Meet Florence. Florence doesn't like to be photographed, so this will most likely be the only photo I'll ever take of this little thing.
Take one ball of Rowan Kidsilk Haze, a pair of 4mm needles, and start charting a lace repeat. Then simplify your lace repeat. Then simplify it again. Then realise you have probably just made something that looks like it is straight from a stitch dictionary (which it is not) and then sigh. And knit.
I always get asked about my naming practices. Florence is meant to replace Larisa, so I wanted a name that was both a European city and a girl's name. That probably means that next year I will make a Geneva, followed by a Venezia, and then a Paris (perish the thought). But this is the year of Florence.
And that leaves me with nothing on the needles. Woah! I am still designing things, though, but am yet to figure out where to take two specific ideas**.. it is so frustrating! I also know that I'll be starting my winter knitting in little over a week when the Nordic Tweed book hits the shops. What can I make in a week..?
Thank you so very, very much for the fantastic response to Karise. I cannot wait to see finished Karise shawls cropping up and I simply cannot wait to see what everybody will do with the pattern (remember: it is easy to customise). I seriously love seeing what other people do with my ideas. That is so cool. Oh, and Lilith is slowly restocking her shop after the Knit Nation carnage in case anyone wants to use the original yarn.
In other knitterly news, I happened to see someone wearing a long-sleeved version of this cardigan yesterday. The cardigan is apparently knitted in one piece and then you ease in the sleeves. It is so pretty, isn't it? I did a bit more research into it and it was apparently the it knit in Denmark in 2009. Trust me to finally discover all the good bits about Denmark when I do not live there any more..
Finally, my friend Jo gave me the link to Poppytalk, a cracking little blog showcasing inspirational design, crafts, and homes. Inspirational, not aspirational - I think that is a very important distinction to make. Bearing that distinction in mind, what are your favourite inspirational blogs? I yearn for colourful, beautiful things carefully curated.
** - since one idea involves a four-different-yarns-in-one-row colourwork lace shawl, I clearly need to step away from my design table.