WIP Wednesday - Test knitting Alma Ella shawl

I meant to blog on Monday...and on Tuesday...and now I am finally getting to it on Wednesday.  I have two test knitting projects to show you and something exciting to share.

Test Knit #1:  Zackenbarsch Prayer Shawl - This is the zigzag shawl I showed a while back that had the yarn bleeding problem.  

 

This is a great prayer shawl pattern because it's easy to memorize the pattern, leaving the knitter free to pray or meditate.  This also makes it a good TV watching project.  :)  And the color changes were fun.  It took me longer to knit this than it should have because I forgot it was a test knit.  I started thinking of it as a prayer shawl and not a test knitting prayer shawl.  Fortunately Chris wasn't in a hurry for it!

Following greetingart's advice, I used Oxi Clean to get the stains out.  I have to say it worked pretty well.  I bought an Oxi Clean gel stick and used the entire thing to pretreat the stains.  Then I dissolved powdered Oxi Clean (compliments of Mary - thanks!) in water in a five gallon bucket.  I put the pretreated shawl in the water and put a plate on top to keep the shawl immersed.  After several days I took it out and washed it with a Color Catcher sheet.  While the excess dye is definitely more faded, the whole shawl has a bit of a blue tinge to it now.  I think if I soaked it again it may come out even more but I've decided to keep it for myself and use it the way it is.  

Test Knit #2:  Alma Ella Shawl - This is a shawl designed by Robin at selects wool and flax.  Have you seen this shawl on Ravelry?  It's been favorited more than 650 times and is in a ton of queues already!  The pattern is set to be released in early October.

 

It's such a pretty shawl and I'm enjoying knitting it.  It's a shawl that you cast on all the stitches at once so it's getting smaller and smaller as I knit.  I love that!!!  And the lace border is so pretty.  I'm knitting this in Dream in Color Smooshy in the Shiny Moss colorway.  Robin graciously supplied this yarn to me for the project.  Wasn't that so nice of her?!  Thank you, Robin!  I'm alternating the skeins since the two skeins are dyed slightly differently.  The colors are beautiful (truer in the second photo) and this yarn is so nice to knit with.

Now for my exciting news...I've been asked to teach a beginner knitting class at my LYS!  I am really, really looking forward to this!  Everyone at Cast-on Cottage is very nice and helpful and it will be fun to teach there.  I'll start in October.  Thanks for this opportunity, Theresa! 

Time for some more shawl knitting!  Have a great night, everyone!

Comments

[Mary]

I'm so glad the zig zags aren't spotted blue anymore! (and really, from these photos, I didn't even see a blue tinge)

Congrats on the teaching opportunity - I know you're going to do GREAT!

[Sheri]

That will be such great fun! I've only been to Cast on Cottage once but I loved it. Sounds like you'll be busy, between guitar and knitting classes! Have a blast!!
Sheri

[Robin]

I didn't see the blue tinge either ~ the shawl looks lovely!

Glad you're enjoying the test knit ~ too exciting!

And how wonderful to be teaching at yout LYS ~ yay!

[greetingarts]

Oh, yay! It looks great, and you are going to be an awesome teacher! How exciting.

[Carole]

I'm glad the color mostly came out of the zig zag shawl - you really can't tell it's there at all in the photos. Love the one you are test knitting and that green is gorgeous. And congrats on teaching at your LYS. You will be awesome!

[lydia]

love the green shawl and congrats on the knitting class. it's wonderful to be able to pass your knitting skills onto other.

[Pooch]

Congrats on your teaching job! Sounds like something you'll truly enjoy! Love the shade of green for the shawl. A project that decreases in stitches as you is a fun knit!!

:)

[Ruth]

The shawls are beautiful. Congrats on being asked to teach at your LYS sounds like it will be great fun.

I would be in danger of spending my pay check in the store if I had a job like that :)