Knitting Friday

This has been such a successful knitting week. I finished two shawls. One in the simple lace pattern of *Yo, K2tog* and *K2tog, YO*. This one is done in blue double knit weight of 25% wool. I don’t really like the 25% wool yarns except for Woolease. For some reason, Lion Brand got the acrylic/wool combination right and their yarn has a very nice feel and drape. Though they have progressively been lowering their percentage of wool so this may change. But this shawl is done; it’s large and it’s warm.

The second is a re-cycled trinity stitch shawl in 100% wool. It’s green: both in terms of color and the environment. As I’ve said, I find that when you have recycled, crinkly yarn, which no amount of washing is going to straighten, use the trinity stitch; it hides a lot of “sins.” I probably would have used smaller needles on this project (I used US 15) but I started it before I weighed it so I didn’t want to run out of yarn. As it was, I didn’t have enough yarn left to make a border except for the 2 narrow ends.

With these two projects completed, I only have 5 more projects on the needles. Four of them are shawls, one of which will probably be frogged since I have no idea why I even started it. I’m trying to will myself not to start anything new until I finish at least one more project.

Unfortunately, this Rectangela pullover is on Knit Pattern Central list of pattern for Wednesday:

http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/rectangela/rectangela.html

It’s a unstructured pullover with cuff-less sleeves. I usually don’t knit Berroco patterns since a lot of them are just stockinette stitch; though Star is one of the attractive exceptions.

This one is stockinette and moss. Already, I’ve modified this pattern to start at the back bottom yoke with a provisional cast on. I’m going to knit the yoke with the sleeves up to the neck and then down the front yoke. That way I’ll have live stitches ready to knit the body in the round.

In the same Knit Pattern Central list, there is a moss stitch shrug which is going to be my project for the Super Bowl Party. Yes, I’m going to a Super Bowl Party. Or rather, a party where I will knit and there will be a lot of background noise and food. Both of which my knitting will help me to ignore.

The shrug pattern is:

http://www.sheeptoshawl.com/charity/archives/2007/04/entry_246.html

I’ve seen this pattern before but now I have a light brown yarn (25% wool again) which just isn’t saying “shawl” to me. In fact, it just stopped talking. I do think the shrug might work with it though.

I have been pretty unsuccessful with shrugs except for one black cotton summer one which works. I just saw a very attractive shrug with a wide ribbed front border and collar. But then I saw the ribbon around the waist. It really wasn’t there to be attractive but to make sure the ribbing didn’t flop all over the place. I really don’t want to have to wear a ribbon or a belt.

If I can figure this out (and half the fun of knitting is modifying things), I would like to knit the shrug without the cuffs. Then I could sew up the inch of sleeve and turn it on. If it’s a disaster, it’s only a few inches (57") from shawl length. If it looks good as a shrug; I’ll just cast on for the cuffs. We, knitter, do so hate to frog.

(Update: I broke my rule and started the brown shrug. I’ve changed things already by casting on 28 sts on US 8 and knitting the ribbing in the round. Then I changed to US 10 ½ and knitted up the 1 inch of the sleeve also in the round. This way, I shouldn’t have any sewing in the end. Right now, I knitting up the sleeves in rows. I’m not using bulky but I seem to be getting the width (which I read as neck to waist.) I can always fudge some type of border if I have to.)

But right now it’s back to my pink mohair shawl. What ever possessed me, beside the price, to buy this yarn? When it’s done I think it might be appropriate to donate it to the Miss Marple Museum. I can definitely see her knitting with this yarn.

Happy knitting.