I finally got my shawl mojo going. I freely admit I had to start this thing like three times before I got it right. I think I’m in the rhythm now (fingers crossed).
The yarn is pretty slippery on my needles so it’s not travel knitting. It’s been living on my bedside table and getting a few stitches here and there. I’m dipping my toe in slowly to this whole lace/shawl knitting. It actually soothing in a way.
What do you find soothing?
Happy FO Friday! I have finished my Everlasting Bagstopper!!
The knitting was really really fast. Just about a week of evenings and one weekend. The pattern is easily memorized. Here are the details:
Pattern: Everlasting Bagstopper
Yarn: Lily Sugar N Cream Cotton in yellow
Needles: US 5 and US 10 1/2
Straps: I picked up some yellow grosgrain ribbon with white polka dots as I had no desire to knit straps, lol.
I used approximately 266.4 yards or 155 grams. This was about 2.2 skeins of yarn. I have oodles of this cotton hanging out in my stash and this was a GREAT stash-busting project! This would be a pattern I’d definitely repeat, especially for a quick gift knit.
Happy Friday!
Time to come clean….
Remember this?
Yep this if Florelei shawl in Cascade Sunseeker yarn or my Stashbustin’ #22. I started this waaaay back here. Then I filled you in my all my progress here.
Well, I feel obligated to inform you that it still looks like this. This pattern is great but represents a serious skills challenge for this shawl chart newbie. This summer has just been so packed with fun and activity I haven’t had the time nor inclination to sit back down with this. And now I’m in the throws of knitting for fall craft fairs for the next three months.
So in all honestly, I am going to let this project hibernate in my craft room. Right on top of my yarn cabinets where I can clearly see it. And come this winter when the snow is falling softly outside I will pull this project out and kick it’s shawl behind. I don’t care that it’s a shawl and I should be making sweaters. I know that I need some fortitude and peace to work this project out. And so it will have to be.
Have you ever had to put a project in long term time out?
Here is the progress on my Florelei shawl or Stashbustin’#22…..
Doesn’t look much different from last time you say? Oh well that’s because I HATE CHART B!! I am however Queen of Chart A! I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I know how to do all the stitches in Chart B, they are actually easy. But no matter how careful I am I seed to end up with stitch markers in the wrong places or the wrong number of total stitches at the end of the row after a couple of rows. The yarn overs seem to be giving me the hardest time.
What am I doing wrong? Lace can’t be this hard!!!
I love the photos of other people’s finished projects and the Cascade Sunseeker yarn is beyond yummy and gorgeous. Not to mention the yarn stands up well to frogging. I am not giving up on this project. I’m going to cull the collective wisdom of the blog world. Then I’m going to have a glass of wine (or twelve). Then this project is going to hibernate for a couple of weeks (I go into tech week for my play next week and won’t have time to knit anyway). Then…then I say I shall attack renewed!!
Any advice for a lace newbie?
Stashbustin’ # 22 still looks like this…
Chart B is kicking this lace newbie’s butt! I either end up with my stitch markers in the wrong place or the incorrect number of stitches at the end of the row. The good news is that I am REALLY good at chart A, lol. I shall not be deterred by I may put this project aside for a few days to let my brain unmelt.
I have made some progress on my mindless and easy project. I have now tagged it my Stashbustin’ #23 project. This has been perfect knitting for unwinding after long theatre rehearsals at night. I think I can finally say that I can enjoy working with the chenille yarn. It takes some patience and it can really only be used in certain projects. But it makes a great baby blanket and I need to restock my emergency baby shower/present supply!
I’m still addicted to knitting these cute tutus!! This pattern is addicting. And I found some adorable red, white, and blue ruffle yarn from Premier yarns. I plan on making a matching set for some college friends who have a two year little sweetheart and are expecting another pink bundle of joy in the fall. I am almost done with the newborn size and just need to make the 2-3 yr old size.
So there you have it, the state of my WIP pile. My WIPitis is in full swing. I’m ignoring my Neon cardigan as it’s in timeout until my play is over.
What’s in your WIP pile this week?
After my success with my Spiral Staircase Shawl, my fingers are itching to do another. And this time I think I will step up the challenge! Drum roll please…..
Florelei by Kathryn C!! I pulled some Cascade Yarns Sunseeker in a light grey with a little metallic sparkle.
This is a much more complicated pattern. And this is my first foray into reading charts…so far so good. I have completed chart a!!! We have some miles to put in the car this coming week but I think this project is going to stay home. Don’t want to lose my place in the chart, lol.
Wish me luck!!
Last winter I gifted by my first Lacy Cap to a co-worker. The hat didn’t suit my head shape or my style but I couldn’t frog it. I found it a good home instead! And a couple of weeks ago the co-worker emailed me about getting a couple more hats. She lives with her sister who was constantly borrowing the hat. So for her sister’s birthday I whipped up a couple more hats over vacation, introducing:
Chloe’s Lacy Cap #1 in Berroco Comfort Dk in Menthe
And Chloe’s Lacy Cap #2 in Berroco Comfort DK in Primary Blue
I must say I was a little miffed with this project. I used the exact same pattern, with the exact same needles, and the exact same yarn in two different colorways. And the mint green hat turned out slightly bigger and more slouchy than the darker blue one. I hemmed and hawed over redoing the green one to make it more like the blue one. But in the end I decided that variety is the spice of life and I really didn’t want to re-do the hat. It could be that even though the yarn is the same weight that the batches were off. Or maybe I watching a tense TV show when making the blue one. Who knows? I highly doubt anyone but myself is going to notice the difference, lol
So these hats are gift wrapped and ready for delivery to their new owner. And I’m ready for weekend of relaxed knitting in front of the TV watching the Women’s Softball College World Series. It’s pretty much the only sport that the hubs and I will watch together. I hope everyone out there has a great weekend planned!
Happy Knitting!
After many trials and tribulations, I have a FO! And I’m very proud.
Mere’s present is finished. The two skeins of Nature’s Choice Organic Cotton in Berry Jam really fulfilled my wine inspiration. This unique cowl is worked in alternating bands of seed stitch and then YO lace work. It is worked in the round on 16″ circulars US size 8. It was a tight fit on the needles but I made it work. Thanks to my husband for tromping through two feet of snow to take pictures of this for me!!!
As promised, I am launching this as a free pattern on Ravelry. You can find the pattern here!
And for those readers who don’t use Ravelry, I have posted the pattern below:
Meredith’s Cowl
Materials
– Lion Brand Nature’s Choice Organic Cotton – 2 skeins Berry Jam (approx 3.00 oz or 103 yds)
– US size 8 circular needle (16” or longer)
– Stitch marker
– Tapestry needle
Cowl
CO 150 sts using loop cast on method, careful not to twist. Place marker
1: Join in the round, and Knit to marker. (set up row)
Seed Stitch Section
2: *K1, P1, repeat from * to end
3: *P1, K1, repeat form * to end
4: Work row 2
Lace Section
5: *YO, K2tog, repeat from * to end
6: Knit
7: *K2tog, YO, repeat from * to end
8: Knit
9: *YO, K2tog, repeat from * to end
10: Knit
11: *K2tog, YO, repeat from * to end
Repeat rows 2 through 11 twice more.
Cast off LOOSELY in purl.
Weave in ends.
Resulting cowl is 48” long approximately 6” wide.
Knit and enjoy!
Ok…..designing something fromscratch is both fun and aggravating. Mere’s cowl is kicking my knitting butt. I literally have started it three different times….and frogged each version.
Guess the fourth time is the charm? (Aided by a large glass of wine last night….) I’m rocking and rolling now, hopefully have a FO soon!!
The snow hasn’t started, The Blizzard of Oz, part II is headed our way. I hope I can make it to and from work today. Pray or cross your fingers for me. Ill try to update on the snow later today, providing I survive and we have power…..
Happy Knitting!
A very dear friend recently asked for a soft lightweight cowl in red. So I pursued Ravelry and just didn’t find anything worthy of Mere. She has gorgeous pale skin with dark cocoa colored hair.
Mere and I share a love of wine, so I pulled two skeins of Lion Brand Natures Choice Organic Cotton in variegated reds and browns. The reds remind me of the different colors of red wine and the browns will pop against her hair.
And away I went! I cast on about 210 sts and I plan on working back and forth between lace sections and stockinette sections. If this design works out I hope to launch this as a free design here on my blog and on Ravelry.
This is my purse/public knitting project, so I hope it will go quickly! I can’t wait to see Mere wearing it. She is gorgeous in anything but I love that she adores my hand knits!
Happy Knitting!
Michele plays with yarn, food, and music in Portland
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