Lace knitting and some DIY for shoes

Last weekend I found the bargain of the decade - a 2nd hand copy of a knitting book I've been wanting for ages "A Gathering of Lace" as gathered by Meg Swansen; beautiful lace knitting projects including some gorgeous shawls (there are lots of mistakes in the patterns but the errata is readily available). Have spent some lovely hours trying to decide what to knit first - and with what yarn.

Decided on the Sampler Stole, for my sister, using some quite usual fibre that has been 'maturing' in stash for over a year. It is Habu Textiles AK-20 "silk with fern cotton" a very fine thread of silk with nubs of brown fluffy bits - presumably the fiddlehead fern fibre. I didn't actually fancy knitting a whole lace stole with finest thread - I'm not quite that mad! decided to knit it held together with something else. A Coffee and a Yarn (south end of King St, Newtown) now has some gorgeous Kaalund Yarns :-) After more lovely time trying to decide, I got a silvery blue/grey silk (the Enchante in "Glasshouse"). The pale blue of the silk and the brown bits of fern fibre really compliment each other.

Cast on last night and I've knitted a whole inch of the middle bit.

Somewhat less glam - all my shoes have been giving out lately! Took the expensive / good shoes to a pro for mending but the cheap shoes ... I had a fit of DIY


Sticky, smelly, yellow contact adhesive and pegs in strategic places until it dries ... should work and at least give me a few more wears from these shoes.