Tag Archives: shawl

My Baby Loves Knitting

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Thanks to my wonderful husband and Jellybean I had a successful Mothers Day Cast On!


I managed to get the yarn wound (no small feet with this being a 600 yard skein and using my 1990s plastic ball wonder) and the pattern printed. The pattern is Old Man of Storr by Carie Harling for those with inquiring minds. 

I’m in the garter section and it’s nice easy knitting. I only have to keep track of four increases and make sure I know the right side and wrong side. The yarn is a cashmere blend and absolutely delicious! I’m not sure how much love this will get as I have a couple small projects in mind to get done soon. But it doesn’t matter because it was wonderful to knit on Mother’s Day and associate some great memories of little toddler hands helping me in those stitches.

Happy Knitting!

Mothers Day Cast On

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The Prairie Girls of the Prairie Girls Knit and Spin podcast have a Mother’s Day tradition I decided to adopt!

The deal is you cast on a just for your project on Mother’s Day and take pic of your kiddo holding the yarn or project. Then you get some unadulterated knitting time to work on it! I’ve already informed my husband this is what I want.

I pulled my 600 yard skein of Cashmere Super Toes sock in the Pieces of Eight color way that I got at Knitting In The Heartland this year. And I found a perfect pattern, Old Man of Storr shawlette by Carie Harling. It’s triangle shawl in mostly garter stitch that should help me maximize this mega-skein!

Happy Knitting!

Falling Out Of Love

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I’ve had a Clapo-ktus on the needles since Jellybean was a few weeks old. It looks like this…


The yarn is great, the pattern is great, the FO will be beautiful but I just don’t love it anymore. It takes so much brain power to count my stitches and it’s hard to set down in order to chase Jellybean away from danger. I need more simplicity in my life. I think I’m going to rip this and cast on something garter related.

Maybe 22.5 degrees by Martina Behm….

WIP Wednesday: Clapo-ktus

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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?

Clapo-Ktus: An Experiment

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I’ve never been a shawl knitter. I don’t enjoy charts as they don’t make sense in my brain. And honestly I’m a bit sporty in my attire and shawls just didn’t fit my esthetic. But I’ve recently changed employment. It was a good career move and got me out of an unhealthy emotional environment. But I’ll leave that part at that. My new building is an ice box with A/C and I hear the heat is wimpy on the flip side. I’m going to need some business casual options for keeping warm (and possibly a space heater)!

I have a pretty skein of Cascade Heritage Silk in a lovely blue. It’s a merino silk blend and just gorgeous. Here is a terribly lit picture of my skein after Jellybean went to bed.

 
I’ve decided to to knit a Clapo-Ktus by Loredana Gianferri. It’s a cross between a clapotis and a baktus. It’s a free download and designed to use every bit of your skein. The pattern is written and it should be easy to memorize.

I’ve printed and read the pattern 15 times. It took me a bit to wrap my head around how it worked but I think I have it now. And I’ve hand wound my yarn and pulled needles. This is worked on size 6s. I’m not going to swatch per se, I’m just going to go with the flow as “fit” isn’t a huge thing with a scarf/shawl. Those could be famous last words….

Wish me luck!

Coming Clean

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Time to come clean….

Remember this?

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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?

Stashbustin’ #22: Florelei

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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.

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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!!

FO Friday: Spiral Staircase Shawl

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Stashbustin’ #20 is done! Introducing my Spiral Staircase Shawl!!

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I made a few amendments to the pattern:
– I cast off 12 stitches instead of the 10 called for the pattern
– I worked a total 17 teeth

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This is a very narrow shawl and probably not incredibly warm. But it looks amazing against a black outfit. Wouldn’t this be an amazing pop of color with some red heels and a LBD?

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All in all a very nice warm up project for learning shawl construction. Row and row of garter stitch with just a smidge of lacy detail at the edges.

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Now what should my next shawl be? I’ll have to ponder on this…..

Happy Knitting!

WIP Wednesday: Staircase Spiral Shawl

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Tah Dah!!!! My Spiral Staircase Shawl (Stashbustin’ #20) is coming along….

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I only have 3-4 teeth left to go for the pattern as written. I think I may knit a few extra since I have loads of yarn to spare. I am finding this particular knitting to be very therapeutic. It has been the perfect on-the-go project while I am at rehearsal. Miles and miles of garter stitch while I learn lines and it fits neatly into my bag.

But I can see that I’m going to be done very soon. Can’t wait to see what this looks like when it’s done and has had a good bath and block!!!

Happy Knitting!!!

WIP Wednesday: Stashbustin’ #20

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I’ve been itching to make my first ever shawl. I had no less than 10 in my Ravelry queue…

Florelie by Katheryn C

Ridged Trianglar Shawl by Leslie Weber

Mara by Madelinetosh

Citron by Hillary Smith Callis

ZuZu’s Petals by Carina Spencer

Heartwarmer by Bley Hack

Lace Shawl by Sharon Miller

Cottonista Triangle Shawl by Franziska Collins

Great Divide Shawl by Michele Brown

Spiral Staircase Shawl by LizAnn Petch

And the winner was…….Spiral Staircase Shawl for my Stashbustin’ #20 project. I was attracted the hitchhiker look of the teeth and the simple garter body. I think baby steps were in order on my first shawl, lol. I made it through the first few teeth over the past weekend!

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I’m using some leftover Berroco Vintage DK in deep red that I had from my Stockinette Shrug. I’m working on size 5 US metal circular needles. This has made for great TV knitting even if the needles are a bit slippery. I can’t decide if I’m going to stop at 15 teeth as the pattern is written or add a few extra. Just have to try it on when I get there!

What is your favorite shawl pattern?