Thursday 24 September 2015

Having succumbed to the virus...
Last week I heard for the first time about a shawl pattern with a controversial provenance.
It was a free pattern so as far as I can tell no one is losing money on this. There is a chart floating around and also a Ravelry  contributor is claiming it as her own. Others say it is very old and she just grabbed it. There are also totally unhelpful ( and copyrighted) videos where we watch someone crochet.
So to cause my tiny bit of trouble I decided to give it a try.
I used Bernat baby softee [3] and a 5mm hook. The chart is perfectly clear so away I went. And finished in just a few days. Except there was no border or edging on the chart and the only one I found online was boring, with just sc and the occasional picot. The shawl already has shells along the edge so there was no need to add shells. I researched possible borders then ended up using a simple one, modified from  the summer sprigs shawl (special picot) and added to my own base edge.

The Virus Shawl


Edge:
crochet to the end of third row of the four row repeat. Turn {each shell has 10 dc, wewill dc into the 1,4 7, and 10 dcof each shell as follows} ch2, dc in same st, * ch3 sk 2 dc, dc in next dc, special picot, sk 2 dc, dc in next dc,ch3, sk 2 dc, dc in next dc, sc in ch 4 sp. dc in first dc of next shell* repeat to end of row.
special picot: ch 4, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch1,

The picot is clearer while blocking but this is acrylic so the blocking relaxes after pins are removed.


Wednesday 23 September 2015

Did I forget to mention "spin"?
I dropped by our local library on Saturday to see spinners and weavers participating in Worldwide Spin in Public Day (annually on the  third Saturday of September). I had never heard of it before, but I was then inspired to drag my Ashford wheel up from the basement, dust it off (literally, it was very dusty!) and give it a try.  In case you are wondering, it turns out spinning is like riding a bike, once you know how you never really forget!
Most of my wool is New Zealand fleece, ordered and mailed directly to me from a sheep farm in the late 70s! I also have bits and bobs purchased at craft fairs and such. It is mostly still "in the grease" so after it is spun it needs washing.
and drying!

Then what to make with it? The colours really do remind me of the 70s, brown was very in then. Now, not so much!

Saturday 19 September 2015

Photos of finished cotton summer shawl with fancy edging.
The body of the shawl is double crochet with some v stitch rows for increase purposes. It seems to go on forever.

 
I have never done a border like this, it attaches sideways as you go.


 The pattern is Crescent Lace Shawl by Tian Connaughton in the summer 2015 Love of Crochet. I mostly behaved myself and followed directions. The hook recommended was 3.5mm and I used 3.75mm. I did not do as many rows as specified because it was big enough. I used a mystery cotton on a cone (thrift store find). The only information is a small tag on the inside saying 3000yds  2 ply. It is very fine and slubbed.

Monday 14 September 2015

Finished a few things this week.
The Katniss cowl , using "inspiration" from two different sources is done and the photo has been approved by planned recipient!

As a change from something warm and practical I also made this:


Described as a summer cowl It is intended to be made in a much finer yarn, and would presumably then look much more "air-y".












And the really slow one, because this is made in a pattern appropriate yarn:
beginning to block. How are we supposed to block cotton anyway?
Detail:
I did not exactly time this but I do know that the last 90% or so was done while watching 4 Masterpiece Mystery s, and the entire rebroadcast of Ken Burns "The Civil War". It is forever going  to  remind me of that dolorous violin background music!

On a more practical note (no pun intended) I whipped up a warm neck cowl.
My pattern, drastically modifying one I found online.















And after all that I am back to making baby hats. Posting next time.

Friday 4 September 2015

An actual cowl that looks a bit like a Katniss cowl seemed like a good compromise to figure out some of the kinks in the pattern. So I found a free pattern online and made this.

 Caron "one pound" in taupe 8mm hk, thick size [4]
I need a better model than the newel post!



















Next project will be to take that texture and add it on to a bland double crochet version of the Katniss cowl , again a free online pattern.
And of course I am not following instructions about which yarn, or what thickness, or size of hook. That would make things way too easy!

The yarn for all this, and many more future projects came from 2 visite to Goodwill my last trip away.


True treasures here, as well as some trash (how did I miss that Phentex wrapper?) And the difficulty of judging feel with out actually being able to, well, feel the yarn leads to some buyers remorse too.





Other  recently finished:

Newborn sized hats for newborn patients in two locations.













and just for looking...