Ahhhhh, yes. I have fallen prey to the ENABLERs of the worls as well. For example Gina, of SleepyEyes Knitting, should be forced to wear a sign that says she will coerce, beg, nag, and enable in any other way possible to get you to step foot into the knitting world - and there's no way out. I know - I am one of her earliest victims, and now I am bringing people into the cult. My sister is next. Bwahahahahahahaha!!!!

Oh WOW that's gorgeous!

Ah, friends. Aren't they the best? One minute you're just going on your merry way with your life, the next you're knitting mystery items with beads and hooks and stash yarn. Friends. Gotta love 'em.

I was wondering when you were going to join in on this! I do however have 2 words for you "Special Notices". Since the volume of email on that list is astounding, save your inbox and make your settings special notices only so you get Melanies Clue posts and nothing else.
Enjoy!

Have fun!

Very pretty! Lovely shade of green there-but don't worry about this particular knitter being influenced-I have no intention of being sucked into another knitting project. My defenses are way high right now. I think it's the heat.

Dear Stephanie:

As a regular reader of your blog, owner of your books, and general fan, I am forced to mention something about pots....and kettles....

I'm going to sign up now. sigh.

jane

Enablers....you dangerous folks you! Fortunately I had already signed up!

Wasn't going to do it, nope. Have Sockapalooza sock to knit, WIPS that are threatening me in my sleep but no. Down the rabbit hole I fall.

I've seen it everywhere too and I've resisted because I'm no lace knitter. However, I just finished a wee lace swatch for a class I'm teaching tonight and the thought flitted through my mind that lace knitting is not evil. Then I clicked my way over here and somehow, when I think of you, I'm reminded of a ball of purple laceweight cashmere that I have lying in the stash. If I can hold off till tomorrow night will I be left with a feeling of relief or regret?

OOOHHHH!!!!

I love it already... How COULD you?!?!?!

I am defenseless... I am weak... I have almost no stash, ... I wonder if I can get to the yarn store before my husband gets home???

Never having attempted a lace anything, I feel it would be a bit dangerous for me to join in, not knowing the intricacies of this particular project. (Not good at swimming in water over my head, and this could feel like that.)
But I did think ... gee, Stephanie could end up with something really beautiful that came out of the dreariness of a rainy day. Now that would be the silver lining to those clouds, wouldn't it?
Happy mystery knitting!
~ Dar

I have been able to resist the urge even after seeing many a blog show off the early stages of the MS 3 project. Reasons:

A) the only lace thing I have completed so far has been little wrist warmers

B) I have never used beads. Would like to some day, but I need to start smaller.

C) I am unlikely to have the appropriate needles, yarn, and beads. (This point makes resistance effective because I just bought a bunch of needles, yarn, and books and am thus on a slight yarn diet for awhile. Although, I just noticed that Knit Picks has all of their books on sale right now. My credit card is likely to fall out of my purse and have a wee accident in the near future.)

Yeah. I got sucked in, too--although I haven't come clean on the blog yet. Of course, I didn't need an enabler--just one more way to procrastinate, since I was in danger of finishing... something.

Suuuurrrre you were tidying the stash.

I believe you.

Nice yarn you found ... while you were ... tidying.

*another one bites the dust*

Have fun, Stephanie!! You are in good company on MS3, and a lot of it! Claire is wise when she says "Special Notices." With a group of 4000 plus excited knitters, it's the only way to fly!

Ahem. It would seem to me that you, lovely Harlot, are not so innocent in this "enabling" bit now. *big grin*

Beautiful! I am no where near the accomplished knitter to take on lace, but will follow along with relish!

Loved your baseball setup.

I am still trying to understand and finish a sock.

who? me?
I had no idea I was so powerful. As you said so yourself -- I can't sell yarn to an eskimo.

Here I was, thinking I would check your blog while taking a small break at work, innocently thinking a little humor wouldn't hurt anything.....Whammo! I am signed up for a new lace project. What happened????

Oh great..I just caved too! I had been looking at that stole and holding off on signing up. Well, good thing I was headed to my LYS today huh?

Yeah, I fell down the MS3 rabbit hole myself. I sent the link to my best friend (she is an avid lace knitter, she's the one that won at Full Thread Ahead for having the most stitches on the needle for her lace project when you came in 2006 and that sent you the letter about where you hid the cameras in her house..) with absolutely no intention of signing up myself. I said in my original email that I wasn't going to sign up, I didn't think myself an experienced enough lace knitter to do this project (I haven't even been kniting a year again since I started again after 20 years). And then she wrote me back telling me she had signed up and that she totally thought I was good enough to do it. So I jumped off the cliff and signed up! Sigh.

Yes, I too fell for it. And while I love knitting lace, I'm not particularly fond of knitting with THREAD. But I'm charmed by what is coming off the needles so I keep going.

I predict much cursing, knashing of teeth, and late night fondling and talking like Gollum.

This isn't going to be pretty.

That thing is insidious. They've been talking about it on the PDX Knit Bloggers group, and I womanfully resisted searching it. But we're planning a get-together this weekend, and even though people are *saying* they aren't going to bring lace along while they try to talk and get to know others...

I Am Suspicious.

Fortunately, I'm not a lace knitter. Yet. I'm hoping that will protect me. I'm gonna take a sock and stand firm!

While I don't have a Ravelry account yet myself, I think this stole might be an example of how Ravelry will increase the big knitting trends out there. I found out about it from a knitting group friend that has a Ravelry account and I'm pretty sure that's how she knew about it. The knitting trends will mock you until you must start! (I'm halfway through chart B, so I'm clearly not immune).

Man, I had sort of been thinking that the signups were already closed.

Hooray! Soon every knitter in the world will be in on this.

Also, there is a thread in the forums on Ravelry to discuss if you need or have advice. And a flickr group! Go see all the pretty pictures!

I have always liked you before today but I am revisiting my opinion. I had glanced at mentions of MS3 before today and did not give it much thought because I have too much on the needles. Well, now I have signed up and am pondering bead and yarn choices and it is all your fault. I would say more but I have to dig through my stash now.

Welcome to the dark (Mysterious) side!
I have not yet knit a BIG lace project because I thought (with some reason based on past history) that I wouldn't finish it unless it were for someone else, and that my knitting time, disjointed and peripatetic as it is, would not be conducive to lace.
And I have never joined a KAL.
That being said, I signed up for MS3 several weeks ago, because I thought the 'mystery' part of it, and the global simultaneity, would keep me focused. Well, it's worked for the first week! (See my blog for pics!) The only problem is, indecisive me couldn't decide between black or white -- so I'm knitting both. OK, I may only keep up with one! The black one is for me, the (off)white for a present, presumably. Clue 1 done in black, to be started tonight in white (just in time for Clue 2 tomorrow).
See you on Ravelry if I ever get all my stuff uploaded!

Must...resist...the...siren call... I'm feeling weak... But what's the harm in looking? It's research, really. Plus, Melanie lives in my town. I must support my neighbors, right?

I joined yesterday; swatched and started. Couldn't let everyone else have fun without me too!

Clearly, you have gone over to the Dark Side of the Fiber.

(Love the green and crystal- it's going to be gorgeous!)

Ah.. so you too. and with you falling for MS3 as well, the numbers will likely be MUCH higher than 4500 by Friday's end :)

Soooooooooo, you are ONE OF US! You'll have fun, Stephanie! I didn't do MS1 but last year's stole was great fun and this promises to be even better (beads! beads!). Welcome to obsession!

Meredith in Taos

*chuckles* Yeah, I've been reading about MS3 as well. I'm intrigued, but can verily justify not joining in, as I have yet to attempt lace knitting. I am wondering though, if the pattern'll be available to the public after you all are done having fun with it??
I can't wait to see the results though...that should be a sight to see.
Oh, and by the by, thanks for adding yet more blogs to my reading repertoire ^_~

Oh, it does look like fun. Pretty yarn, sparkly beads, lace knitting and a mystery all in one! It's just too bad that as much as I like it, I have absolutely no use for a stole or any one to give it to. I know this, because I currently have on hanging in the closet waiting to be used for something more than a buffer between my wedding dress and the wall.

Geh. I am, apparently, weak. I've been reading about MS3 for the last week or so, and have resisted, even though I'm looking for a laceweight pattern... and what did you do, but mention the beads.

I just got off the phone with my LYS and got her to set another skein of Zephyr aside for me, to match the one I already have, and will be picking it up tonight.

Haha! Nice, it's too fun not join I say. Besides after seeing her past designs I wasn't worried that I would be knitting something I would hate. Love the green you picked!

Sigh. I'm such an easy mark.

You did it the right way. I signed up weeks ago and had to weed through the THOUSANDS of posts from excited knitters about yarn, beads, swatches, stash, etc, thus heightening the anticipation. You didn't even have to wait for the first clue!
The yarn I picked out is the same color as yours, but I'm using satin finish iris metallic green/gold beads. It'll be fun to see how different everyone's looks.

well, I am another of your victims ; ). i couldn't resist. It doesn't help i have been bitten by the lace bug lately.

I saw the photo of clue 1 on a blog and knew I had to sign up. Then I had to check out Melanie's other stoles... and there was Sherazade. I love that it is not straight out of a stitch dictionary. Needless to say, as of yesterday, they are both on the needles. I need some more size 3s

Nope, nope, nope. Not going to do it. Can't fool me. I already have a couple of really important things on the needles - wedding vest swatch (which will següe into sorting out the actual vest), and a second sock that I'm going to make myself finish before I start anything else. And the next anything else that I'm going to start is the branching out scarf in Sea Silk. No matter how much other things might call to me. My mind is made up.

You have made me weak...I have now also signed up for the stole-along...Someone please dig me out! : )

Thank you very much for putting the warning at the beginning of your post. I found it amusing that you were warning me about Moth Heaven--but I braced myself just the same. I've been successful so far in resisting MS 3, but your green yarn and those beautiful sts are seriously testing my resolve. I'll look away for now... I need to last through Friday, but not being part of the "club" will nag at me. Damn.

Oh evil, evil, evil! And the most evil of all is that I CANNOT do this - my internet where I live is way too erratic to count on getting a clue on a regular schedule. Plus I can't get the beads. Oh oh oh... this hurts. Evil is afoot in the world!

Joy
Rewalsar, H.P., India

Welcome to the madness...I even went to my public library while at my weekend place so that I could print out the directions for clue1. I know I am going to have to use valuable internet time on my cruise to download clue 3 in two weeks. I must be addicted to this knitting thing
Sharon (aka knittingauntie on ravelry)

I feel special that I was in the first 1000 to sign up. :) I've been anticipating this one ever since MS2 last summer.
BTW, the pattern *will* be available for purchase in the near-future, after the knitalong. Keep the pinklemontwist blog bookmarked.

what a beautiful colour of yarn

I, too, succumbed. It was actually looking at Melanie's other patterns--including MS1 (Leda's Dream) and MS2 (Scheherazade)--that got me. Her blog with patterns (immediate gratification--PDF download following Paypal payment) is at http://pinklemontwist.blogspot.com.

Check out Hanami--the cherry blossom stole. The story/inspiration and the stole pattern are awe-inspiring.

It also has beads. ;-)

%$#^, now i'll have to go check it out. and next thing you know, i'll bet i'll be signed up. sheesh. (and you can stop laughing- you knew good and well what you were doing to all of us when you wrote this post)

I think I hate you now. I seem to have accidentally signed up and have this crazy notion that I'll go to the lys tomorrow and "buy yarn for this thing." I didn't even know I wanted to do this! O well. I am Rebecca and I am weak. Hi!

I've been successfully shooting down any temptation to try this Mystery Stole thing, but dangit if those pics don't make it all look so lovely, especially in that lovely green you have! Oh, the pain...

I am definately anti- bead. You didn't have me until you said that it was bead optional. Just awful. The jump on Christmas knitting was an even stronger incentive. I'm in.

Half an afternoon of knitting? Well, for you speedy/experienced/non-medicated knitters I guess so. I'm hoping to finish 14 rows tonight to keep on schedule. Glad you joined the madness! Plus, isn't it fun to participate in something that involves 4,000 knitters that you aren't in charge of? Which gets me thinking, a mystery project with daily clues for each day of the 2010 Knitting Olympics might be really, really fun.

I am resisting! Thank goodness that woman doesn't know me and doesn't have my phone number.

Hooray! Welcome to the madness that is the mystery shawl. I spent >1h yesterday winding my laceweight into a ball (the indie dyer felted it slightly in the dying process ... oh, the HUMANITY!) and this morning almost 45 minutes looking for the right beads. BEADS! The good news is that I already had the crochet hooks.

Swatch on, folks.

My friend sucked me in too. I just bought the yarn for it today. But here's the question: should I do the beads?

Damn you Stephanie, damn you. I trusted you. I thought we were friends. And by friends, I mean I read your blog daily and you have no idea who I am. I had successfully avoided all mention of this project and basked in my ignorance. But still... sigh... guess now I'll just have to buy more yarn. ;)

You are a bad influence. I already have 2 lace projects, I did not need to get into another one... But than, neither of them has beads. I did join MS3 telling myself I would knit it from my lace yarn stash so it doesn't realy count does it :-)

They finally wore me down, too. I'm not sure who "they" are, but they are evil.

I got sucked in early on when someone mentioned it on KR. Then of course I had to pass on the love by enabling.. err... sharing the info to the Victorian Lace Today Group. They still won't let me live that one down ;-)

Enjoy... it already is an amazing and easy pattern. And I am absolutely LOVING the beads.

Thank heavens lurking is allowed.

Yes I have yarn and beads and crochet hooks and...

Everything but time and a set in stone yarn diet and directive to finish other items on my list before starting something new.

Sigh. I shall enjoy watching.

And I've seen the sweaters you churn out young lady. Talk about knitting like the wind.

Soooo tempting. Except. I started MS1, and it remained a UFO until I decided I no longer liked the color for that particular piece, and I frogged and let it go. Then, MS2. Which I am knitting in a lovely shade of kool-aid orange, hand dyed by me, and which I love. Yes. Still knitting MS2. I cannot, in any kind of conscience, good or otherwise, begin MS3. That will just tip the scales of my already precarious sanity and send me giggling off to a rubber room for a rest.

Well. I suppose as long as they let me have my needles, I could get a lot of knitting done during my stay.

I was already signed up and 2/3 of the way through the first clue, so you've not made me fall down the rabbit hole (doing just fine at that myself apparently).

What I want to know is... How on EARTH is this a half afternoon's worth of knitting?!?!?!?

Dude. You suck. I am SO tempted, even though, I, too, am reduced to stash knitting for furniture and don't have yarn for the stole. I'm *this close* to joining, and it is your fault.

Very good color/bead choice, by the way.

Welcome to the Assimilated. I knew I had no business signing up for this, but Resistance was Futile.

I don't really understand why this is so intensely appealing. Is it simple Peer Pressure - I want to because everybody else is doing it? (Anyone for jumping off a bridge? - whee!)

I predict, facetiously, a worldwide famine of laceweight yarn and shiny little beads.
I also predict, I hope facetiously, a shutdown of major Internet servers soon - especially since The Harlot will be responsible for Assimilating thousands more before the signup deadline!

Is it just a coincidence that as I prepared for bed last night and read a new book of mine (perhaps you've heard of it, I think your picture is on the cover), I was stopped by the quiz to see if I'm a process knitter or a product knitter? I was half and half, but finally came down on the side of process knitter because the author insisted that at its core, knitting is fun. Evidently, Ms. Moth Heaven and I have the same taste in books.

Resistance is Futile! Welcome to the madness.

It's stunning how fast you are. Part one took me two tries and 3 days. You and Ms. Julia must set records. Sigh.

You're not the only one... I signed up too, just because I've been reading so much about it. I've never knit anything lace in my life!

You saw it on multiple blogs and you resisted? Your a much stronger woman than I. I came across it on 1 blog and I signed up and paced around looking though my stash and then opened a shawl kit I bought a year ago and cast on....this whole things took like 5 minutes.

Gotcha!!!! Muahahahahaha. I knew that you'd cave eventually! I'm making 2 of 'em myself. Welcome to the madness.

Alynxia

Evil. You are pure, unadulterated evil. Here I was, feeling all smug about my teeny tiny yarn stash (I'm living out of a suitcase for the summer, so I'm not thinking about the REALITY of the stash that exists in storage at the moment) and now... suddenly I find myself drawn away from my smug, small, portable socks, and just feeling compelled to make a trip to the LYS to check out their laceweight selection. You... ENABLER, you!

Lovely... could you share what yarn you decided to go with??

Hello, pot? This is Stephanie. You're black.

First ravelry and now this. I know you enjoy causing knitters to leap like lemmings into lace. (heh)

Resist...I must resist.

You almost got me. I was *this close* to signing up, when I remembered, Oh, yeah, my hand's in a cast.

Sigh.

Nice shade of green you picked. Not at all appliance-y.

Mmm, intriguing. A mystery knitting project. The color of green you selected is quite nice, too. And I don't like to be left out from the fun but . . .

I will resist this one. Because I've committed to knitting all my unfinished sweaters (12) through the summer, or else I can't buy more yarn . . .

Gee, thanks a lot. Now I've been suckered into this thing too. :)

Welcome aboard! I got sucked in last year, and I must admit, it's one of the most fun knitting things I do all year. It's the mystery part, really. Just plain fun!

Oh, yea, and the other knitters involved. And sharing the planning with them and my BFF, who is also in the KAL. And the questions and answers and things to be learned. And then there's lace....

Yes, I wait for this one. It's worth it!

Welcome to the insanity! I couldn't resist the notion of beads and lace. Could. Not. Resist. Glad I'm not alone!

Gee, thanks a lot. Now I've been suckered into this thing too. :)

You are equally as EVIL!

Must Sign Up! Can't Control Myself!

My children shall suffer for this, surely. Are you happy now?

I dove right in - I love the idea of knitting something that comes together only in the end. But only because I trust Miss Pink Lemon Twist's genius and skill, as evidenced by her other lovely efforts.

Hehe, welcome in this. I am having fun beside the fact my alternate yarn did'nt show up yet.

Welcome to MS3 -- I've not only be sucked in -- in my colour indecision I seem to be making 2 of them!! All driven from the faith in Melanie's talent I got while knitting the lovely Hanami stole.

Evil you, evil her. How will I ever find time to knit up all the ideas in my head when such tantalizing projects keep getting forced upon me?

Awesome!! You're gonna love it; the lace pattern so far is really pretty and evocative, but not difficult, and the beading is always fun, of course :D And there's a real thrill, getting that clue and knowing just a little bit more about how it's gonna look at the end of the road :P

Annieone had me standing on the precipice with one foot over the edge, so all you really had to do was sneak up behind me and give me not even a push, just a little nudge, really.

Using those sparkly beads on me was, however, totally unfair.

I didn't even last an hour after I posted my comment. I'm in. *sigh*

Is it right to say that all knitters are slightly like pushers? I mean we show each other pictures of yarn, and the patterns we make it into. And then we blog about all the yummy textures and colors. Some of us gather together in groups to grope the fibre and manipulate in in many ways. Hell, some of you out there even found a way to make your own (spinning you know). And since we know all this talk and picture proof will make others want it too, are we slightly evil?
Of course, but in a good way.
;)
Welcome to MS3. You will have a great time. Melanie makes awesome designs, and always makes these mysteries fun to be a part of.
:)

Oh man, I even have the yarn, but I've been resisting, but... Eeep! Eeep!

Seriously - wait till you actually get the first clue done and you're WAITING for clue 2 and trying to think what to do in the meantime, and checking the website to see if maybe they posted tomorrow's clue early and you could start early and .... seriously, it's PURE evil.

Half an afternoon of knitting? For better women than me, maybe!

Your mother tried to warn you about people like this "If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump, too?" Apparently, yes. You succummbed to pressure and got married like the rest of us, too. It is all your mother's fault, she apparently raised a weak daughter. Call and tell her that today! :)

I am so gullible. I don't even like lace. Really I don't. And I can't buy new yarn...

I'm going to go sign up now. You're quite the enabler, you know that, right?

Oooooh, it's soooo pretty! I have yet to knit a shawl and am having trouble finding the perfect pattern. I'm not a great lace knitter, but...aaarrgh!!! I wants it!

Now see what you have gone and done? I was NOT going to start any new projects, I was going to devote quality time to my wheel, and now look what just happened, I signed up for a LACE KAL and I don't even have any laceweight in my stash. SHEESH....

You go, girl! I signed up too, a while ago. But I have not started yet. I am dithering about the beads thing. I do have, ahem, appropriate yarn in my stash - thanks to you, actually. I visited Toronto a couple of weeks ago and just HAD to go find Lettuce Knit. Then I just HAD to have some HandMaiden lace weight yarn..... and it happens to fall into the appropriate color range for MS3. I enjoyed Lettuce Knit so much I went two days in a row! Met Denny and Megan, both wonderful people and fiber artists.

Welcome to the MS3 vortex! I too got sucked in from another mystery shawl on Yahoo.I swear these women just get you in trouble, don't they?!
But this is a fun knit & I'm enjoying the beads. Love the colour you chose.

Temptress! I signed up and I don't even wear stoles.

I'm insane. But at least I have you to blame for it.

Also? I'm chart impaired thanks to WonderSurgeon's Golden Scalpel of Destruction. But I have yarn. And lace Addis. And a really bad memory for things I can't do, until I'm in the middle of doing them anyway whilst inventing a whole new set of swearwords to teach the kid.

I'm telling you, the second I started reading your post, I knew I should just step away from the screen, but...

Shit.

Ah, Stephanie...I was wondering when you'd get in on this! It is FUN. I've been having fun for two weeks on MS3, and you've been out of the loop! But you seem to have pretty much caught up! You'll love it! I found out about it from Maxon-Dixon...and signed up instantly...and got a sock knitting bobbin lace friend to sign up, too!

But you'd better have a separate mailbox (auto sorting!) for just the MS3 mail...there is a lot...even more than you get comments!

Do you see the ram in the lace, yet?

I wondered why you hadn't gotten in on the craze yet. I have yet to knit clue #1 but I will soon. Clue #2 posts tomorrow so I guess I should get started before I have the mystery taken away. So many people are guessing at what it is. It's only a matter of time before my surprise is spoiled.

Btw, I finally saw the knitty gritty episode with the sock recipe. I'd been knitting socks (form that recipe coincidentally) for some time before that so there was nothing really new. However I DO at some point want to borrow your accent.

I fell down that same rabbit hole last week! No one can resist the beads.

I resisted, I resisted - until you caved.

I have been searching for a pattern that would be perfect for some handspun laceweight and could not settle on anything - then this came along and I am hooked too.

Glad you've joined the fun! It's certainly taken me more than half an afternoon of knitting though, but then I am a lace beginner! Still, it's looking good so far!

The title, "Warning" ought to have been a warning to me. Now I've gone and done it. I'm quite certain that that which is only an afternoon's knitting for Ms. Moth Heaven or for you will be an entire week's knitting for me. Have you seen my to-knit list? Oh well, it looks like fun!

you have made the saying "You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make them drink"..........but wrong provide the pattern and you can make them knit. happy knitting. It really is an addiction. cecilia

They have written out versions of the charts in PDF.

Hokay...so...

Eye-hand-chart-coordination-challenged knitters, you can do it too, and yell at everyone around you to shut up while you read the instructions aloud as you knit! Yes!!! Who's with me???

(Nope, it don't take much, do it.)

Thankfully, I am temporarily immune to all knitting challenges, lacey and potentially beautiful as they may be. I've got a month to finish an heirloom shawl! But I'll be happy to watch as everyone else makes one up :-)

oh maaaaaan, are you gonna be the tipping point for me? I've avoided it like a dark alley, thinking, "I have too many projects right now anyway, BLAH BLAH BLAH" but I DO have some lovely lace yarn and I'm sure if I don't have the perfect beads, acquiring some and oh what the heck, I'm going to sign up. I have the willpower of a fruit fly in a banana factory.

Welcome! I've been a fan of Melanie's work since MS1. Once you're hooked, its impossible to not hover, waiting for the next one. This makes three mysteries this summer that I am knitting. the suspense! the agony! the fun!!!!

I gotta say that as much as I enjoy reading your blog and have it in my head that somehow we're cyberfriends (I'm convinced both people don't have to "know" one another for this to be true -- yes, it makes me sound like a crazy stalker, but anyway....) and as much as I like to think that you're never one to tweak the circumstances of a situation for your own purposes, I think I'm more likely to take Julia's side of this as real story. Just sayin'

I was nobly resisting until I saw some enticing swatches and beaded beginnings... *sob* I am weak! (now where did I put those beads?)

Welcome to the crazy.

(Yeah, I'm hooked on the beads too.)

Peonies? You still have peonies? La, la, la, hands over ears I can't hear you la, la, la.

(But did you HAVE to link to the damned thing every time you mentioned it?)

Peonies, imagine that, la, la, la...

No, see, I'm nursing a newborn. This is a full-time job, which means I don't have the time OR brainpower to knit lace. Yet, I so badly want to sign up, it hurts. What kind of drug is lace??

Haha! That is a funny story! Oh how I envy everyone that is on board with the mystery stole. I've never done anything lace so, I will not be joining the fun this time...This is the last thing I need right now....Another project that frustrates the heck out of me! Maybe I'll be ready by Mystery Stole 4..hehehehe we'll see if that happens! Until then, good luck and your progress looks great already!

Not doing it, not looking, will try not to read about fun. I'm safe none of you have my phone #. I've got young boys at home for the summer & too many things on the to knit list. Now that I've convinced you, I need to convince me!

Sigh. Already yours is beautiful. Mine is...well, an experience.

I keep telling myself that I can always knit it again 'once I get the hang of this lace stuff.'

Of course, most rows have already been knit more than once...or twice.

My sister would be so much better at this than I (she says as she forwards the link to unsuspecting sibling).

Welcome to the dark side. I got sucked in at Stitch and Bitch last week. My co-blogger fell down two days later. It's an epidemic. The only treatment is the hair of the sheep.

I can't do the beads, though. You have to draw the line somewhere.

You are EVIL!!

I would have NEVER known.

& now.... now.... UGH!

welcome to ms3. I've started mine i love it, although to I can only do it when Jess is preoccupied with something that does not involve me. the temptation of charts highlighters and beads is something she cannot resist.

ok see i have been over looking any mention of MS3 on purpose but this entire post made it sound way to intriguing....i have been hooked....damn it! lol

Ack! I looked, and then my mouse totally slipped on the sign up button. I'll be shopping for beads tonight if anyone needs me...

I love that soft green! I foolishly though I would do the MS3 in black - I have 53 year old eyes that are bad - who am I kidding!? Besides - it's an excuse to buy more lace weight yarn right?

Damn. I'm not usually much of a joiner, but now I've been sucked in too. I guess I'll be dragging the baby down to Woolcott after I pick her up from daycare tonight!

Since the bead tutorial is mine and I'm always trying to get knitters to try beaded knitting and see how easy it is (and how sparkly) this makes me VERY happy Stephanie :)

I gotta go thank Julia too!

I want to try. I'm afraid. :(

Oh, Ms. Harlot. You are at least as evil as the blogger against whom you cautioned (HA!) us, your gentle readers. Why, yes. Yes, I did sign up. *sigh*

MAN! Like I don't have enough socks & baby knitting to do this summer, now I've been sucked into MS 3. At least I have some gorgeous pink Zephyr hanging out at home. It's been waiting patiently for over a year and now I guess it's time to put it to use. I could really use 2 more pairs of hands right about now, though!

Still have a touch of Startitis? Good luck with that. I'll just keep watching the beautiful stuff you turn out. Thank you!

Can't touch me.

Like a fish with a hook firmly planted in its lip, my tail flapped back and forth and accidently clicked the yahoo group "Join" button for MS3...

sheesh...

:D

Welcome to the group. I love the colour you chose.

Thanks for the "warning". I had to go check it out and got sucked right in, too. I've only done lace in socks and an alpaca scarf. Never beads....This will be a bit of a challenge. I probably will be the last one finished, but, it's not a race so that's o.k. It will feel like a big accomplishment when done. You are such an enabler....Thanks... :)

BTW, I love the color you chose while "tidying" up .

HAH! I narrowly escaped MS3, and it was close, very very close. How did I escape, you may ask? I assigned a designated knitter, and overcommitted myself with other work. I feel so clever -- I can watch the designated knitter, think about the beads, enjoy it every step of the way as my kindly designated knitter (why no, I didn't convince her to do it, she *wanted* to do it) proceeds to knit MS3 and update regularly for my vicarious thrill.

If I'd had time, or anything remotely like it, I'd have been in big trouble.

Welcome aboard! I'm so glad you could join us, it's a lovely color that you're knitting there. OH, I love those beads too!

I love my mystery stole. It's my first lace, and it's gorgeous! Glad you're coming along. =D

Oh you Harlot you, glad to have you on board for the shawl. I signed up early, but was going to wait to see what clue 1 looked like knitted up before I started in. Well, clue 1 looks pretty hot, doesn't it? Sigh! So now I'm digging through stash. How can I participate in Summer of Socks if I'm knitting a lace shawl??? BTW, if you will notice on Ravelry, the black hole of all black holes, the MS3 is the single most cast on item by almost double, the second being Monkey Socks. So you are in good company. And Melanie does make the most beautiful lace patterns, so you are safe there. And I love the color you chose. BTW, dear Melanie is NOT releasing a clue on the Friday that the new Harry Potter book comes out, as she knows what a lot of people will be doing that week.

Welcome to the Rabbit Hole. It appears to be a pretty big hole as a lot of us have joined, as I'm sure you know. As I already have the Frost Flowers and Leaves shawl cast on (and am more then halfway done with it), and 2 socks, one of which is a little lacey number, starting ANOTHER lace project was a bit of a nutty idea if you ask me, but I got sucked in like a Moth to a flame...HA!

Don't despair all ye joiners and enablers! This is a fun one! And I'm a fairly new lace knitter and I am LOVING it. I am not using beads though.

One word for you though

Lifelines.

How the hell do you knit so fast?

My friend Christene at Sheepspyjamas.blogspot.com is another MS3 enabler. She's got a link to the signups stuck at the top of her page so everytime I (or anyone else) goes there it would be all too easy for fingers to slip and you'd be signed up before you know it. Very dangerous!

Stephanie,

Now i've signed up. This really isn't very fair of you. Do unto others, and all that.

Welcome to the club, Ms. Harlot. In my own blog I believed I described signing up for the MS3 knitalong as being sucked into the knitting underworld. Now if only I could zeeep through the hours between now and the arrival of clue #2...

GOTCHA! OK everyone Stephanie fell down the hole - time to go over to Wendyknits Blog and get her to sign up! :-)

it's good peer pressure. right? ;)

i hope i finish the first clue tonight. i watched last year and have the chutzpah to try to keep with it this year. i wish my stash could be raided for things like this!

Being the enabler is just as fun as being the enablee. It's just one long string (no pun intended...LOL).

Welcome to MS3!

Heh, it took a few minutes of walking her through all the Yahoo sign up process over the phone, but I sucked my mom in to this too! She says she'll let me know if she's blessing or cursing my name after she's swatched.

OoooOOooooh....Must resist! Think of somthing else...la la la dee da la da

I may have missed it, but what is the name of the yarn you are using?

I am weak. My "friend" Becky, the pusher, has drawn me in to the Mystery Stole madness as well. All I need is the yarn (and beads?). Unfortunately, replacing my now defunct sewing machine must take precedence. I'm getting a Husqvarna.

You just sold me too~! Gahh!!! WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME!!!!!!?!?!??! *sobs in a corner*

Thinking, thinking ... got to finish the chocolate brown merino monster afghan, have socks and other projects ... oh heck.

Hey, how about updating the Harlot On Tour section????

I will resist! I am strong! Actually I'm not, but a) I've never knitted lace before in my life, and b) I'm saving my yarn money for Marr Haven. So I'll enjoy everyone else's Mystery Stoles...

Oh dear. While lace isn't usually my cuppa, she has taken the Harry Potter book launch into consideration. How could I not join such a lovely group?

Welcome to MS3, Stephanie! I joined way back when there were only a few hundred of us, and it has been a trip watching it grow and grow and balloon and expand and take over the world. I'm sure glad you've waited til the last minute to join - there will be so many following you that the mail situation, already out of hand, will be totally impossible.

Love the yarn and bead choices you've made - green is my favorite color! I chose pewter Zephyr for the MS3, though, and am using 4mm pearls instead of the slightly smaller #8 seed beads.

Ha! For once I found and signed up for something before you! HA!

I whipped through Clue one pretty much in an evening...found I missed it so started a second...cuz...um...I'd gotten a few thingies of beads in case I changed my mind about which yarn to use...yea yea. So, I have one going in Fleece Artist Suri Blue (Pixie colorway) and the second in Zephyr (Juniper). Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

You're such an enabler.... I've been wanting to try 1) beaded knitting and 2) a "mystery" along. Here goes nothing!

It's going to be beautiful and you are not going to regret signing up.

Maybe I will be able to knit lace when my children are older. *sigh*

Heh. Glad you are joining us in the madness. I loved Clue 1. I didn'n use beads and almost started a second stole just so I could. Looking forward to Friday morning.
And, Special Notices is the way to go.

Alas, having been attacked from all sides, I am beaten down and I succumb. (Maybe I'll finally post some knitting content on my blog...lol)

But it's such a pretty piece. That reminds me, I should finish the first clue before the second comes out. It's not that difficult, or time consuming, I just was attacked by sock yarn.

No. No. Not. Going. There.

See I just started working on my first serious lace after doing lace socks, and you will not lead me to further ruin. I also have a thousand chain stitch crochet project to do (can I say crochet here) and I won't let you get to me.

No, closing my eyes now. Biting my lips. Hummmph.

I have to go now. To the yarn store. Maybe that will help.

ENABLER!!! I've managed to steadfastly ignore MS3 despite friends and family egging me on. I'm starting to waffle now. Just need to hold out 24 hrs....

I initally signed up for it, but the e-mails took over my inbox, so I stepped back and decided that maybe I'll wait for the next one, just maybe. I'll live vicariously through you and the 4,000 others that are knitting this shawl.

DAAAAAAMN IT! I wasn't even remotely interested, even though Ravelry shows that 244 ppl are knitting it.

*sigh* Make that 245. :/

Oh great. Just Greeeaaattt. It isn't bad enough you got me addicted to monkey socks, NOW this?
Geeez!

Janet

"Everyone's doing it! You don't want to miss the fun, do you?" Yeah, that's how I was lured into the world of blogging. Sigh....

On an up note, whatever the design is of that stole-to-be, it for sure is going to be gorgeous!

Haha! Another sucker, I mean, victim, I mean, participant!

This is my first MS, and I'm a bit nervous, too, but it seems like fun so far. Although, that first clue took me a bit more than 1/2 an afternoon! Wow, she's fast!

Warning! it said. I can read, I understand English perfectly. I should know better. But, nooooooo, I had to read Harlot's blog to find out what the warning was about. Like a moth to a candle. I had managed to resist until today.

Now, I'm signed up but I don't have enough of any one kind of laceweight in my stash and no beads. Now, I need to go shopping.

You mean I actually BEAT the Harlot in jumping on a knitting bandwagon???!!!??? *swoon* thump*

(not doing the beads, not, not, not.......)

I saw this shawl on the needles in person Monday night, then I read about it on my friend's blog, then I did it. I joined my first knit along. Never mind I have at least 3 projects going, now I've got this lace stole to knit. Oh well, you're not a knitter if you haven't got at least two wip's on the needles!

I signed up for this weeks ago and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

Just to tip any procrastinators over the edge:

I haven't knitted lace for 10 years and I've never knitted with laceweight before yet *I* haven't been driven insane yet (I'm a woman normally on the edge) AND

You don't have to include beads if it is all too scary for you (I'm not beading) and it still looks divine AND

The first clue so far has involved nothing more scary than "slip one, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over" - that's not frightening at all! AND

You don't have to knit it in laceweight you know. You could just knit it in sock-weight or any other weight - as long as you find a needle size that makes the pattern look fine (the instructions include a swatch to knit to see what your yarn/needle combination looks like) - so size isn't important! You'll just get a bigger stole out of it. AND

If you have any problems there are 4000+ knitters having them right along with you. The support is incredible! AND

Following charts is not hard if you use a highlighter pen (highlight the row you are working on now), post it notes (to cover up rows you've already done) and take your time. AND

You'll get the most beautiful wrap out of this which looks wildly complicated but really wasn't that hard at all and makes you feel like a knitting genius!

Come join us! You know you want to...

I went, I looked, My fingers itched, My eyes twitched. I felt faint, then strong, then faint. I want, I drooled. I AM LEAVING NEXT WEEK TO KYAK JOHNSTONE STRAIT...I cannot knit in a kyak....um well it is a TWO person kyak...D'ya think my kyak partner will notice a little yarn throwing instead of paddle? No, No.....
Must resist...beads? I have never knit with beads...I have never knit lace...this could be a good way to learn...ack get thee behind me...I must not...

What a temptress. She has shown some lovely work that is for sure. Maybe I should be glad that I only know her through her blog. LOL

Well, there is also a certain Harlot that requires a warning note, something like "WARNING: TODAY'S BLOG WILL TAKE YOU LONGER TO READ THAN YOU THINK!"
By the time I've clicked onto all the little links to read about Mystery Wraps and then read the blogs of those people telling about the Mystery Wrap, and any other links in their blogs, while working through the Harlot blog, 2 hours at least has passed!
My hubby wonders what I'm doing with my time and why the lounge looks such a mess.
Would love to take part in the Mystery but need to finish other projects (and tidy the lounge).
Have fun.
Janet MF up in Yellowknife

I am so glad to hear that you will be working on it to! I started it last week and it is so much fun - I LOVE the pattern!

I'm almost ashamed to be happy to report that I will be the sole remaining knitter on the planet who will NOT be knitting MS3. Thankfully, I have a strong aversion to knitting with beads and to laceweight. PHEW! That was close. ;-) Good luck to you all! I do look forward to seeing the results as a sideline observer rather than as a participant this time.

I saw the lovely over at Julia's place too. Thought about it. But now you've put it this way? All challengy and evil and stuff? Now I have to resist just on principle. Just Because I Can.

So there.

Welcome to the dark side Steph. It took three shopping trips for me to find the right wool - glad you could shop the stash! Truth be told I was too lazy to dig through the disaster that is my spare room to find something that would probably be perfect and is just waiting for this project.

Sigh

But I do love a trip (or three) to the yarn store!

I signed up for MS 3 (I keep wanting to call it MST 3K) weeks ago but hadn't committed myself by actually selecting yarn, either from my stash or by purchase, and finding the right beads. I wasn't really sure I wanted to actually knit the shawl, even though I'd taken the first step.

I caved in this morning, buying two skeins of Great Adirondack Sireno (merino/silk fingering weight). As soon as it arrives I'll go over to the bead shop and buy either triangular or square beads for it.

However, I absolutely will not even cast on for MS 3 until I finish the Diamond Fantasy Shawl I'm making right now. It has to be finished in two weeks because the recipient wants to wear it to a wedding. I've only got three of ten pattern repeats done and every row increases in length.

I don't knit lace with lace weight yarn; I use fingering weight (sock) yarn. Life is too short for knitting with lace weight.

Hey, yours is the same color as mine! Cool...

Oh well. The weak (weak, meek, whatever) shall inherit the earth. Embrace the weakness. It all pays off in the end!

You are really evil. EVIL. And I don't think it's coincidence that the very week I go public with my obsession with knitting (the Editor put this headline on it: Confessions of a Needle Freak.) you play upon my weakness/need for a 12 step program to tempt me into THIS?

Evil.

Barb

Yes, if everybody else jumped off the roof I would certainly consider it. I just jumped off the front porch into MS3. I'm blaming you.

OOOOHhhh, you are SO evil. You are just as bad as Ms. Moth, that is for sure!! You are forever leading me (and others) into temptation! I don't know if I can resist this. I don't have any yarn for it, though... and I just bought a TON of yarn on a trip to Europe.... Can't justify. ANd yet....

Forgive my profanity.
You will understand when I tell you I'm 75% finished with Magickal Earth Shawl, about to start a gansey. I did not just call a yarn shop asking if they had beads that would match red yarn.
I did not just think "Oh, I can get the swatch done tonight, and pick the beads up tomorrow"

Damn you for this.
This is like being assimilated by the Borg.
I'm what, 300 of 500?
It makes you the Borg Queen.

" Do not lead me into temptation...I will go willingly myself..."

You are an evil woman! I had managed to resist until today and then you slipped that rabbit hole right under my feet.

Great. First one of my knitting posse tries to get me to do this Mystery Shawl thing. Then some random lady at the LYS yesterday spotted me eyeing the laceweight (I was there for sock yarn, really, it's just . . . the laceweight was so close to the sock yarn that I got momentarily distracted. Yeah, that's it.) Said random lady went on and on about how I absolutely MUST do this mystery shawl thing. Now this. You are the Knitting Borg, people. It's not your fault, I suppose, Resistance Is Futile, but I'm really, really busy and now I have to knit this friggin' mystery stole . . .

ya hadda do it didn't ya?! ya hadda go and make me wanna join in! :)

"You must never give in to temptation."
"Well, someone must or the thing becomes ridiculous."
The Lady's Not for Burning

Don't be so hard on her, when I think about it, I blame you for getting sucked into this lace knitting enterprise.
I had come to an impasse on the Forest Path Stole that I was knitting- you know, the one I started as my Olympic knitting project - the one I thought I could knit in what? 16 days.
Okay, so a year and a half later it's still unfinished.( Look you, this is not a sprint, it's a marathon.)
So while I was pondering my options on the FPS I perused a blog or two and fell victim of the lure of the MS3.
Another stole, you say? When you haven't even finished the other one.
Yeah, well this one has beads AND I have that skein of creamy merino lace weight goodness in my stash, you know the one, the one I bought at The Yellow Dog yarn shop in Eau Claire, WI when I went to see, oh yeah, you.
See, it's all your fault. :)

Denial of culpability and shifting of blame to another party? Oh, fie, Mistress Pearl-McPhee. Fie. Yes. Fie.

Fiefiefiefiefiefie.

Wooo Hooo! Welcome! I am knitting through clue 1 right now!! Welcome - and give this away for Christmas????? Perish the thought - this sucker is going to grace my shoulders!! That's my story and I am sticking to it!! Oh - and I am not sure it is truly being an enabler - maybe it is just encouraging fellow knitters to represent? ;-) Glad you are knitting with us!!

Oh, geez, you made me choke on my baguette. You think I'd learn not to eat dinner while reading you. Tidying up? Choke! You're funny.

You also knit like the wind yourself, if anyone does. So I don't know what you're worried about. You knit in your sleep, right?

OMG! I almost signed up for this on Saturday. I looked, I pondered, I debated. So far I have managed to resist the temptation to sign up. I'm not sure I have the yarn. And beads? Where would I get beads here in rural land?
Christmas is right around the corner and I have much knitting to do.
Is that a reason?

Yeah, thanks alot - not only am I horrendously ill with startitis (10 going on 42) now I'm going to join MS3 - as if I need to knit a shawl which I've never done before. Oh please. Quit giving me your illness! Is there a shot for this somewhere????

Thank you so much for the...warning.

I believe we would call that enabling. You'll be in good company.

I'm glad she conned....um, I mean convinced you to sign up for MS3. It really is a fun pattern so a far and then there are the beads!

Happy Knitting!

Just in case you doubt your own power -- go check the numbers, including me, who have signed on for MS3 since you posted.

Bad Steph! Bad!

evil, Evil, ... EEEEEVIL!!

yeah, I signed up. *sigh* ;)

Yeah, I signed up 6 lines into reading your blog today, signed up, downloaded, added my data, links, etc..then came back to read the rest of your posting. Thanks. Now, I have to find yarn. I don't have any laceweight in stash. Thanks. Shopping time!
you are evil..the best kind of evil...*shushh* don't tell my daughters who are still waiting for multiple baby blankets to be finished.by the end of July...

Good friends are the best enablers :)! Have fun!

Glad you're with us, lemming! Have fun--I sure am!

I signed up too, but can't start knitting until next Monday, as I have to wait to get beads at my favourite bead shop in Ottawa, when I go to visit my parents next week :(
Just have to remember to take my clues and yarn with me!

I signed up the day I read it on her blog which was the day after she announced. I signed up for last year's KAL also and it is still waiting to be finished. I decided as I finished each clue this year I would knit on last year's till it was finished. I have already finished one more chart on one side. BTW, this little Mystery KAL has now shot well over 5000. Heh, Heh, Heh!

Whoa. You've been fied by Franklin. Multiple times.

I heart Franklin.

I am kind of excited to be working on a project with you:) But an afternoon of knitting? I am humbled! :)

DAGNABBIT!!! CUT IT OUT!!!!

...what was that website?...

Cough, cough. I think I'm coming down with something. I think it must be viral!

1/2 an afternoon? 1/2 an afternoon? (Sorry, I'm stuck on that part!) I'm running lifelines on every purl row because it takes me 3 or 4 attempts to get the RS row right every time! I'm on row 36, and the second clue comes out tomorrow! Clearly, this pattern is kicking my arse.

I have never knit a complex lace pattern. I'm having issues thinking that the 158st fishtail lace pattern with a DK weight takes a freaking long time. I signed up just for the damn beads. I'm not sure who I hate more right now, you or me.

Ok now you are in some serious trouble with me... I just received my ravelry invite today and was scoping it out when I saw the bit about the MS3. I clicked on it and thought for a minute about joining since the deadline was quickly approaching and then thought back to all my other WIP that are staring at me sadly. I had to resist. However, a few moments later I decided to check your blog and saw that you joined MS3. I laughed to myself and said f-it one more project won't kill me. I'm a teacher I have loads of free time. You have a million projects and books and tours and kids and you joined. So teammate I wish you luck. I will be casting on in the morning.

Wait, the Harlot is complaining that another person knits like the wind? If I were able to complete projects in even 1/10 the time it takes you to do so, I'd be over the moon. GoodNESS!

I don't know whether I am mad at you and your friend or not. As soon as I saw that bit about everyone having fun without me, I knew I had to hop on this bandwagon. I don't have a swift, but the yarn shop said to bring it in to be wound any time that it wasn't a sale day...a year ago. Looks like that's what I'm doing tomorrow.

while those of us who are sane shall kick back with our monkey socks and let the entertainment begin...

Hi Steph,

Glad you're with us other "weak-willed" knitters who got sucked in by the mention of MS3 on someone's blog. I signed up last week and you don't wan't to know the buzz you have created with your sign up.

By the way, there are as of five minutes ago 5659 members in that KAL. Not too shabby....

Bettina

PS: Since I didn't like waiting for clue two, I'm making two of them.

Oh dear..I have just signed up as well. I don't even know if the laceweight in my stash will be enough (Touch yarns in New Zealand don't bother with telling you the length of their hanks!)

But I am holding out against the beads!

I am doing mine in almost the same exact color! great minds....

Wicked, wicked harlot.

Now look what you made me go and do!

I was all set to stay strong and resist and not sign up, but I guess if Julia jumps off a bridge everyone else has to do it too.

This is one crowded bandwagon you've got here.

don't feel bad. i was sucked in as well. i was reading anne's blog over @ how the west was spun, and saw her take on the MS3. i have been seeing these all over blog land, but have either missed, or blythely ignoring the links. hers leapt out at me. i turned to miss vi for aid & comfort, and to talk me out of it. you know what she told me? you can always do it later, but sign up now, so you get the pattern. pusher. of course, my talking about it, and you talking about it, pushed her over the edge, and she signed up too.

BWAAAAHAAAAHAAAAHAAAA!

Oh NO! I was being so good and resisting this KAL. But I've got the yarn in my stash, so I wouldn't have to actually BUY any more. . . and my bead stash rivals my yarn stash . . . Naughty Harlot, you've got another victim!

Only last week I made a list of all my current knitting projects, some of which I have sorely neglected and look at me with a reproachingly from my basket. When I started reading your entry yesterday evening I was so convinced that I would not start a new project until I had finished the majority of the current projects. But halfway through I remembered that I actually have some yarn I could use. About three quarters through I thought a stole like this would actually make a nice present for my grandmother, who turns 80 this fall. I also remembered how much I like knitting lace. So, like so many others who commented here, I signed up, despite my plans. And this morning I woke up all excited about this new project. Thank you for making me join, you are the best! Now if only I could find a way to knit during work. Any suggestions?

Damn it! Laceweight,check. No. 8 seed beads that compliment the laceweight. Check. Swift and ball winder to wind all freaking 1350 yards of the @*(#&%! laceweight. Check. 80 new MS3 emails in my in box? Check. Check. Check. Check. Check, etc.

Did I mention I was really busy right now? You owe me some chocolate covered coffee beans, lady.

P.P.P.P.P.S., given the suggested color scheme, I think it is an Arachne stole . . . there will be a spider, or a web, or both. As an admirer of those with the gumption to challenge the gods, I kind of like the idea.

You deserved this. And you know ~exactly~ why, too.

Bicth.

I was trying to put myself on the finishitis mode this week. Yes ambitious,but nevertheless determined.Hat check,a pair of socks check,handbag(even lined it)check. I had my travel scarf which has some lacework( which I knew I wasn't going to get done this, plus I like to have it for long car trips), and Vickie Howell's Rosie posies make-up bag pattern left, smooth light knitting nothing to keep me up all hours of the night. I could get my husband retirement party invites out and finish up the plans and shopping for his party. Yep I was on a roll.Feeling pretty good ,then I hear about MS3 nope nothing until the party is over,then I read about the MS3, nope party must come first,I leave I come back take another look at your pictures.Well it couldn't hurt to join I can go at my own speed,even if I have to knit catch up after the party,nope when down the hole..actually got sucked in like vacuum. Never done anything like this before and I just couldn't resist.Now I'm shopping for supplies and they aren't party supplies.Oops have to get those tomorrow:D

Ah yes, I gave in to the lure of it the first time I heard of it's existence. I have yarn (beautiful yarn and lots of it!), I have beads (three colours, just so I choose the right one), I have the pattern (well clue 1 anyway). What I do not have is a crochet hook small enough to get the damn beads on. Drat!

Hello Stephanie,

I read you everyday from Belgium, big fan of your books too. I knew that if you started your message by: "be warned" I should be, well...careful! I read it and frantically looked at the date, relief, we are still July 6 and even though it is later here than in Canada I have the time...and of course I did join the knitalong :-) All right after all I was warned, but I think as it is raining here too it's a tiny bit devious.

You are evil.

The beads must have blinded me.

In defense of enablers,

Are we not people too? Do we not enrich and expand your knitting life? If you stab us with pointy sticks do we not bleed? Dare I say, Can't we just all Knit along?

Vicki a Mystery stole drone

I will kill you, woman. I signed up although I do not like lace, I do not like stoles and I have a very bad attitude to beads. But, I cannot miss the fun.
Speaking of knitting from stash, I guess I do not have the proper yarn and I'm broke.
And I'm finishing off my thesis and I have hardly any time to blog, not speaking of knitting.
But I decided that I cannot miss the fun either.
It's all your fault:D or.. should I have been warned?

Uh Huh....my enabler is Stashaolic. Sends me this link and says "what do you mean you are not yet doing this?" And I say, "but I already have 3 lace weights on the needles" and she says "yeah? so?...You know you want to"(with eveil grin) and I say "FINE....but you get to field the endless discussions over pints of Keith's with me" and she says "fair enough" (again with the evil, enabling grin). gotta love friends.

I feel your "pain"

I'm with everyone else - I had resisted - I had more than enough to do this summer without trying this. Then I saw your start, and now somehow I'm signed up.

I am really pleased to report that I had already signed up for the Mystery Stole before I read your blog. Otherwise, I might be accused of caving to peer pressure. However, I have not committed to the beads yet. I am about to do the Diamond Fantasy Shawl from Sivia Harding, and the mystery stole will have to wait. On the plus side, that means that I will see everyone else's before I start mine!
Katherine

Oh, poop. Just TWIST my arm until I join. Ouch. Ouch. ;) I don't think I have enough lace weight yarn in my stash. But I just signed up so I guess I'll have to go yarn shopping. Darn.

Friends tell me I should meet more people, make new friends. Now I can say that I am! W00t!

Oh, man. That's rough. I signed up myself a couple weeks ago, but I don't already have the yarn or beads for it in my stash, and since signing up, I have been too busy to even go near the LYS, much less pick some yarn and swatch and start knitting. Sigh. Maybe I'll have time to play catch-up in August?

I'm currently trying to shrink my stash, so of course I signed on. However, I don't actually own any laceweight yarn. At all. Not even a smidge.

Anyone have any ideas on how to procure 1200 yards of laceweight yarn in charcoal without spending any money? Would it be wrong to use the money my in-laws are planning to give us as a wedding present on yarn? (Yarn can be a present, yes?)

PS: Wish me luck - I meet the in-laws for the first time tomorrow and I feel as if I'm going to throw up on them!

Careful though- somehow I managed to get ALL the group emails sent to MY email address. It's a lot.

Ummm...well. Would you believe me, if I said that I am not laughing at you?? Naaa..I guess not, so I won't even try to say that!!*LOL* I guess you feel some kind of busted...the MS3 got you, right in their "hands"!!*GRIN*

Too late. I was already infected.

Um...is there supposed to be a row of beads up the center stitch as well, or am I mental?

I have been known read patterns entirely wrong sometimes, and also skip over important instructions to get to the "string and needles in my hand" part, so I'm just checking to see if I'm f*cking things up royally. :)

ONE OF US
ONE OF US

It's about damn time you started this. I can't believe *I* signed up for something like this before *you* did.

ONE OF US
ONE OF US

yeah? well, it is your fault that i signed up. your blog directed me to another site where i started reading about this.... and i had the exact conversation that you had with Julia - except i was talking to myself. one of us won. i am not sure which...

Count me into the dirty pool. I too hate it when people have fun without me. Now to pick a color, choose between merino and alpaca/silk yarn, and find some beads.

Bad Harlot, you have lead me astray once more! At least I can get started on holiday knitting though...

I really, really didn't need another project! Now look what you've done to me! On top of signing up, I didn't have lace yarn that I wanted to use for this, so of course I had to order more!

I fell.

Thanks! :)

Curses!! Foiled again!! Ok, so I just happen to have at least 1200 yds of lace weight laying around (oh yeah, it's that stash thing) and and the right size needles, and ... I needn't go on...it's not pretty.

It's going to be a lovely stole, no?

Your stole looks beautiful! I can't wait to see the progress. I signed up for MS3, but I've never done lace or beads, so I'm just saving the clues for when I get a little more daring!

Hilarious!
Who are we though, really, without our yarn enabling friends?

Early in the comments, I posted the reasons why I could not join in, and I wished you all well. A mystery friend named Jill emailed me with enough comforting information that I am now signed on for what I said I couldn't sign on for. (And I'm not even upset. Crazy, but not upset.) Thanks, Jill!!!
~ Dar

I was trying to AVOID this one, but if the Harlot is in, I'm jumping in too (I have that wonderful malabrigo I've just been saving for a project).

Okay I signed up. I haunted the mystery shawl blog last weekend. After reading your blog yesterday, my knitting needles weakened and now (sigh) I have cast on for yet another project.

I have explained to the family who thinks they are going to die one day in an avalanche of yarn that this is a project I'm going to finish. So far they're not believing any of it.

It's nice to see you fall like the rest of us! Thanks for joining! I joined mid-June and I can't believe how big the group is getting.

Based on the number of posts I saw on the list saying they were joining because they saw it here (much like myself--but I merely lurk)... You are in /so/ much trouble, missy! :-)

I've never completed a lace project. I've started a couple and been frustrated by them. (not that lace is beyond my knitting abilities, I can do it, I just haven't found a way to really enjoy it yet)

I have now signed up for this. I am powerless to resist! I'm thinking the mystery aspect of it will keep it fun for me.

I wonder if I have enough laceweight in the stash somewhere... Although I did get a 25% off coupon for one of the LYSs in the area. I may have to go shopping tomorrow!

Oh, you people are so evil. I have 3 shawls worth of lace weight ready to go, but was holding out until I finished Rogue and a Swedish design AND a quilt for Pete's sake! And there you are...dangling a stole in front of me. The only thing holding me back is that 1 batch of laceweight is navy blue (too dark?) one is white (too light?) and the other (grey) probably doesn't have enough yarn (although I could pick up more.....) Bad bad knitters!

Must go sit and meditate now, as I am having problems with right thoughts here.

(Oh, and Dagny - if that's the Webs alpaca/silk - it knits up like a dream for a stole or shawl......if I still had that available I so would have fallen for this evil ploy)

Fie on you. I tried to worm my way out of this one. I have multicolored lace weight lying around. Three different colorways. (Yes, I am from the US. Why do you ask?) And 1650 yards of a deep rich red from Lacey Lamb. But it isn't black. Or white. Or cream. Or grey. But it is sitting right here.

Beads? Why would I use beads? But they might set of this totally inappropriate red yarn really nicely. I wonder what color I might fall in love with.

I'd stay here and complain some more but there is still time to get to the bead store.

ENABLER !!!

keep the teeny tiny crochet hook as long as you like.

i love knowing that you need a crochet hook for this project.

......that why I can't make it, the harlot is messing with my hook.

( that sounds so dirty eh?)

Oh no! I think I just got sucked into the vortex as well... but I'm pulling a few more people in with me! Aughhhhhhhhhh! Weeeeeeeee!

...oh dear, I just signed up and ordered yarn.

Granted, I had about the mental resistance of a wet tissue. This sounds COOL.

Ummm.... yeah- when people ask me what I'm knitting... I have to say "I don't know" That, my knitter dears, is a first.

Looks yum. I'm out of town.. my stole is at home (afraid of car knitting when everyrow has a new pattern... no real repeats so far) but- I brought my lap top and downloaded clue 2.. I have issues. That's for sure;)

And now- so do you.

I am a weak weak woman....
first the tulip baby sweater kit, and now this......

just call me a sheep...
BAAAAAAH

Yay, what a fun idea. I signed up, mentally chose yarn from my stash (to start right away), ordered more yarn from red bird knits (for the colour I really wanted) and went out for beads within an hour of reading your post.

Now I just have to wait until I get home after work to get started!

Of course, reisters could just sign up, there's no obligation to start right away...

Ok. Red beads with black centers. That as close as I'm going to get to following directions.

You Harlot, you!!!!!!!!!!!

You got me hooked on MS3, despite all my attempts at resistance. You are evil!!!!!!!!!

I think there is some sort of mass hypnosis going on here and you have propogated it.

Must

Knit

Mystery

Stole . . .

I am feverishly spinning the yarn for this project myself and just went to Yarn and Fiber Co. this afternoon to chat and buy the beads. But I blame SeedStich Cheryl! Evil, evil women.

Welcome to the fold! I like your sage green choice, and it's going to look spectacular.

Cheers,
Miss Knotty

well. you are a pernicious influence. if nothing else.
and when i checked my email and had 274 new messages, i had a brief glimpse of what your box must look like every day.

dana

Dear Harlot,

If it weren't that you think of this blog as your living room, where we are all guests, I might be calling you all sorts of wicked names right now.

I'd seen a few postings about the Mystery Stole. But what do I need with that? I already had three shawls, including Snowdrop, in progress. There isn't much of summer left for me to fulfill my knitting goals, so I didn't need to add to the list.

But you HAD to post about the MS3. And you HAD to make it sound like fun.

So I gave in to temptation and joined. This is not the bad part.

I didn't have any laceweight yarn, so I had to shop. By delightful/terrible coincidence, my LYS is celebrating its 4th anniversary this weekend with a surprise sale.

So now I have my laceweight yarn. And the yarn for a new sweater. And yarn for three pairs of socks. And a new magazine.

You, madam, are an enabler. I'm sure I'll thank you when it's over.

You know, between you and Lime and Violet, I'll be lucky if I can feed this new baby I'm agrowin' inside my belly. Ah, well -- at least we'll be warm.

EVIL TEMPTRESS!!!!! It is wrong that you should have such power over my already feeble and fanatically devoted mind....this means I'm in.

That's it -- suck me in with you! I just finished cleaning up my craft room, somewhat appalled at the amount of yarn I own, and next thing I know I'm ordering 1200 yards of lace weight and some new Addi lace needles. And I don't even know what I'm going to be knitting with them. Clearly I have no resistance.

You are evil evil evil. And it's appreciated. *grin*

I found out that you're only 2 people away from me. One of the women in your knitting group is friends with a friend of mine that moved here to the NL from Thunder Bay. My friend really appreciated your Canada Day post. And I appreciate your enabling, and justification for my 193 KMs of cobweb weight yarn, the knitting machine in my living room and the fact that I hide yarn in my coffee table. When my husband complains, I tell him it's yarn or cabbages.

So, uhm yeah, I'm in. Going to pick up beads Monday when the yarn store opens.

Okay I caved. It's beads! And peer pressure. but I'm doing it in style, Sea Silk in Midnight with deep amethyst beads.

I have similar friends. :-) But we love them dearly, don't we. Your choice of colors will make a gorgeous stole. Happy lacing!

And I, of course, find out about this thing TODAY. TOO late to sign up.

Darn...

I, too, found out too late to sign up. And I do have a large skein of hand-dyes lace weight yarn just languishing in my stash, crying out for the perfect project. Oh, woe is me. Woe is my yarn!

Knitbunnie

Wow! I can't believe what an incredible job you did of coercing the masses. Over 6000 knitters strong on this project. I for one can't stop knitting so I can try to guess the theme of the shawl--and it was a stash buster. What could be wrong...other than the fact that I feel just slightly obsessed;)

Oh, I fell into this trap so willingly myself. And am so happy to read how many new people have just started since I was far too busy to begin.

ONE AFTERNOON?! for clue 1? Knits like the wind seems an apt metaphor in her case.

LOVELY!!! I dare not click your links in your post.

*mouse creeps towards them*

~gyl

You know I was completely unaware of Mystery Shawl 3 until you mentioned it. And now I've also signed to this madness. I don't want to think how many people you've enabled with this post it.

Of course I've had to buy yarn and I can only buy yarn online. Do you know how much fun I had trying to find the perfect yarn as apperently your post caused increased orders?

You certainly have an effect on the knitting world.

You know that Warning at the top there...? should be MUCH LARGER. It's festival season, I have no weekends to call my own until September 15th, and now I'm knitting a mystery shawl. I'm not doing the beads though...

This is too mean! I'm a nurse (and a bit clueless) and could not read your blog until today. So, while I was busy delivering MANY babies this weekend, the deadline came and passed, and I (Angel Of Mercy that I am) did not get to sign up for the fun. I am sad, but don't cry for me...

I'm so glad you're doing this too! I signed up despite having a few other lace projects on the needles. I really like how it looks so far. Plus this is my first beading project, and it's opened up a whole new world!

hey sis tis ya wacky online bro lol omg i cant believe just how obsesessed with knitting you arE but your like gone way goen ahamburger and fries SHORT of a happy meal lol