February 21, 2007

Triangular Shawl with Clover Pattern


Yep, that is the name of my current (favoured) WIP.

It is knit in Handspun yarn - a handspun with a long story behind it actually, because first it wanted to be single-ply, but my inadequate spinning skills were not up to the task - all three skeins were differently twisted, so I added a lot more twist and plied the three skeins to make two large skeins and one little one.

The shawl is made from the bottom up, and in stockinette stitch. The beginning pulls out teeth, and I did not do it as written - I omitted a lace row, but it does not look the worse for it, in my humble opinion.
I have a little over 7 oz of this yarn, but it is not enough for the whole shawl. What you can see in my picture are 50 rows out of roughly 310 (CO 624 stitches, and decrease 4 every 2nd row = roughly 312 rows), and roughly 520 stitches, decreased from 624 stitches initially CO. 28500 stitches so far, 67600 to go yet. I have 106 grams, or a bit more than half left. That means I can probably knit another 30000 stitches, leaving me with 37600 to go when I run out.
However, these calculations are a bit faulted, since the bottom pattern increases 4 st. in each pattern (going from 42 to 34 as the decreases set in) over 4 rows, and I did not want to do those calculations because, really... I dont want to seem as anal-retentive as I really am ;-)
BUT... Since this was a "humbug" wool, it was carded together from Moorit and White wool, and I knit where I can get both White and Moorit Shetland in very small quantities. My mother has two pounds of each, and I can buy a little off her as the need arises. I dont, however, think that I will produce a Humbug myself - I could buy some in the second March Weekend if I were so inclined - but I will decide upon either Moorit or White and spin enough to finish the shawl.

If 3½ ounces will bring me around 30000 stitches far, 4 ounces should bring me all the way to the end, right? Especially because the topmost patterns (Lace Holes and Clover Lace) have a steady stitch count as opposed to the leafy lace pattern in the bottom section.
When I run out, I will calculate again and see if I was correct. Remember, this is handspun yarn and it might vary in thickness, taking away some yardage along the way.

Have a really nice day

Lene

February 14, 2007

Call in the Knitters!

In my scout troop, rather my rover group, we have an ambition to have a soccer team of little uns before 2009 - and we're well off already, with a 14 month old and one to come september - if we were aiming for an indoor team of 7, that is :-)

Nevertheless, this new arrival should - and will - be honoured. I am currently thinking very hard about what I should knit as the Mother-to-be and I are not extremely close. Maybe a pair of bootees and a Garfield (our mascot) stuffie?

Have a nice day

/Lene