Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Knitting Friday
Oh, I am such a liar! Didn't I promise knitting pictures last Friday? Wait, did I even have Knitting Friday then? Perhaps my lie extends back to two weeks ago. The horror!
Anyway, I do have pics to take; just haven't taken them. But I will. I think I get to all my promises eventually; though I could be lying about that also.
I'm hoping that anyone reading today will go over to:
http://www.von-stroh-zu-gold.de/muster/?p=40
for the bestest knitting holiday present you'll be getting this year, a Lace Advent Scarf. (The pattern is also on Ravelry.)
Kristen Benecken from Germany is posting a different lace pattern for the days of Advent. I think we're up to Day 17 today. This is such a generous gift and it's not religious in any sense - except the name.
I'm only up to Day 4 because I tend to knit lace very, very slowly . Even with lifelines every ten rows, we're talking about tinking almost 1000 stitches since, as anyone who has worked lace knows, dropped stitches just seem to disappear.
A couple of suggestions:
1. Use the charts, they are perfect. The written section is being translated from German and pattern writing is difficult enough without this. There have been some written mistakes but I think they've been corrected. Even so, use the charts. The are very well-written.
2. Each day has a different lace pattern and it can have different stitch count (all in the 80s.) You use the spacer sections between patterns to tweak the stitch count up or down for the next lace pattern. Easy to do if you watch for the count change.
3. You can use any spacer section you want. The one presented has 7 rows of garter with one row of lace on 86 sts. You could use seed stitch. You could eliminate the simple lace row. Just remember, you may be changing the stitch count on the first spacer section row and then again on last spacer section row to fit the stitches from the previous day's lace to the next day's lace so be sure your increase and decrease stitches in the spacer section don't glare.
4. On all lace rows, take a long piece of yarn and lay it across the row between the pattern repeats. Tedious and slow perhaps, but you know if your count is correct immediately. Oh, and be sure to count the beg and end of the rows (you know the parts before and after the *........*) If you miss a YO or K2tog here, you can be royally screwed.
5. Be sure to print out the patterns as you go along. I don't know how long this pattern will be up and if you get behind (as I am on Day 4) you may be disappointed.
6. Be creative. You don't have to use every pattern nor work then in any established order.
7. I'm using stash yarn for this which I pull out for Mystery knitting events (I have no idea why.) I think it's pretty old since it's 40% wool and I have no idea how this "gift" of over 30 skeins ever dropped on me. I did learn during my last Mystery knitting event that 40% wool splices. (Want to talk about what a dummy I am? I started that project without a clue as to whether the yarn would splice!) I'm using US 8 needles and the wool calls itself "fingering" but I think this yarn comes from the time when "men were men" and fingering weight was closer to sport.
Do try this scarf. My version is coming out so soft and lovely; I'm sure yours will also.
OK, I'm off to buy shoe polish. What a purchase during the holiday season! Am I going to shine Santa's boots? Whatever; I need shoe polish. Boots are made for walking in this cold, cold weather (21F) and my boots need a polish.
Happy knitting.
Anyway, I do have pics to take; just haven't taken them. But I will. I think I get to all my promises eventually; though I could be lying about that also.
I'm hoping that anyone reading today will go over to:
http://www.von-stroh-zu-gold.de/muster/?p=40
for the bestest knitting holiday present you'll be getting this year, a Lace Advent Scarf. (The pattern is also on Ravelry.)
Kristen Benecken from Germany is posting a different lace pattern for the days of Advent. I think we're up to Day 17 today. This is such a generous gift and it's not religious in any sense - except the name.
I'm only up to Day 4 because I tend to knit lace very, very slowly . Even with lifelines every ten rows, we're talking about tinking almost 1000 stitches since, as anyone who has worked lace knows, dropped stitches just seem to disappear.
A couple of suggestions:
1. Use the charts, they are perfect. The written section is being translated from German and pattern writing is difficult enough without this. There have been some written mistakes but I think they've been corrected. Even so, use the charts. The are very well-written.
2. Each day has a different lace pattern and it can have different stitch count (all in the 80s.) You use the spacer sections between patterns to tweak the stitch count up or down for the next lace pattern. Easy to do if you watch for the count change.
3. You can use any spacer section you want. The one presented has 7 rows of garter with one row of lace on 86 sts. You could use seed stitch. You could eliminate the simple lace row. Just remember, you may be changing the stitch count on the first spacer section row and then again on last spacer section row to fit the stitches from the previous day's lace to the next day's lace so be sure your increase and decrease stitches in the spacer section don't glare.
4. On all lace rows, take a long piece of yarn and lay it across the row between the pattern repeats. Tedious and slow perhaps, but you know if your count is correct immediately. Oh, and be sure to count the beg and end of the rows (you know the parts before and after the *........*) If you miss a YO or K2tog here, you can be royally screwed.
5. Be sure to print out the patterns as you go along. I don't know how long this pattern will be up and if you get behind (as I am on Day 4) you may be disappointed.
6. Be creative. You don't have to use every pattern nor work then in any established order.
7. I'm using stash yarn for this which I pull out for Mystery knitting events (I have no idea why.) I think it's pretty old since it's 40% wool and I have no idea how this "gift" of over 30 skeins ever dropped on me. I did learn during my last Mystery knitting event that 40% wool splices. (Want to talk about what a dummy I am? I started that project without a clue as to whether the yarn would splice!) I'm using US 8 needles and the wool calls itself "fingering" but I think this yarn comes from the time when "men were men" and fingering weight was closer to sport.
Do try this scarf. My version is coming out so soft and lovely; I'm sure yours will also.
OK, I'm off to buy shoe polish. What a purchase during the holiday season! Am I going to shine Santa's boots? Whatever; I need shoe polish. Boots are made for walking in this cold, cold weather (21F) and my boots need a polish.
Happy knitting.
No comments:
Post a Comment