The result

I have never modified a chart /pattern like this before, so, armed with a pen (and later a pencil - should have started with that), I sat down to knit.

After staying up way too late Sunday night (actually early Monday morning) test knitting the chart for the miter, I finished it mid-day Monday. There are some changes that I need to make in the chart, mainly to keep the stitch count even on both sides, and to maintain the reduction in stitches.

Here's the result:

The yarn is a 50/50 silk/wool that I dyed ages ago (and I have 2 large balls of it). The shawl in progress is 100% merino.

I call this color way, "Snapdragon." It's hard to see since it's not blocked, but it is an all-over leaf pattern, which is why I liked the edging - it has leaves in it too.

Now, I just have to figure out the rate of decrease so that I can figure out how many repeats of the unmodified edging chart I need to start with, and how many (if any) more repeats of the shawl I have to do, so that I can graft them together easily.

I wouldn't normally pick this color combo to wear for myself. But, it looks good on me, in spite of having a fair bit of greeny-yellow in it.  I'm looking forward to getting it finished - it will complete the outfit nicely!

The Evening's project

I've been knitting on a small shawl, and needed to find an edging (since I'm just about at the point where I need to put one on). I looked through all my lace books, and found one I liked in "Knitted Lace of Estonia," by Nancy Bush. However, this is a triangular shawl, and the lace edging is straight.

What to do?

Break out Excel on the computer and figure it out. Here's the graph on the computer, showing the newly installed mitered corner:

Thank goodness for a 23" monitor!!

And here's the graph in the book it was taken from:

I don't know why they jogged the pattern repeat - it actually is straight up and down...

The edging will be knit separate from the shawl and grafted on, so I still have to do some significant math to make them come out right stitch-wise. However, I think it will be really nice when it's done. The colors in the yarn are not what I normally would wear, but I found a dress that's the same bright corally-pink as in the yarn, and it actually looks good on me! My nephew's wedding is in a month, so other than shoes (goodwill here I come), I'm set.

So, now, let the test knitting begin!

Finished Object!!

I've been knitting. In the last post, I showed the Maia shawlette, which I finished in a week (staying up way to late...). After I finished it, I cast on the Bitterroot  shawlette (also by Romi Hill), and just finished it today. It's on my skirting table drying (I'm hoping that the predicted T-storms hold off for awhile...).

 

This one was knitted without beads, mainly because I didn't want to drive to the bead store (it's 40 miles away). I like it - though I like the shaping of Maia better. This color way is Berry Cobbler.

Some of the impetus to knit is to have some demonstrable use of the yarn that I sell. I've had great success with the Merino/Bamboo blend, but less with the fingering weight and sport weight superwash merino. Both of these shawlettes will be demos (not for sale because of respect for copyright).

I'm thinking that I'll use the dress form as a model at Oregon Flock and Fiber in September - I can pin the shawls to her (Lola is her name) so people can see the drape, etc.

I also have a pair of socks in the sport weight that are all done but the left toe, but these are going to my new step-mom, Wilma. She and my dad are going on a cruise to Alaska, and she will be very happy to have them along! Since they will have been delivered, I'll have to knit another pair for me, that I can use as a demo... Oh darn, hand knit socks...

A different fiber art

I had the great fun to join a couple of friends from my old workplace at the Sisters' Quilt Show today. They had been in previous years (they are quilters), but I had never gone. It was a good opportunity to catch up and see some beautiful work..

The first things that caught my eye, though were not quilts, but wood carvings. Absolutely stunning work:

 The different colors are primarily in the wood itself (except for the manes and tails, which were stained).

And then there were the quilts - I don't know how many there were, but they were everywhere. Hanging from buildings, many hundreds, I'm sure! Here's a sampling (with some detail shots):

I really love the starry night one - I'm contemplating (urged on by one of the friends I was with) doing a dye series based on fine art paintings. I currently have one color-way that is very popular (Water Lillies) that is based on the Monet painting. I need to search out some others.

Just before I left to hike back to my car (the traffic was really nuts, so I just parked about 1/2 mile from town and walked in), with the thunderheads building, we saw this lovely:

 Now there's a color-way! The lighter areas in the wings are actually a lovely butter yellow - the compliment of the flowers. I'll have to work on this one!

I have been knitting, and completed a shawlette by Romi Hill, her Maia from the Pleides e-book. I used some 2-ply merino superwash fingering weight yarn that I dyed. This shawl calls for knitting in beads. I didn't put them all in, and had a heck of a time finding the "right" ones, but the turquoise crystal beads that I used work very well, I think. They also give a really nice weight to the edge of the shawl. It was very easy to block - I just patted it out on a couple of towels - no pinning needed!!

I think I'm hooked on these little shawls (I'm working on another) - they're perfect for the ADD person that I am - highly visible progress and very fun to knit!

Unfortunately, the progress at the loom has stalled, but I'm working on getting unstuck...