ... which I have been drooling over since I saw hers. She is going to use a luxurious merino/cashmere/viscose blend in a cool silver grey colour. I can't wait to see Janine knitting up this lovely yarn.

Heather is very excited about starting the project and she is going to use KnitPicks Shimmer in Maple Leaf colourway.

For me, I spent four days working solely on the stole ... with the most knitting done during the weekend. I am now done with the second tier:
Since I found the KnitPicks circulars to be my ideal needles, I put all the idle live stitches on a holder and did the major knitting with the circulars. I think I would alternate knitting the stole with the Sashiko Jacket ... 1 tier of the stole, then 50 rows of the jacket, something like that.

Nice work from everyone! And I can't wait to read Debi's updates on the other half of the group. For those of you who can't start right now, don't worry or feel bad ... there is no need to! It's a long time project and there is always time to catch up.

Looking towards the future....

2007-02-03T01:22:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone is enjoying working on their Forest Path Stoles!

It's so nice to see the diversity of choices everyone has made for themselves yet it's more than cool to know that almost 50 (woot!) knitters from around the globe are working on the very same project at the very same time....the miracle of the Internet and proof of how small our world really is!

Yikes, all the Nyquil has me waxing poetic :)

Agnes and I have an announcement for the future. Because the FPS is a rather long term project we thought it would make things easier to posts updates with a schedule.

Starting next week, Agnes will post updates for her group every Tuesday and I will post updates for my group every Thursday.

This will enable each group to anticipate our updates and post to your blogs/and or contact your hostess accordingly. Plus there will be enough activity on this blog to keep everyone's interest without any pressure to meet "deadlines" of posting daily.

So I hope everyone has a great weekend full of even stitches and smooth needles! See ya next Tuesday!

PS - thanks for all the well - wishes, I plan on nothing but sleep, tea, chicken soup and Nyquil all weekend, with maybe a stitch or two thrown in!

Neither rain nor snow nor sickness.......

2007-02-01T23:10:00.000-05:00

Could keep me from posting our FPS beginnings! Good thing is still have my sense of humor from my deathbed. :)

Ok enough hyperbole, let's get to the good stuff!

Valerie has chosen her yarn, swatched and finally the perfect needles have arrived but she’s busy designing a sock right now and she’s torn between sock design and FPS! Which will win?

Laura’s chosen her beautiful yarn but the needles on hand leave something to be desired so she's off to the LYS for new ones and will be starting soon.

Rebekah is super organized and ready to rock and roll! Look she’s even got a cute little container for her pretty gray yarn!

Peggy originally started in 2002 when the pattern came out but she wasn’t thrilled with her progress…..she’s frogged her first attempt and she’s ready to try again with a lot more experience under her belt!

Leslie has her yarn and has gotten gauge to perfection but she’s not really happy with her needles. She feels she’ll be happier with bamboo but she does love her yarn! Show us what that pretty Lettuce alpaca looks like grrlfriend!

Linda’s using some stunning pink alpaca called Rosebud, perfect for February, the month of love!

Poor contaminated Kris She’s swatched with her gorgeous autumn colored yarn but her little girl is sick which makes seed stitch on tiny needles next to impossible! Feel better soon AG, and stay healthy Kris!

Melissa got an early start but realized that she doesn’t have enough yarn. She's planning on a smaller shawl to accommodate the yarn she has and will make a shawl that will be more wearable for her!

Melissa had a bit of a hairy start but she's calm and collected once again! We know you can do it Melissa!

A great beginning ladies, I can't wait to see everyone's progress shots!

Let's get started! (New info added)

2007-02-01T11:06:00.000-05:00

ETA: Ann is trying to finish a hand quilting project (WOW!) right now, so she won't be able to start right away. She is going to use Zephyr in white.

Gail started the project 5 months ago and now has 5 more tiers to go. She is using basil green Zephyr in cone, so the project is limited to be a home project. I think she has been doing something we are all going to do: "This pattern is so beautiful and I just drool whenever I spread out my progress and look at the stole thus far."

So it seems Zephyr is the one most favourite yarn among us. I think it would just be spectacular when we put the photos of our stoles, all in various colours, together! So, Happy knitting and wonderful weekend, everyone. :)

After such long waiting, the KAL finally and officially started. I started after midnight last night ... well, kind of ... as a gesture, you know. I casted on and knitted 3 rows of seed stitch border and decided that it was time to go to bed. But I know that some of you have made much more progress than me already.

Alison is using an alpaca silk blend from Webs in forest green. She started the project back in July 2006 and it soon became an UFO. To prepare for the KAL, she dug the project out and here it is:
It is lovely, Alison ... keep the needles working!

Anita is also using an alpaca silk blend from Webs but in creamy white.

Barbara is going to use Zephyr either in jade green or aegean blue ... both are gorgeous colours.

Carine joined the KAL for moral support while she is already on Tier 5 of the stole ... I think we can all give her some cheers on this. She is using KnitPicks Alpaca Clouds in a creamy white colour.

Colette has been impatient and started already (we can all understand that, Colette!) and is now on Tier 7! Wow! Impressive progress:
She is using Zephyr in jade and KnitPicks Options needles. She found the sharp points of the needles make the nupps a breeze ... that's good news to me.

Dallas is still in the process of deciding on the yarn ... a process she told me she enjoyed ... good for you, Dallas.

Dawn has made a swatch using a heavy lace in blue from Colourmart UK:
But then she bought another cone of thinner lace from the same seller in a lighter blue ... which one is she going to use?

Dorothy is using Zephyr in Ladyslipper, a pretty pink/rose color. Actually she started a day before and is now on the base triangles. For those of you who are not sure if you understand the pattern, here is what Dorothy has to say, "I'm on the base triangles and it's
making perfect sense. Just have to follow the directions!"

Heidi is using a 50/50 silk/merino blend called Solsilke in natural colour, but she is considering to dye the yarn into purple or burgundy.

Janette will be using Zephyr in white. She has also kindly given me a good tip in knitting with black lace - keeping a white towel on the lap to provide contrast! What an intelligent trick ... thanks, Janette.

Janina is waiting for a back order of Artisan Lace by Margaret Stowe (lovely!) before she can start.

Julia is using Briggs & Little 1 ply wool in washed white.

Katrina is going to use KnitPicks Alpaca Clouds in peppermint pink for her second stole.

Finally, our other hostess, Debi, is feeling a little bit under the weather today and she may not be able to start. Let's all wish her a quick recovery!

People Search

2007-01-30T19:04:00.000-05:00

2 more days and we can start! It really took me enormous self-control not to start before Feb 1! My KnitPicks dpns have arrived ... the points are sharp but they are really heavy! I am wondering if I should use bamboo needles instead.

As Debi has stated in the last post, the members are being split into 2 groups for the convenience of managing. Among those who are in my group, a number of you don't have a blog and I would like to have at least a way of contacting you. So, the following ladies, if you read this, please send me a message giving me your contacting email address:

Ann
Dallas
Gail
Janina

Thank you very much.

Less than a week to go....

2007-01-29T13:00:00.000-05:00

Hi fellow FPS-er!!

The moment of truth is fast approaching and there's a flurry of activity among us!
Some are making final decisions about what yarn to use (me included!) some are asking the age old questions....metal or bamboo? What needle size gives the nicest fabric and shows off the lace to it's best advantage?

Lots of swatching is going on and lots of itchy fingers are eager to get started....in fact some have already given in!!

To make things easier once we get started Agnes and I have decided to split up the participants into two groups.

Agnes' Group:

2trees Agnes Alison Anita Ann Barbara Beth Bonni LHWB Knits Carine Colette Dallas Dawn Denise/CT Dorothy Gail Heidi Janette Janina Janine Julia Kathy Katrina Kimberly

Debi's Group:

Debi Kris Laura Leah Leslie Linda Lotte Louann Meg Melanie Melissa Melissa Miriam Morgen Nancy Opal Peggy Polly Rebekah Rochelle Roseanna Valerie Vicki

These groups are to make posting of pictures and progress reports easier so if you have any updates and/or pics, just email them to your group leader and we will post/link for you!

We have 46 participants scattered across the US as well as in Europe and Austraila! It's so exciting that knitting is knitting no matter where you do it and it's something we can all share across miles and oceans!

Let the final countdown begin and don't forget to visit your fellow FPS-ers and say hello!

Are you ready?

2007-01-22T11:14:00.000-05:00

Has the pattern arrived? Got the errata marked on the magazine? Decided on the right needles? Wound the yarn into cake? Cleared up some of the WIPs? So, you are all set?

I am working furiously on one WIP ... the husband's sweater ... so that I can start the KAL with one less project piling in the basket.

If you are going to swatch, it would be best to swatch the Lily of the Valley pattern to try out the wonderful tips Debi gave us on nupps, just to see which one you like most. To add to those, you can read this from Amelia:

"My method for working the nupps was as follows: K into front, back, front, back of stitch. Return all 4 sts to L needle. K 2 tog twice. Lift the first of these sts over the second and off R needle. Nupp complete. The attentive among you may note that this creates a four- rather than five-stitch nupp, but this is easy to work and not, I believe, to the detriment of the appearance."

Last but not least, I present to you Katrina with her first Forest Path Stole on her wedding day:
Yes, you read it right. This is her first and she has actually joined us to make a second one! That's how much she loves this pattern.

Nupps...the bane of the Laceknitter's existance :)

2007-01-21T15:48:00.000-05:00

Howdy fellow FPS-ers!

Is everyone excited about our rapidly approaching Feb. 1 start date? I know I am!!

I know I've referred to the lace patterns used in the FPS as "easy lace" and they really are in but there is one little detail that can bring even a seasoned laceknitter to her knees.....

THE NUPP!!!!

The nupp is that little bobble that is traditional in shetland and estonian lace knitting patterns and is how the "flowers" of the Lily of the Valley pattern are formed.

Nupps, altho beautiful, can be a major headache for the laceknitter to execute!

I've knit a nupp or 100 in my time and here are my tips for nupps that won't make your eyes bleed or tear the hair from your head!

1 - Make the nupp stitches very LOOSE !! This makes for a better looking nupp

2 - The way the pattern has you make the nupp (k1 tbl, yo, k1 tbl, yo, k1 tbl in the same stitch) makes the stitch so tight it's impossible to get your needle into them when you have to purl all five of them all together on the return row. This is because the yo's have no "base" and just tighten up on the needle! My solution is to substitute k1, p1, k1, p1, k1 in the same stitch. The purls give the nupp some stability and I find it much easier to purl 5 together on the next row - and it looks just a beautiful as "traditional" nupps with no major anguish or eye bleeding involved!

3 - Another option is to knit the nupp as written (k1 tbl, yo, k1 tbl, yo, k1 tbl) but instead of the p5tog on the next row you slip 4 stitches, K1 and pass the 4 over. this works well but I find it a bit sloppy looking.....your mileage may vary!

I hope these pointers are helpful.

Now we have over 40 participants, how about sharing where's everyone's at - who's swatching, who's chosen their yarn, what needles is everyone using, any tips y'all would like to share?

One last note, has everyone heard Addi is coming out with a pointier version specifically for laceknitters? Thoughts anyone? Beuller? :)

Here are the files

2007-01-18T17:10:00.000-05:00

Hello ladies (so far all of us here are ladies. But of course, if there are gentlemen interested in joining, you are most welcome ... just give Debi or I an email.), as Debi mentioned in the last post, I did obtain some files relating to the FPS pattern, thanks to Kimberly who knitted the stole in 13 weeks (that sounds fast to me ... anyone dare to break her record?) to wear at her daughter's wedding. Perhaps having an actual occasion you want to wear the stole may motivate you more, don't you think? I may have a wedding to attend in August ... Anyway, I have uploaded the files to a sharing site and here are the links:

Birch Leaves
Fern
Right side triangle
FPS Tiers Spreadsheet

Just click on the various links and you'll be taken to the pages where you can download the files. When I downloaded the files from Kimberly's email, Yahoo! checked them for viruses and they are clean. If you are worried, you can check the files you download from the site using your own anti-virus software.

Kimberly has also kindly shared her experiences of knitting the project:
"This is a very long shawl when completed. My friend was contemplating making it shorter as she is several inches shorter than me. In the end she made it the same length as mine. If you want the length shorter don't knit as many tiers.
After I completed the border and started working the 'blocks' I found it difficult to have all those stitches on the long needle after the first couple of tiers. I put each completed block on a stitch holder and worked each pattern with a double pointed needle, leaving the other stitches on holders until I needed to work it.
As for the cast on make sure it is VERY LOOSE. This comes into play when you block the shawl. My friend's cast on was not as loose as her bind off and it made it a little difficult to get the shape even when I blocked it. Once I had knitted the beginning border, I stretched the cast on edge to see if it became larger than my knitting. I tried several cast on's - long tail, back loop, etc and settled on what I call a knitted cast on."

She also gave us tips about blocking the stole, but I think I'll leave that for later ... after all, we haven't even started, right?

Have you visited the blogs of other fellow Stole-Alongers? I put all the feeds to their blogs under a folder "FPS" in my Bloglines. This way I would be able to read any new posts they put up. Melissa has been practicing with entrelac ... go and see the lovely entrelac piece she made. Valerie received her yarn and after swatching, discovered that she didn't like the seed stitch and is considering doing garter stitch for the border. Any thought for her? Also, a couple of you have actually started ... but I am not going to tell you who! hahaha ...

Way too quiet in here!!

2007-01-17T21:09:00.000-05:00

Come on fellow FPS-ers, let's hear some noise!!

How is everyone doing?

Has everyone chosen their yarn yet? Done any swatching? Got any pics?

Practiced some entrelac? :::evil grin:::

I have a question for the group......charts or words? Do you mostly prefer charts to the written out instructions?

Agnes has obtained a copy of the written instructions which she will soon post but personally I feel this is pretty easy, straightforward lace and perfect for those knitters who swear "I can't read charts"!

I took a 15+ year knitting hiatus between the late 80's and when I returned to the fold in 2002. Prior to my return I had never knit from a chart....even complicated Arans had the pattern written out line by line.

I was VERY resistant to using charts - you know, everyone hates change :)
But once I stopped being so stubborn and took the plunge, I've never looked back! I now find charts so user friendly and uncomplicated, especiallly since you can "see" the pattern - a built in failsafe for the dreaded "lace knitting screw up"! You can even use colored pencils to color code the symbols so you have even more visuals...

So what say you, my knitting comrades....charts or words, that is the question!

Afraid of Entrelac?

2007-01-10T14:25:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it! I mean what started out to be a little cozy group has grown into one with 26 members! Not that little anymore, but still cozy, I assure you, nonetheless.

I am aware that some of you are feeling a little bit intimidated by the idea of entrelac knitting, which is going to be one of the major techniques involved in this project. If you are a reader of Debi's blog, you'd know she made 2 very beautiful entrelac projects last year. But for me, I am a 98% entrelac virgin ... I got my 2% experience from a false start on the Forest Path Stole using a wrong yarn and got to one-third of the first tier! ;) So, I can testify to what Debi told you about entrelac in her latest post ... it does look harder than it actually is!

But to further help you with the technique, here are some useful links which would help giving you the idea how to approach:

Entrelac Handout - there are instructions as well as some further useful links at the end

Entrelac at a different angle

The Yarnpath - Robbyn has pictures accompanying her instructions, which should be very helpful

Freckles & Purls - who doesn't love a free pattern? Allison has a free entrelac scarf pattern in PDF format on her blog ... just look for free pattern on the sidebar

So, if you have the time, you can try the technique out making a scarf over the weekend ... nice!

Forest Path Stole Stats

2007-01-10T12:34:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! I hope y'all are getting excited as February 1 draws nearer!

For those of you that are waiting for your patterns to arrive or have an interest in joining but are still a bit on the fence, I thought I would post the stats. This way our participants can be looking for yarn in their stashes or LYS while waiting on the pattern!

According to IK:

Finished size: about 30 inches wide and 85 inches long after blocking

Yarn: 2625 yards of laceweight yarn - a smaller 71 inch long stole can be made with 1750 yards of laceweight yarn

Needles: Size 3 (3.25 mm) 24 inch circular needle and a set of size 3 (3.25 mm) DPNs (you will be using the DPNs to do most of the knitting on this stole as you will use 2 DPNs to knit each "block")

Gauge: 19 sts and 24 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in seed stitch, blocked (but for me, the one of the nicest thing about knitting stoles/shawls is who really cares about gauge? hee!)

Notions: stitch markers, stitch holders, blunt tipped embroidery needle, blocking wires or nylon cord for blocking

So there you have the particulars everyone, hope this helps!

I have swatched too!

2007-01-08T17:49:00.000-05:00

I finally wound my ginormous hank of yarn this weekend! It took me 90 minutes with a ballwinder and swift...whew!! But it was all worth it cause I love my swatch sooo much!! Here it is...

The color on my monitor is a little bright but the varigation is exactly what I wanted for my FPS! I'm so happy!!

I used #3 (3.25 mm) DPNs. I swatched with both a Crystal Palace Bamboo and a Bryspun and I like them both equally. I'll make a final decision closer to Feb. 1.

I washed and blocked my swatch and I'm thrilled with the fabric and how open the lace is.

I can't wait to get started!!

Has anyone else been swatching yet?

Another beauty to aspire to...

2007-01-04T21:22:00.000-05:00

Here's another example of a gorgeous FPS and an adorable kitty for you Agnes!

Thanks for sharing Darilyn! :)

I have swatched!

2007-01-04T19:28:00.000-05:00

Hello fellow KAL-ers! So far we have 11 of us here ... what a cozy little group! But I think a few more would come later. As Debi said, this is a casual group ... so just relax and have fun.

For those of you who are still undecided, just take a look at Krys' and Karen's finished stoles and you would hardly resist the urge to make one for yourself ... or someone else!

Since I don't have to wind my yarn (I am using JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk on cone), I can start swatching right away:

When it comes to swatching, I am not the most patient person in the world. Here I just did enough of each lace pattern for me to see if the yarn and the needles (KnitPicks Classic Circular US3) work well together and if the lace would open enough. I think it is good enough. I am happy because the KnitPicks circulars are really awesome for lace knitting.

I think that's about it for now from me. Once again, welcome ... and remember to subscribe to the blog through Bloglines (there is a button on the sidebar).

Come in, get comfy!

2007-01-04T15:51:00.000-05:00

Welcome everyone! It's so nice to see that y'all share the ~~insanity~~ passion that is the Forest Path Stole! I hope we get more participants but no matter what I think we're gonna have some fun!

If anyone has "how to" links they would like to share, you can post em in the comments or email them to either Agnes or myself.

Has anyone been aswatchin' yet? If you have your yarn picked out and want to share, again leave a link in the comments or an email to Agnes or myself and we'll post pics for you!

I haven't swatched yet but as soon as I gird myself to the task of winding my ginormous hank, I will...hopefully this weekend!

This is a pretty casual KAL so please feel free to add anything you'd like to share or see...help Agnes and I make this KAL the best EVER! :)

So, would it kill ya to comment? Hee!

WELCOME!!!!

2006-12-22T21:32:00.000-05:00

Hello fellow joiners, welcome to the Forest Path Stole-Along!!

A pic of the Forest Path Stole

2006-12-22T20:33:00.000-05:00

Here'a a pic of the FPS for those that want a copy for your blogs if you need it!