Seems like I just posted yesterday and already it is Thursday again. Summer is just too fleeting! I wonder why I always comment about the weather. Could it be that I am a true Canadian? All kidding aside, I do love the seasons and the wonderful ideas and opportunities to create that they bring. Fall means shawls to me and that is what I have tunnel vision about right now.
I am still chugging away at the next shawl pattern as well as retesting the current one, this time in solid colours rather than a gradient. I am making the colour changes at each section but am running out of enough different shades in the stash yarn that I am using so may make it every two sections. Because I have more yardage, I may increase the number of repeats in the last two pattern designs as well to make the shawl a little larger. I will post photos and my modifications when it is complete. I am on section three and so far so good on the writing. I will keep you up to date on any corrections in the next few sections although I am confident that the directions are right.
Changing the subject, I have a shining example of the importance of maintaining gauge. I am knitting some topsy turvy dolls and thought that my midgauge machine might handle a Jean Greenhowes pattern. It worked out beautifully with a few mods for avoiding garter stitch. Except, and this is a big one, I made one side of the doll at tension dial 2 and the other at tension 2.5 as tension 2 seemed a little tight in the dk yarn I am using. Did I think about the size difference that .5 might make? Nope. Now I have to try and fix the skirt, the only obvious part, and I have already sewn it all up. I think it is time to break out the crochet hooks, trim the bottom edge with a pretty edging and call it a day. I really wanted to throw the whole mess against the wall but told my inner child to behave. I hope to finish them up this weekend and will show you my solution.
Big note to self: ALWAYS check your gauge whether machine knit, hand knit or crochet. ALWAYS!!!
Here is the final part of my latest shawl design, the edging. In this part you will still keep increasing at the border edges as before but you will remove the markers at the spine and keep going straight across. Here you can see how much yarn I had left over.
Row 1: (right side) Work border stitches as before, slip marker, YO, P all stitches across to the last marker removing the centre spine markers as you go, YO, slip marker, work border stitches as before.
Row 2: (wrong side) Work border stitches, slip marker, K all stitches to last marker, slip marker, work border stitches as before.
Now we start the lace pattern which is version of Old Shale or Feather and Fan.
Row 1: Work border stitches as before, slip marker, YO, K2tog twice, YO, K1 four times, (K2tog four times, YO, K1 four times), repeat the stitches between the ( ) across to the last four stitches, K2tog twice, YO, slip marker, work border stitches as before.
Row 2: Work border stitches as before, slip marker, P all stitches across, slip marker, Work border stitches as before.
Repeat these two rows three more times. You will have extra stitches at each end before the border stitches from your YO increases. Just work these stitches as knit on the right side and purl on the wrong side.
For the final edge:
Row 1: (right side) Work border stitches as before, slip marker, YO, P all stitches across to the last marker, YO, slip marker, work border stitches as before.
Row 2: (wrong side) Work border stitches as before, slip marker, K all stitches to last marker, slip marker, work border stitches as before.
Row 3: repeat row 1.
Cast off: Working from the wrong side, K2, slip these stitches back onto the left needle and knit them together. Knit the next stitch, slip the two stitches back onto the left needle and knit them together across to the end. Cut the yarn and pull it through the last stitch to fasten off. Weave in your ends and block yarn shawl to open up the lace.
I hope that you like my latest pattern and please contact me if you have any questions on this or any of my other patterns or if you just want to chat.
Have a great week and enjoy the remainder of summer with some crochet or knitting!