Birch has infected me. As tired as I should be of lace, all the projects I'm craving at the moment are just that. Despite the fact that all those decreases and YOs are destroying my already-poor eyesight, the Counterpane Scallop Bag from Handknit Holidays is slated as next on the needles, to eat up the six balls of Kureyon that have languished in my stash since The Great Depression, or perhaps the Roaring Twenties. Anyway, a long time. And two more projects I'm eyeing:
Numero Uno: The lace shawl School Products designed for their AMAZING camel yarn. I'm really not a shawl person, but I figure you can wear most shawls around your neck if they aren't too large, and anyway this is just a work of art. Has anyone else in blogland seen it at SP? I actually have my doubts as to whether this will be made this year, but I don't doubt that next time I'm at SP I'll be snatching up enough camel to make it.
Numero Dos: Orangina. It's really time for a summer knit. The pattern has been sitting around my desktop for ages. I really, really want to make her in a deep, blood red. And would especially love to make her in Bamboo, since I adore that fiber and have been wanting to knit with it 4-evah. Witness:
= 
?Except Bamboo is DK weight and the pattern calls for sport. Anyone have any idea whether it could be made to work for Orangina? Otherwise, does anyone know of a sport-weight yarn that comes in an equally deep red color?
UPDATE: Oo Oo! It can be done. Here's Orangina in red bamboo! Oh, for an original thought in blogland. Anyway, it's cute, but she observes that it is quite stiflingly hot. So I guess I'd rather find a lighter yarn in any case. But I still haven't found anything blood-red enough.
Anyhoo, back to Birch. The middle school math nerd in me has discovered a way, using this wee "Beat the Calculator" tip, to calculate my progress on her to the nearest percentage point... tricksy for a triangular shawl. The way I figure, Birch contains a total of 435 leaves. I've completed 16 pattern repeats, and 13 repeats remain. That means 91 leaves. 91/435=20.9% remaining. Approximately. Hee hee. Math is rad.
Posted by jess at February 10, 2006 9:39 AMI want a shawl also. I'm not a shawl person neither but I don't care! I want one! Orangina in red would be nice :)
Posted by: Iraida at February 10, 2006 10:10 AMThere is a Rowan Cotton Glace color called Blood Orange. Is that dark enough?
Posted by: Veronique at February 10, 2006 10:41 AMoh, i have a hankering to make orangina as well.. for my cousin. she's a lucky girl! i won't be able to cast on for it till the spring though. i have to fit another sweater in this winter for sure.
Posted by: gleek at February 10, 2006 10:44 AMAdjusting for gauge is easy--it's the weight that would concern me. If the same project knit with Bamboo is a lot heavier than the specified yarn, then you could have a problem.
Posted by: colleen at February 10, 2006 10:47 AMYep, that lace is addictive. Knit some lace and all you want is to knit more lace. But math? Why'd ya have to go and ruin things with math? Yikes.
Posted by: Stephanie at February 10, 2006 10:52 AMI used Rowan 4-ply cotton for my orangina. The color "bloom" appears to be a dark red on yarndex and the knitting garden, but I haven't seen it live to confirm.
Posted by: Julsey at February 10, 2006 10:55 AMheh Pretty girls who can do math are rad! I'm jealous.
I'm looking forward to seeing Birch!! And Orangina. I like that color of Bamboo - I'm a nut and would somehow try to make it work with that yarn but then I'd probably regret it. Don't look to me for advice. heh
Posted by: Laura at February 10, 2006 11:03 AMIs there really enough difference between DK and sport to matter?!
Posted by: Chris at February 10, 2006 11:09 AMOrangina has been on my "to do" list for ages too. It's a great pattern and every finished one I've seen looks fantastic. I think the pattern just calls for two lace squares with ribbing on the bottom, so all you would have to do would be to omit one or two columns of lace. I think it would be lovely in bamboo, but I have no idea if it would drape enough, but then cotton is not such a drapey fiber either and that is what all the others seem to be made of.
Posted by: laura at February 10, 2006 11:27 AMOoh, picture next time you're at SP! The two times I've been there, I was constantly drawn to the yak and camel, but I never came home with any.
Posted by: Lauren at February 10, 2006 11:34 AMi've had kind of a hankering for summer knits, too. it's so warm here, who wants to knit a turtleneck sweater. (the nor'easter is coming though.)
anyway, after seeing the red orangina, i'm definitely sold on it. what would it be called tho? fanta red pop?
Posted by: carrie m at February 10, 2006 11:59 AMthat shawl at school products is ri-DICULOUS. every time i'm in there i just sort of start drooling. awkwardly staring. petting. what an accomplishment... i think you should go for it, so i could live vicariously through your blog about it.
Posted by: j a r e d at February 10, 2006 12:51 PMI started Orangina ages ago, and it's languishing. Maybe that should be my olympic knitting. Of course, I don't think I bothered to mark/note the rows, so who knows what row/repeat I am on in the pattern.
Posted by: Gina at February 10, 2006 1:00 PMyay for knitting bringing closeted math nerds out of the closet. the math, she is some handy shit, especially when it comes to producing well-fitting knitwear. (and, of course, for providing some light at the end of the tunnel on a long projected).
Posted by: heather at February 10, 2006 1:18 PMjess, at last count I think we are at the exact same place in our birches! funny. I really love this project but I am ready for something new too.
know what my next project is, Orangina, which i started last summer. i really want to finish it this spring. great minds think alike.
I am using Endless Summer Laura from Elann, so did Diana:
http://www.streetsandyos.com/archives/orangina/index.php
That color looks pretty close:)
Enjoy your lace!
Posted by: joelene at February 10, 2006 1:45 PMI have only tried very easy lace - and I even shy away from that! More power to you though, Jess!
I do love that Counterpane bag in HH. The love I have for it may be enough for me to actually knit lace! ;)
Posted by: Lolly at February 10, 2006 2:39 PMHave you considered soy silk? Might not be as stiflingly hot as bamboo - I think the problem would be finding the right shade of red.
Posted by: spyderkl at February 10, 2006 5:34 PMThe only yarn I've ever seen that was blood red was some that I dyed with kool-aid. It seriously looked like someone had bled on it. I put 3.5 ounces of 100% wool in about 7 quarts of water, with 1 pack of grape kool-aid, 6 packs of cherry, and 1 pack of pink lemonade. Here's the best photo I could get of it, but it's not quite that darn and the red is richer if you know what I mean. Heh, now if only it weren't so tangled.
Posted by: Atla at February 10, 2006 6:10 PMEr, that last comment was supposed to say "it's not quite that *dark." Bleh.
Posted by: Atla at February 10, 2006 6:11 PMI always tell customers that there ARE yarn standards, but that no one regulates it, so one knitter's sport is another's dk. Generally, I think they're interchangable.
Posted by: Cirilia at February 10, 2006 7:08 PMOrangina is so pretty! It will be smashing on you! Lace intimidates me, I'm just not ready to go there yet.
math has been the bane of my exsistance forever! But you must use math in knitting and it actually makes sense in this capacity! Maybe there is a little math nerdiness in my, I mean I am half asian we're supposed to rock at math, right?
I have the scalloped back on my to-do list as well, it will be my first attempt at lace but I'll probably start with the accessories bag first. will be using Noro too!
Posted by: Aimee at February 11, 2006 5:17 AMare you still looking for a thin bamboo for orangina? I may be able to help. email me.
Posted by: yahaira at February 14, 2006 3:14 PMI received 1 st credit loans when I was 20 and this aided my relatives very much. But, I require the short term loan again.
Posted by: NettieCantu at May 28, 2010 3:50 PM