Knitting currently is in high gear..... Antonia 5 completed. Duh! did not take any pictures. More later on this one...... but the more exciting news is the start of Butterfly (Rowan Magazone 37). (NOTE: The front cover is the butterfly, duh, does not show hem.)

When I saw the Rowan Magazine 37, I knew I was doomed, because, I wanted the magazine and wanted desperately to make Butterfly. Almost a year after it was released, I finally gave in. When I was out shopping at Webs (Northampton), I spent some very undecided moments in front of the Kid Silk Haze Yarn.  I could not for the life of me, decide on the color. I wanted them all. But at almost $15/ball, I knew I had to choose. I gave up and got the Majestic (the color in which Butterfly is shown in the magazine).  See the Northampton Stash. I have one word.... wuss. Nah! Whatever!

Anyways, Butterfly is underway. Never has swatching been this frustrating... drove me bonkers to figure out what I should use. Baxter and Vanburren are useless in this respect. For them, yarn ball = fun to play with. They don't care about gauges or needles or lace or holes in laces...... Here are some of my swatches.

<With the suggested needles US8>                                                         

      

<With what I thought may be better US5>   



Finally, I called in the big guns and expert in this field, Li. She suggested US6............ Thanks dear. See below how that turned out.

So, with the above done, I spent all day in house, knitting. I cannot get enough of Kid Silk Haze and knitting is so darn easy, stitches just fly. Well! they do, and if you are not careful they can fly straight out and dissappear. But, I am loving every minute of it. Tonight I had plans to open a good red wine with dinner, but I doubt wine and knitting with kid silk haze will gel. So for the first time....... hang the wine..... give me more kid silk. From last night till now, here is my progress. Pretty good I think.

Decisions made for this project:

• Kid Silk Haze rocks.... I have already lined up my next two projects..... :) This yarn keeps you deadly honest. There is no hiding mistakes in knitting. and if it has ever been true for knitting, it has been for this yarn. Maybe that is why I love it, it keeps you on your toes. especially snagging. There is (a) no hiding mistakes and (b) no snagging allowed, as both these will show glaringly loud. I love this yarn. So, perfect so demanding, yet gives so much back in feel of the yarn and look is so 'eatably' good.
  Use US6, US8 too big, I could have used US5, but decided to let experts guide me in this respect.
• I did what the expert did, replaced those nasty K2tog tbl with SSK. And it looks great! It did wonders to speed up the knitting. P2tog tbl was far easier for me than K2tog tbl. So, thanks again Li.
• I did 13 repeats for the hem with the 8 row pattern..... I loved this border so much, that I could have gone on knitting this forever.
• I picked 79 stitches for the main.... and may bring them down only to 71/69. I will decide that tommorow.
• More decisions to come I am sure....... but this for now.

pssst: Thanks Baxter for keeping me company all day. He sat patiently around, or next to me, until I was done with a row, to allow me to adjust so, he could clamber onto the lap and settle down. Usually, there is no warning what so ever and viola! there is a cat on lap. But all day he waited for me acknowledge. Even as I write this, our good man, baxter is sitting on the lap with head resting on the left wrist, so mostly right hand is typing. Thanks sweetie.