Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich
(OK, I'm going to go with only one Knitting Friday heading today. The one above my "banner" like this website is demanding. And I mean demanding; if I don't have one there I can't post, simple as that. Perhaps this new default is a glitch and will be gone by Monday.)
A lot of reading is being done by me. Not much knitting, patches of movie watching and too much eating which I'm "allowing" because I sort of need the comfort food (and get the accompanying comfort fat) at this time.
Last Saturday, I arranged for two hours free for a community party. Not much of a party, the pulled chicken was lousy and a neighbor summed up the evening by saying about the gang: the people are nice here but not much up here (pointing to her head.) I see it differently. I really don't know how nice, rather than neighborly, the people are but I do think they are bright, just not willing to converse beyond gossip or "curtains.". Oh well.
This is the dress I wore. It's from the Gap which I think is allowing some nasty workshop practices somewhere in the third world, but it is a very nice dress and here's the white lace shawl I wore over it.
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#1 the dress
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| #2 back of shawl |
It's a very simple lace with long front tips which I usually don't like in shawls but this one is so light that it looks OK.
Front view below:
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| #3 front of shawl |
I'm bringing this all up because the shawl was a hit and I was asked for the pattern. (More on that later.) I was happy people liked the shawl; it was nothing that special to me. That is, until I got to see a picture of it. We usually have someone snapping pictures at these gatherings and this time the guy shot me from the back only. (Aside: I like back shots. Makes you wonder what the person really looks like.) And when I saw the picture I thought: This works. The shawl is open and light looking so the dress pops through it. I don't make white shawls but I may change my mind and pick up a ball of white crochet cotton and make a shorter one.
Which brings me to the shawl pattern. Since I was asked for a copy that night I went home and swatched out the pattern. I've been making this shawl on the fly for some time so I really have no idea how I made this white shawl. However, the pattern below is the current one I'm using (my back edge is much more crescent-shaped now) and I think it's pretty accurate since I swatched as I typed. I'm sure you can find a variation of this pattern somewhere in my 5 years of blogging Knitting Friday but here's the "cleanest", most up-to-date copy for you:
Generic Shawl (I must think up a catchier name.)
This pattern is my own design which I developed because I wanted to see if I could design a shawl without center increases and I wanted more of a crescent than triangular look. I designed it for knit and crochet but it is easier to work in crochet because you can try on the shawl as you work.
Notes:
1. There are two sections for this shawl. A. The increase section where you increase to the shawl's length and B. The straight section (no increases) where you crochet to the shawl's width.
2. Use a hook larger than one which is usually used for your yarn weight. For DK, I use a N hook; for lace, I use hooks from H to K. Bigger hook = bigger loops. Also, I used single crochets in my loops. You can use double crochets for bigger loops.
3. The loops at each end of a row will be Chain 8 loops for stretchiness. All loops in the middle will be chain 5 loops.
4. The way this shawl is made, it's great for leftover yarn since when you're running out of yarn you just finish the row and you're done.
Shawl Pattern: Top down shawl, see Notes for yarn weight and hook size
Set-up: Chain (ch) 10. Make a loop with a slip stitch. Mark this loop as your beginning point.
1. Chain 8, work 1 sc in the loop, chain 5, work 1 single crochet (sc) in the loop, ch 8, work 1 sc in the loop.
You have created 3 loops. The two end loops are ch-8 loops. The loop in the middle is a ch-5 loop.
Increase Section: consists of 2 pattern rows (both the same). You increase 2 loops with every row for an odd number of loops. ( 5- 7 - 9- 11….)
A. Increase Pattern Row Part 1
1. Turn, Ch 8 and work 1 sc in the 1st loop. Ch 5 and work 1 sc in the same loop.
2. *Ch 5 and work a sc in the next loop.* Repeat *........* across to the last loop.
3. In the last loop: ch 5 and work 1 sc in the last loop. Then ch 8 and work 1 sc in the same loop.
You now have 5 loops. The two end loops are ch-8 loops. All the middle loops are ch-5 loops.
B. Increase Pattern Row Part 2
1.Turn and put a marker on this side of your shawl.
2. Repeat the directions for Pattern Row Part 1, #1 through #3. (Obviously, you have already turned your work to mark this side so don't turn again for this row.)
3. Continue repeating these two rows, which are the same; one on the unmarked side and one on the marked side.
4. When your shawl is as long as you want, be sure to end with a row on the marked side. This will give you symmetry.
At your length, count your number of loops. They should be an odd number and this number shouldn't change in your Straight Section.
Straight Section: (no increases) You start this section on the unmarked side.
Pattern Row for Straight Knitting (no increases) to width:
1.Turn, Ch 8 and work 1 sc in the first loop. (You only work 1 loop on each end now.).
2. *Ch 5 and work 1 sc in the next loop.*
3.Continue working *..........* to your last loop.
4.At your last loop, ch 8 and work 1 sc in the last loop.
5. Repeat this pattern row (#1 through #4) until the shawl is as wide as you want. (You should count your loops once and a while.)
6. End by working a row on the side you marked in the increase section.
That's it. You can add an edging to the shawl or not. (I like to add a simple border around the neck edge and a more elaborate border on the bottom edge.) Weave in your ends. Block or don't. By using a large hook, the weight of the shawl opens up the loops with a good shake.
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| #4 Summer cardi |
And finally. Here's the only new/old knitting I've been doing this week. It's a black summer cardi which was probably a bad choice since we seem to have lost any of that season where you might like to wear a short sleeved cotton cardi. Now we go from cold to hot. Like the writing on the boy's tee: It seemed like a good idea at the time, I must have done some reasoning to decide on a cardi and not a tee. I know I wanted to work this pattern because it's lace and purl which is unusual for me. Right now, except for the discovery of an enormous error, this baby in not going to be frogged.
That's it for today. Hopefully, next week I'll have this cardi and a white cotton and orange cotton top done. Happy knitting.
And not to forget: Miss A, our third Seeing Eye Pup in Training, arrives next Tuesday! We know her name will start with an A but not the actual name. Everyone is anxiously awaiting her.
