Saturday, June 14, 2008

Swallowtail and Kukka

Dear,

Every spare moment that I have not spent with my quilt I have been adding few rows to swallowtail shawl. It has grown quite a lot. I think I have added more than seventeen repeats to the original pattern for the first set of pattern rows and really I don’t know where to stop. I have not sat down and figured out yet just how this will affect the rest of the pattern repeats.

I have plenty (three cakes to begin with) of yarn and I would love to use as much as possible. I am almost done with the first cake. I have in mind a huge shawl to wrap into. Something lavish and luxurious. I have thought of sewing a dress to go with it but so far have not acted on it. (Most of the shawls I have knit have ended in the gilrs' wardrobes and they were them during the winter like scarves wrapped around their necks.)
Something has started to bother me a lot about this new grown shawl though. The edging on two sides is very pointy and thus beautiful but there is going to be a huge edge without anything but few garter stitches and I don’t quite know what to do about it. Somehow I think it would need something on the top edge too to make it into this lavish lacy shawl but I don’t know what it would need to be. I was thinking if I could figure out a way to do the same kind of edging all the way around. But that is also just a thought.

The weather here has been cold, cold like near the freezing temperatures during the nights and Cassie pointed out that with a climate like this, it would be foolish not to knit. It is easy to agree in the early (like 4 or 5) morning when you stick your feet out from under covers and are greeted by a cold floor. I resist on turning the heat up because it is summer and so I have turned to my stash of woollen socks almost every day. The reason why I get up so early is of course the new baby!
She is growing like a weed. Her muscles and teeth are getting stronger every day. Poor Tina, who has been very nice and very patient, has realized this too, when Kukka grabs a mouthful of Tina’s tail fur and just won’t let go.
The summer holidays have begun. I am off schedules and right now when the sun does not rise nor set, life seems like an endless summer day!

This is perfect.

Yours,

Lene

18 comments:

  1. So glad Kukka is grabbing only Tina's FUR :)

    Happy puppy days - a special kind of sweetness and craziness.

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  2. Please give Kukka and Tina a pat and a stroke from me (and I love your shawl, too, Lene!)

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  3. Anonymous22:18

    So glad that you're knitting too--it becomes difficult to accomplish anything when there are so many tempting directions, and then a puppy...

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  4. That is a beautiful dog. I also love the pattern you are knitting for the shawl. I am crocheting one, but I haven't gotten very far. Our temperatures have been in the 90's so I haven't felt like crocheting.

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  5. Anonymous01:41

    Wonderful pictures of the new puppy, Kukka and lovely, patient Tina. The Swallowtail shawl is gorgeous and will give you many moments of warmth and beauty.

    Thank you so much for still posting and placing pics on this blog. It is very, very much appreciated.

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  6. Aaah, an endless summer day, with considerably mild temps, it does sound perfect!

    Dear little Kukka, she is a beauty, and of course Tina has always had my heart... she will teach Kukka well, and she'll know just 'when'.. :^)

    Wow... your Swallowtail is going to be magnificent!
    I went through the Swallowtails on Ravelry, some were made with more repeats of the Budding Lace 2 chart, I went with 19 sets but I do believe some were even larger.
    Sounds like you'll be getting out your paper and pencil for a big of designing and number crunching :^)
    Enjoy your endless summer day and thank goodness for warm wool socks.

    It gets very hot here but I knit anyway AND with wool!

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  7. Anonymous06:30

    It is hard to resist firing up the wood stove these chilly June mornings we've been having here. Although today was sunny and almost 70F earlier this week snow fell at the 4000' level in the mountains. Somehow being cold in June just doesn't feel right!

    Kukka is a cute, sturdy pup. Have faith that Tina will teach her proper manners when the time comes.

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  8. Anonymous13:54

    Your swallowtail looks beautiful, and the color you chose for it is stunning.
    And what an adorable puppy... so cute!

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  9. That endless summer day really tempts me. But then the endless winter nights would probably do me in.
    Next weekend we'll be close to that. The sky only truly gets black at about 2 a.m. and only for a few minutes. (Yes, my scandinavian blood speaks to me. Yes, I do try to stay up all night on the 21st.)

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  10. Anonymous06:44

    Lene
    Kukka is soooooooooo cute! I hope Tina isn't jealous .
    Margie in Maryland

    PS how can it be that cold in JUNE???

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  11. Oh little Kukka is so sweet, and the shawl exquisite!

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  12. Ihana! Onko Mummo-koira kuollut vai tuliko Kukka joúkon jatkoksi?

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  13. Hi Lene!
    I love the picture of the dogs. Tina has the cutest expression although I sympathize with her patience. Good dog! I am glad you mentioned how you make use of your shawls. I have never made one and am getting the bug. It looks rather complicated so I am still on the fence. This new shawl of yours is beautiful like all the others I have seen. I am having trouble committing to one pattern, they are all so lovely! Happy summer.

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  14. What lovely dogs you have! I made the swallowtail out of grey/black alpaca and I wore it almost every day for the past two winters. Yours will be beautiful even without the edging going all around.

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  15. So glad to see you have not forgotten your needles! Finding the right balance between so many hobbies is a challenge and if you figure it out, please share with us all.

    Kukka is absoutly adorable!! She looks so soft and sweet. Train her well - our new puppy loves to sit in my lap and use the ball of yarn for a pillow - my knitting has slowed down considerably.

    Stay warm - I too am working on a shawl and look forward to the finished product.

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  16. Anonymous19:00

    When I do the Evelyn Clark or other top-down shawls, instead of the 2 or 3 stitch beginning and ending stitches (which become the top border, I do an I cord edge, much more finished. Your work is beautiful!

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  17. Your shawl is beautiful as are the pups. Love the yarn colors.

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  18. ahhhh, Kukka is so sweet!
    Very cute too!

    I love your shawl and your knitting and quilt!
    I am trying to get caught up on blog reading this week.

    Please send the cold weather you have there over to here.
    It is too warm here to knit with wool without the airconditioner on.

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