Category Archives: Shawls

Wishful Knitting: Golden Skein Yarns

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Like any other knitter with a stash, I have some skeins that I would consider “golden skeins” or just too precious to use without just the perfectly suited pattern. For me this is definitely some Hedgehog Fibers Merino DK skeins I have tucked away.

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I have two skeins of Ink (blue) and one skein of Salty Tales (grey speckle). I purchased these wanting someday to make a nice big squishy DK weight shawl in two colors. But I keep having analysis paralysis when it comes to pairing them with the perfect pattern. So today for my “wishful knitting” post I’m going to audition a potential pattern.

I found the Touchstone by Laura Aylor on Ravelry. It’s a asymmetric triangle shaped shawl that uses about same amount of yardage I have on hand. It appears to be squishy garter stitch and lovely eyelets. That’s right up my baby hormone addled brain right now. And a DK weight shawl should work up waaaay faster than a fingering weight one. The pattern is written to use all one color but since I have two I think I would do the garter in the Salty Tales and the Eyelets in the Ink color. I’m not sure how that work work out as far as yarn management goes. But hey, this is wishful knitting and I can do what I want!

My inner mommy also thinks that I should consider making PB a sweater in this as it would go with her beautiful blue eyes…..but I’m not sure I’m ready to give PB Hedgehog yarn until I know how much she will chew on it and spit up on it. I may not be that selfless of a mom….

Happy Knitting!!

Wishful Knitting: Sock Blank Projects

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I have found myself with a surge of knitting mojo juxtaposed with my impending return to work. (With PB in tow I might add. She was approved for the infant at work program at my job.) This has left me with all kinds of project yearnings and no time really to properly sort them all out or work on them.

My recent mental obsession has revolved around sock blanks. I have three in my stash and yet never worked a project out of any of them. That’s just a crying shame. So I pulled the shiniest blank from my stash and lovingly admired it and started wishful knitting.

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This is a blank from Nicki’s Knots in Woodland Park, CO. This was vacation yarn acquired many moons ago. When I purchased it the yarn shop owner (and dyer) gave me a free pattern to go with this blank. I think it was a special one off pattern for a yarn crawl or something. It’s not on Ravelry but it is buried in my email somewhere. I really think my next shawl should be out of this blank. The question is do I work the pattern that was written with this yarn in mind or find a different one….so much wishful knitting…

FO Friday: Easy Goes It

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My Easy Goes It shawl is blocked and end woven in. This baby is DONE!

Pattern: Easy Goes It by Finicky Creations

Yarn: Neighborhood Fiber Company Rustic Fingering in Easterwood color

Needles: US 7s

Mods: See Ravelry page

It’s a nice asymmetrical scarf type of shawl. And my pattern mods made it even longer. This should be super cozy this winter wrapped around my frozen neck. My needles did turn blue working on this project. But I never had dye on my fingers and I didn’t get any to let loose during soaking/blocking. Very curious but I’m glad it didn’t bleed.

This project is definitely a selfish keeper for my shawl drawer. I had toyed with giving it away to my sister but I couldn’t part with this beauty. Have you ever changed your mind like that?

Happy Knitting!!

Easy Blocking

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I made it! My Easy Goes It shawl is blocking!

I chickened out at 7 grams left and bound off. You can see my pattern additions along the right side of the photo. I did 14 or so garter bumps then two a single repeat of eyelets before binding off. I am supremely happy. And I even busted out my blocking wires and gave this puppy a good stretch! My inside curve needs work as it has a few scalloping bits. But a mother of two young children can not afford to be too fussy.

I’m hoping to grab some FO photos tonight if this thing is dry! Yay for Kansas summer heat!

Happy Knitting!!

Easy Goes It…Plus Some

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The middle of last week I reached the end of the pattern instructions for my Easy Goes It shawl. I still had a ton of yarn left as the put up on my skein was bigger than the pattern called for yarn. (And I was even using a size 7 US needle instead of the pattern recommended US 6 to make my gauge bigger.)  What is a knitter to do? I didn’t want to bind off and leave so much unused.

Well, I put on my big girl undies and decided to extend the pattern. I am going to work another garter section and weigh my yarn as I go. When I get down to a few grams left I think I will add a short eyelet section before binding off in the pattern recommended manner. I will save just a teeny bit of yarn for my scrap blanket but otherwise I plan to play yarn chicken as best I can. This singles yarn is too yummy to sit in my leftovers.

I’m a few garter bumps in and my yarn is shrinking. I think a good nap knitting session today and post-bedtime session tonight should see me to the rest of my yarn….fingers crossed.

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Antarktis

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My Antarktis is done, blocked and photographed! A minor miracle considering I am also nursing a bottomless pit who gains 2 oz a day and keeping my house (somewhat) clean.

Pattern: Antarktis by Janina Kallio

Yarn: KnitCircus Trampoline in the Needle in a Haystack impressionist gradient

Needles: US 7

I tried to use my blocking wires from Christmas and I confess that I was rushing due to crying children. So this is not blocked the best. But I got the eyelets to open up just a enough and got the shawl to a nice wearable size.

I really liked this pattern. It was well written and the different sections really broke it up into manageable pieces. And the stitch counts REALLY helped this sleep deprived momma make sure she was not veering off course to far. I found myself reaching for this project every time I had a free moment or two. And the rows really never got so long that they were interminable.

I really have the shawl itch and I need to cast on some sort of garter gorgeousness to fill this project hole that just opened up!

Happy Knitting!!

Antarktis Update

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This shawl was my Mother’s Day cast on for 2018. It’s the Antarktis by Janina Kallio in KnitCircus Trampoline base in the Needle in Haystack impressionist gradient.

I’m in the last section of lace and after that it’s just a lace border and BAM I’m done! I’m on track to have enough yarn to finish this project as written. Which is super exciting to get a full skein out of my stash.

I have an almost four week old baby. So I hear you ask, how could I possibly be getting any knitting done? This project has seen some action mostly because my house is has been full of guests willing to hold PB while I cook or knit. I’m grateful for the knitting time but I’m kinda also getting itchy about getting my house back to myself. I guess this world is all about balance and choices, lol. Maybe when all the guests are gone I will miss my knitting time?

In the  meantime…I’m going to look forward to a beautiful finished shawl! Happy Knitting!!

Mother’s Day Cast On

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In addition to a nice Mother’s Day celebration, Jellybean and the Hubby gave me a little breathing space to knit!

I had pulled my skein of KnitCircus Trampoline in the Needle in a Haystack impressionist gradient from my stash. I had a TON of pattern indecision on this one. I wanted a single skein shawl to show off the hand painted yarn but I also needed it be to be simple and beautiful. I finally settled on Antarktis by Janina Kallio. Several other knitters have used similar Knitcircus yarns for this pattern with great results!

In a single day I managed to get through four pattern sections! This pattern uses garter sections, eyelet stripes and eyelet mesh for a beautiful asymmetric triangle shape. Given the state of my brain, I went ahead and threaded in a lifeline after the eyelet lace section…just in case. And then I had Jellybean take a photo with me and my Mother’s Day project for posterity.

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He really needed the skeleton army guy with the ax to be in the photo too. Please excuse the crazed look on my face I was trying not to bust up laughing. But he loves “mommy’s knitting” and this is definitely one memory I won’t forget!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Mother-Of-All Shawl

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This is one of the last project/yarn combos I put together waaaay back in August to prepare for the Pigskin Party KAL. This is the MOA Shawl by Nick Davis using my MJ Yarns Simple Sock in the Mice and Men color.

I haven’t been getting a lot of knitting time lately and I’ve gotten in a bit of funk. Nothing in my WIPs *sounded* like fun. So I started this baby on annual personal day off of work to celebrate my birthday.

I’m two full repeats into the very easy pattern. I’m finding the variegated yarn is playing nicely with the pattern. This yarn will need a good blocking as this project just likes to kink back on itself like CRAZY! You see my fingers in the  photo because that’s the only way I could showcase the pattern!

Honestly I don’t know what I will wear this shawl with as my closet leans green and blue. But it’s just so pretty I’ll have to find something. Or else it will be my snoodling up shawl at my bedside!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Be Simple Shawl

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I finished my Jay Jay shawl last week and my fingers were still itching for some shawl knitting. In my project bin of prepped projects I had the yarn caked for the Be Simple Variations by Carolyn Glauz-Todrank. So I started my needles clicking and I have this…

This is some 3+ year old stash of Cloudlover Yarn and Fiber sock yarn. It’s superwash Merino and nylon blend in their Copacabana colorway. It’s a highly variegated teal, orange, brown and purple. I have to be honest…..I’m not loving the yarn and pattern combo. I love the intuitiveness of the pattern. I just hate the colors as a shawl to wear around my face. They just aren’t me. I am thinking this yarn would be better served as socks that go inside shoes….

I have put this yarn into hibernation/time out to think about what I want to do. Any thoughts from the viewers?