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Knitting Friday 

Since I've already failed with my NY's resolution of walking a mile a day, I'm gearing down to my second choice: figuring out why my blog page on my early morning, drink my coffee and write my blog at 4 am computer lacks a "sign in" link. On every other computer in the house, I have that link.... So, that's why I didn't get to a blog-writng computer on Website Wednesday until 1 pm and I thought: WTF, the day is too far gone. Screw it!

 

It's getting busier around here and I'm finding that I'm really adapt at sitting down and then getting up immediately to answer DM's requests. No tiredness nor bone creaking at all until I lie down right after "work" and fall asleep before the hand clicks the remote.

First for Knitting Friday, I have a "why swatches are so important, even though I seldom do them" visual moment:

#1 A mistake

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ribambellise
 

What you see in #1 is the Ravelry shawl, Ribambellise, which intrigued me because it has an unusual cable where you work the cable needle front and cable needle back in the same cable. It's a triangular shawl but Chart D has a straight repeat section so I decided to swatch the repeat, which you see at the left. What a mess! What a mistake! The cable runs straight up through the middle but you can't tell it here. The bottom of picture is the beginning flat knit rows but they look like I'm trying for a chevron look.

But that's why you swatch. I'm sure this will make up into a lovely triangle and the pattern with its 17 rows, doesn't bore you.

On a happy/sad note, with the sad part first: I'm not making the Advent Calendar scarf/shawl this year. The pattern is all YO and SSK or K2tog and I really don't see myself using the finished item. I have enough "pretty" shawls and scarves and since I really only wear both for warmth, not show, I decided to use the yarn in this: 
 

#2 A pattern only in French!

I'm as giddy as a kid with this one because the pattern is in French and I have to read the charts. Which, to you, may be a "so what?" but a year ago, I could not read a crocheted chart to save my life.

Here's the pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/echarpe-clochette

It's only one row and I'm using fingering and an F hook. At the end, you continue around with larger clusters. It's a good traveling project and it may finally use the last of my Advent Calendar yarn (4 years later.)

Also as a good travel project is this:

  
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dona-ines-a-neckwarmer

which is a neck warmer which I modified into the shawl/scarf in picture #3:

#3 Dona Ines

 This is another 1-row pattern but I like the stitch definition and the Knit Picks lace is dreamy.

#4 Is this shading ugly?

OK, let's take a break from crochet for a minute and show the tunic I'm still knitting:

Wow! Is the shading in #4 as ugly as it appears? Here's a second view:

#5 Still ugly?

In #5. you can see the stitch definition which is 9 rows of K in the round and one round of Twisted Stitch (K 2nd st in black loop, then 1st stitch in front loop.) Right now, I'm past the waist and I've been increasing 1 stitch each side of the arm, 2 rows after each twisted stitch row (4 increases per row.) I'm too far into this beauty right now so I'm just going to forge ahead to the bind off. Please don't be as ugly as you photograph!

And finally as I prepare my wardrobe for the nuclear winter (Yes, I saw and learned from The Road), I've been crocheting this circular shawl, 4 times so far:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/circular-shawl-2

I can't recommend this pattern enough. It's worth learning to crochet for. In DK yarn it's a warm shawl and circular blanket, when needed. Just remember that it is in UK terms so triple crochet is US double crochet, etc. (Sorry, the picture of Mr. Bear modelling this beauty didn't come out well.) Next week, I'll show a close up of how you stop increasing in this pattern and start crocheting straight to your length.

That' it for blizzard Friday. Well, it's only a blizzard for sissies where I live but schools and businesses are closed and the Gov has declared a state of emergency. 

See you next week. Happy Knitting.