Meet Team Affiknitty

The Amazing Lace is under way! Without further ado, as the deadline for introductions is fast upon us, meet Team Affiknitty.

Pictured above, looking particularly scrumptious, is the fiber member of the team -- about 450 yards of Blue Sky Alpaca and Silk in a lovely shade of barely pink. Maybe a little skimpy in the yardage, but we're hoping it will make it to the finish line. It claims to be sportweight. But if so, it's the Nicole Richie of sportweights. Pretty slinky it is. If all goes according to plan, this lovely yarn will become the Shetland Triangle (see gorgeous finished ones here and here and here), from Wrap Style.

And for the knitter member ... she's pictured here at Webs, where she met Blue Sky. Really, if there's a weak link, it's our knitter. Over the past several months, she's tried out several potential teammates (Adamas, Kiri, Trellis, Sampler Stole), only to dump them unceremoniously. She's waffled between laceweight, fingering, and sportweight. It's been difficult for our knitter to obtain the necessary level of focus to complete a challenge such as the Amazing Lace. We spoke with her recently about her participation in THE summer 2006 knitalong.

Q: Given your recent inability to stick with a lace project for more than one full pattern repeat, what makes you think you can actually complete this challenge?

Affiknitty: That's not exactly fair. Nearly everything I've knit recently has had intentional holes in it, from the Sockapaloooza socks to the Roundabout Leaf Tank. And if Theresa and Rachel say that's lace, it's lace.

Q: Oh, so you finished the Roundabout Leaf Tank?

Affiknitty: Ahem, not quite. Besides, I learned from those other failed attempts. For example, I learned in attempting Adamas that, for me, knitting lace without lifelines would be like attempting to summit Annapurna without supplemental oxygen -- technically possible but decidedly foolhardy.

Q: Other than these failed attempts, have you been training for this summer?

Affiknitty: I've been working very hard at positive visualization techniques. I see myself doing the provisional cast-on, I see myself picking up stitches on a teeny little piece of slippery knitting, I see myself not throwing the needles down in disgust, I see myself wearing the shawl and saying "Oh this? I made it." I may look to an experienced lace knitter for advice -- a sort of lace knitting psychologist.

Q: Earlier in the spring, you had some equipment problems. Have you solved those?

Affiknitty: Um, not exactly. I have looked everywhere, and I have yet to find needles that I would call "sharp." I think I've solved my issue by my pattern choice, though. No more K7togs for me!

Q: What motivated you to join The Amazing Lace?

Affiknitty: You know, a girl's gotta have dreams. Dreams and goals. One of my goals is to knit a Shetland lace shawl. I figured this summer was as good a time as any to knock off one of my less challenging items on the life goals list.

Q: Less challenging?!

Affiknitty: Oh sure. Knit a Shetland lace shawl is in the moderately difficult category. I have much more challenging goals, such as own an apartment on the Ile St. Louis, sweep the screenwriting Oscars with best friend Kara, and develop a healthful, cancer-fighting cigarette.

Q: Oooo-kay. Good luck with all that.

Affiknitty: It's important to think big.

Yes, we're thinking big here at Affiknitty. Although, given our track record, just getting the lace cast on will be a big accomplishment.