Felt Like Knitting

Boneyard Prayer Shawl

         

When I joined the 12 Shawls in 2012 Ravelry group, I read that I would need to make two shawls that used at least 546 yards of yarn.  Prayer shawls can be fairly big so I hoped that a prayer shawl would satisfy that requirement.

I looked in my stash and found some leftover acrylic yarn.  If a prayer shawl is not going to a specific person, I make it from acrylic for easy care.  (If I know someone will take care of it, I make it out of other yarns.)

I weighed, weighed again, and weighed some more as I made this shawl.  It seemed like I could make it to the required yardage but I wasn't sure if the colors would end in the right spots.  Would I be able to end at the right spot and use enough purple?  How many rows of green could I knit before needing to bind off?  How much yarn would the bind off take?

It all worked out.  The shawl uses 548 yards of yarn and has the right amounts of purple and green.  And it used up just about all of my yarn, too!

WIP Wednesday - shawl and socks



I do have some other things I need to get knitted, but this weekend I started two new projects:  the Rosaleen Shawl and Sunrise Socks.

The shawl is for a friend.  I had made her a scarf a long time ago but never sent it.  During my cleaning, I found it but unfortunately the moths had found it, too.  I think this new project will be more to her liking anyway.  I know she loves this color!  (It's called Papaya and isn't as red as it looks in the photo.)

And the socks are for me!  Two of my students want to knit socks and I think the Sunrise pattern may be a good one for them to knit.  It's for sizes small through extra large which is not common for a sock pattern.  And it's toe up so they can easily customize the socks to their feet.  I'd like to get one sock mostly completed by Saturday's class then use the other sock to demonstrate how to make the project.  I love that the yarn looks like a sunrise!

What are you knitting these days?

Audrey's Pompon Beret

One of the goals I mentioned for 2012 was getting together more often with my knitting friends.  That has happened a little, but what has happened more is getting together with my non-knitting friends.  I don't know about you, but when life gets busy I don't take time like I should to be with my friends.  So I've been fixing that!

Last week I met Molly for coffee.  I first met Molly several years ago when she was teaching English at my daughter's school.  Then we got to know each other better through couponing.  Now we're just plain ole friends.  Last week's meeting was special because I got to meet her daughter, Audrey.

Audrey is ADORABLE!  She is such a cute little girl and is probably the most contented 6 month old I've ever met.  Molly and I talked for about an hour and a half and Audrey was content until the very end when her eyes were drooping.  Nap time!

I couldn't resist knitting something for Audrey but I didn't have a lot of time.  So I chose Debbie Bliss's Pompon Beret.  Notes on sizing are on my Ravelry page and instructions for the crocheted flower can be found at Never Not Knitting.  I love knitting with that Cashmerino Aran!

Molly and I decided to not let too many months go by before we get together again.  Life flies by and before we know it, Audrey will want to run around Starbucks instead of sitting to chat.  I guess we'll have to move our get-togethers to the park!

 

Tinking Villemo

"Tinking Villemo" sounds like the name of a movie or something...  I was within 45 rows of completing this shawl when I noticed that something wasn't right.  I was already at the number of stitches I needed for the last point but I still had three points left to knit.

So I compared the width and this end was much narrower than the other end.  So I ripped back to the place where both ends were the same width then tinked back to a row I could recognize.  

It's back on the needles and ready to go but unfortunately I've lost some steam on this project and haven't picked it up since I ripped it out yesterday.  I really want to wear it though so I have to start knitting again!  Note to self:  Do not knit and watch Downton Abbey at the same time.  Apparently it's too easy to get caught up in the show and start knitting two together willy-nilly!

 

My little big kid

My daughter got her license recently and I have to tell you it is a really weird feeling to have her out and about on her own.  I've never had a problem with her being out with friends or whatever but one of us always dropped her off and picked her up.  And I want her to be independent...it just feels strange.

So how could my grown up girl want this?

Emma wanted a hat with ear flaps so I'm using Thorpe and adding the features of the other hat.  I feel like this project has been going forever because I haven't worked on it much.  Maybe I can finish it up this weekend while she's out driving around.  :)

Happy knitting!

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things You Want to Knit this Fall/Winter

Hello everyone!  What better way to jump back into blogging than to talk about what I want to knit?

Right now I'm on the sleeves of Vonica so I'll count that as my first item.  It will be so nice to have a new sweater to wear when it turns cool.

Having success with Vonica makes me want to knit more sweaters!  Maybe one or two of the following?

Breezy Cardigan or Effortless Cardigan

Evendim (love that collar!)

Eadon (love!)

Crane Creek (but without the pockets) 

Daedalus (maybe...still thinking about it)

or maybe an accessory...

Aestlight Shawl (have the yarn picked out)

Echo Reversible Drop-Stitch Mobius (I think it looks fun.)

Plover (cute hat)

What do you want to knit?

Ten on Tuesday

WIP Wednesday - Summer Flies

I couldn't keep my hands off that Manos and I just had to start Summer Flies.  These colors are beautiful and I never want to put it down.  Unfortunately, I'm off by a stitch and may need to do some tinking.

I had looked for a third colorway when I bought this yarn but there wasn't one available.  Hopefully it will turn out okay just using two colorways.  I wish I could show you the shop samples at Cast-on Cottage.  The three colors in each shawl go together so well!

Here is my original Summer Flies with Koigu.  I liked the colors together in the skein but not together when knitted.  And I think it would look better in this shawl to not have the solid yarn with the multi.  But the Koigu won't go to waste!  

Abyssal

I finished Abyssal last week.  The Ultra Alpaca Fine is really soft and I like the color a lot.  But I'm not sure how to wear this shawl.  I don't think it's quite long enough to wear like a scarf (with the center of the shawl on my chest and the ends wrapped around and hanging down in front).  And when I try to wear it on my shoulders like this, the feather and fan motif curls up.  It does fit will when I have it on both shoulders with the ends in front so I may wear it that way.

And here's a shot of Pettine after it was blocked.  I really like this shawl, too - especially the edging.

Currently my LYS is having a KAL to knit Summer Flies.  The shop samples are knit with alternating colorways of variegated yarn and they look really great!  I want to knit it in some leftover sock yarn I have from the Chevron Scarf.  But for the KAL I bought some Koigu KPPPM.  (Photos coming later this week...)

Next I would like to knit a narrow shawl/scarf to wrap around my neck with the ends hanging in front.  Any ideas?

FO Friday - Pettine!

Pettine is finally finished!  I started knitting this with Mary last fall.  At first, we were very faithful about knitting only this when we met.  But then one of us had a knitting deadline and so on...  Pretty soon both shawls were tucked away.  But I got this out a few weeks ago and now it's done.  Trump looks like he's not so sure about being a model, doesn't he?

I liked this pattern and it's my first side-to-side shawl.  There is a mistake in my knitting somewhere because I ended up with 10 stitches at the final decrease instead of 11.  And I appear to have one extra border section on one side.  But it will be fine and I am NOT going to go back and figure out my mistake.

And I liked the yarn - Malabrigo Sock in the Archangel colorway.  The only thing I don't like is that this yarn looks yucky in fluorescent light.  Seriously.  It is like a sunrise when it's in natural light.  So. Very. Beautiful.  But in fluorescent light?  Blech.  Dull purple.  Guess I will only be wearing my shawl outside.  :)

Time to give it a soak!  If I can get this pinned out today, I can wear it to my knitting class tomorrow.  But class is inside.  What will I do?!

WIP Wednesday - Abyssal and Sassymetrical

I have two projects currently getting knitting time - a shawl and a sweater.

Abyssal

This is a feather and fan crescent shaped shawl/scarf that I'm knitting from Berocco Ultra Alpaca Fine.  I like how light and airy it is.  I'm knitting this with opportunityknits - a friend I made through a fabric swap several years ago (hosted by Iris).  She posted about her shawl yesterday so you can see her beautiful project.

This was getting a lot of attention during the earthquake/tsunami coverage.  Then I needed to finish a lap blanket for someone and I started a sweater.  It's amazing how easy it is to put something aside and forget to work on it!

Sassymetrical

I rarely knit sweaters because:

1.  I don't want to knit them for my current size since I am not happy with my size.  And even though I'm losing weight I still don't want to put time into a sweater I may not get to wear.

2.  It takes more yarn to knit for the size I am now.  There are so many beautiful yarns to turn into sweaters but I don't want to use Emma's college fund to buy them.

3.  I couldn't find the "perfect" sweater.

Well, I found the Sassymetrical sweater pattern and decided to just jump in .  This sweater should be fine because it's rather adjustable depending on how it's worn.  And I already had the yarn (Classic Elite Premiere).  I really have nothing to lose and I'm excited to be knitting it.  I hope to have enough yarn to lengthen the body and the sleeves.

What are you knitting these days?