Beautiful Shawl

I've been meaning to share this for awhile, but school, family, and my new doggie have taken precedence over blogging. Will you ever forgive me? For today's post I get to share my first ever test knitting project. Michele Bernstein aka "PDXKnitterati" was looking for knitters to test her "Pacific Shawl" pattern. I so love Michele's designs that I asked if I could give it a try.










Over Labor Day weekend (yes, that long ago), I cast on using some stash BMFA lightweight yarn & away I went. I've never done a test knit before, so I was a tad bit nervous. Fortunately, Michele is such a great pattern writer & the pattern so wonderful that I was able zip right along.
As with many triangular shawl patterns, most of the first section is knit in stockinette with periodic increases to give it shape. Then came the fun "waves" lace pattern. Michele had included beads in the pattern & after my last experience with beads, I was a little reluctant. However - these beads are placed as you knit, using a tiny-weeny crochet hook - no pre-stringing required (Huzzah!)


Of course - beading is easier when you have the correct size crochet hook. I was down on the Kenai Peninsula with friends when I realized the hooks I had in my bag were too big. I was just going to forget about the beads (they are optional) when my ingenious friend created a mini-crochet hook using a twist tie. How clever is she?! She admitted that she really wanted to see the beading process & what the beads would look like against the yarn. I have to say - the twist-tie hook was perfect. So - if you ever find yourself in need of a teeny-tiny hook, you can save a few bucks & use a twist tie - provided you have one of those lying around. :0)


Details:

Pattern: Pacific Shawl by Michele Bernstein

Yarn: BMFA Socks That Rock Lightweight, "Beryl" colorway

Beads: Size 6 Triangular Seed Bead

Needles: US 6

Size: Small

Thanks for this opportunity Michele! :0)

Ciao!

Tickled Pink!

That is how I feel about my latest FO: My February Lady Sweater.

Please forgive me if this post is especially photo laden. I'm absolutely ecstatic about my latest finished object.

Details:

Pattern: February Lady Sweater - an adult version of Elizabeth Zimmerman's February Sweater.

Yarn: Tahki Yarns New Tweed (60% Merino Wool, 14% silk, 26% Viscose) Great yarn, small balls - 50grams/92 yards per ball, so you feel like you fly through this yarn. I was cutting it close at the end.

Needles: US 8

Size: Medium - I have the newer version of the pattern. Apparently the earlier versions were a bit sketchy when it came to determining the correct size, so several knitters knit sizes XS when they normally knit a size M. No way in the world am I an XS!

Modifications: Left out the eyelet row before the start of the lace. I think the eyelet row was originally intended for weaving a piece of ribbon, but that's not my style at all. The color pink is already pushing the envelope. 15 lace repeats on the sleeves, 19 lace repeats on the body.

Let's admire the buttons, shall we? What a great find! Sometimes details just fall into place.

The lace pattern is the famous "Gull Lace" pattern - very simple to memorize, so this project was perfect Sunday English Premier League knitting. What I didn't like was having to purl back a gazillion stitches (perhaps just a slight exaggeration). The yoke is straight garter stitch w/increases at the shoulders. I did a kfb for the increases - very simple, blends in well with the garter stitch & leaves no holes.

The back fits just perfectly. I was worried the neckline would sag, or maybe even ride up. But nope - all sits as it should. I think perhaps the hard blocking I gave the sweater last week helped out a bit. Last year when I was at Madrona Fiber Arts retreat I met a woman wearing a FLS & it sagged all over the place. The ravelry forum for the FLS warns against how the lace grows. I haven't noticed this happening yet & the sweater has been hanging for several days while it waited the adornment of buttons. I'm going to fold it neatly rather than hanging it in the closet, just to be safe.

This week is "Spirit Week" at our school & today's theme was "Girls in Pearls & Guys in Ties". A perfect day for my sweater's Maiden Voyage. My friends, colleagues, and students all admired with lots of 'oohs and ahhs'. You know you've done a good job when students say they want one (wear something that a teacher wears? Highest praise from teenagers!) & that it looks like something they might find at Nordstroms. Several conversations today went something like this:

Colleague: "You Made That?!?"
Me: "Yup, Why yes I did..."
Colleague: "Nu-uh!" (how do you spell that?!?)
Me: "Uh-huh!!"

Anyhow - I was very pleased with the responses & complements my sweater & I received today. If I'd known earlier how well this would turn out, I would have finished it much, much sooner!I leave you with my "Bio" photo I'll use in the engineering notebooks of my FTC robotics teams (we all have to add photos + biography). I'd like to think that my role on the FTC teams is that of kind, yet effective, Project Manager. After having to ask a couple of students not to return since they were hindering progress & my constant (yet gentle) reminders for the teams to focus & stay on task (I can even say it in ASL as one of my students is hearing impaired), the students on the teams have dubbed me, "The Hammer".

The smile and the pink kind of softens it, don't you think? :0)

Ciao!!

FO: Hey Teach!.... Again...

Few patterns harness my knitting mojo and make me want to make it more than once. Monkey Socks, Leyburn socks, the Danish Ear Flap Cap are the ones that spring to mind. And now - Hey, Teach! Joins the list. Last year I jumped on the bandwagon & knit Hey, Teach only to underestimate my size & the finished project was too small. So - I ordered the same yarn & set out to knit it again - a size larger - for me. And finally - I have achieved my quest.



Details:

Pattern: Hey, Teach! (knitty - Summer 2008)

Yarn: Knit Picks Shine, Worsted

Needles: KPO US 8

Mods: Nothing except the three-needle bind-off.

Lots of finishing around here. Another project is on its way to FO status. I think that gives me the green light to cast on a new project.


This is some Malabrigo sock yarn, remnants from the Jeanne Shawl that I'm going to use for the 2009 Mystery Sock KAL designed by Kirsten Kapur of Through The Loops. Come along & Join us!

~Ciao

Hello again...

It's been a while. That's what happens I suppose - school begins, things get a bit more crazy. I'd considered giving up the blogging bit, but I figure - nah, every once in a while is good & I like to post progress of my knitting. So yes, while I haven't been blogging, I have been knitting. In fact, it addition to the flurry of snow on the Chugach Mountains (hello winter - I see you!) there's also been a flurry of knitting around here.


Let's start with my first FO:


Details:

Pattern: Jeanne by Kirsten Kapur of Through The Loops. My Aunt's name is Jeanne, so I thought this would be a great pattern for her birthday.

Yarn: Malabrigo Sock in Velvet Grapes. I used 1 + a smidge of a 2nd skein to make the large size. Now I have to figure out what to make with the remaining yarn. Decisions, Decisions....

Needles: KPO Size 5

Finished Size: Size Large - It ended up with 375 stitches & I didn't take specific measurements, but think it didn't block out as large as it could have. I tried using blocking wires to no avail, so I think it could be blocked a bit larger.


Overall it was a relatively easy knit & fun. The edging took way more time than I thought it would (this will be a belated gift...). The yarn is incredibly soft - I think it will also make a great pair of socks. Kirsten sponsors a Mystery Sock through her blog & Ravelry, so I wonder if I have enough for that. hmm...

Stay tuned - another FO for tomorrow & if Tuesday night's finishing class goes well, I should have another by midweek.

Ciao~

FO: Ishbel

Ta da!! May I present, Ishbel:

Details:

Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolde's Whimsical Little Knits collection.

Size: Large - too big to be worn as a neck scarf, but I think it will be lovely draped over the shoulders to ward off the evening chill.

Yarn: Queensland Rustic Tweed - a wool/alpaca blend. I used less than 2 skeins. I'd estimate about 1.5

Needle: KPO Size 6. I think I could easily have gone up a needle size or two.

Mods: Inspired by Blue Garter's Ishbel, I decided to add nupps as well. These add a nice finishing touch to the scalloped edges. I tried to knit the nupps as loose as possible so that when I was doing the purl bind-off negotiating purling 6 stitches at a time wouldn't be too cumbersome. I think I did an okay job, although during the bind-off phase which took me a couple of hours, I kept thinking, "gee, this seemed like a good idea at the time..."

Overall this is a great introduction to lace, and it is my first completed shawl. Don't know if I'll knit it again, as repeating the same charts over and over gets a little tedious. I'm glad I'm finished (it did go rather quickly as it's fairly easy) and I'm happy with the finished product. It's destined as a gift for a friend who's been so kind during my knitting forays to the pacific northwest.

I'm on a roll - expect a few more FOs in the near future!

Ciao!