Guess what arrived shortly after my last blog post………
JaggerSpun Zephry Wool-Silk 2/18 Lace Weight Yarn in Teal.
I really didn’t have a choice, since I planned to cast on for this…
But I was sorely tempted since the yarn for Gnarled Oakwoods also arrived in the same delivery!!! I was loyal to my decision though, since technically, this yarn was ordered first. The first run through of the cast on and following one repeat was a little fiddly – I just couldn’t seem to end up with the right amount of stitches each row. Since I had plenty of yarn for this – it calls for 900 yards and I have over 1200 – I just snipped and recast on. It’s going much better now, but I can’t seem to be distracted in the least while I’m knitting it – the boarder rows have a alonger row count then the middle pattern stitches and you really have to keep track of where you are when you leave off – I’ve got sticky notes EVERYWHERE. It’s a fun pattern though and really not hard at all. I highly recommend it – I especially love the way that one knit stitch wanders up the pattern – so peaceful and ‘wavelike” I totally understand the naming of the shawl.
Since I didn’t take photo’s of the yarn for Gnarled Oakwood yet, I’ll make up for it with this shot – it’s the first version of the “Harlee Cowl” (name still to be decided) I’m working on a second version now – adding some garter stitch to the edges and what not. I totally have a different understanding of pattern writers now. Not that I am a pattern writer, but just the act of getting a stitch gauge? And working out at Cast on, measuring, writing it all down? It gives me a new respect now. It looks simple when we see a pattern because someon has done all that work FOR us already. I wish I found a few more resources on how to write a pattern and do it the right way – I’d like to share this with anyone who’s interested and it would make me very happy if they enjoyed knitting it!!!
I would have had the second version done yesterday afternoon, but a work related crisis came up (I’m not even back at work yet, but darn, it had to be taken care of) and I spent a good deal of yesterday afternoon on the phone. So hard to knit and yell at people – did you know that? It’s not exactly easy to be on the phone when you’re conversing normally – but when you’re angry and upset and trying to fix someone else’s muck up that directly affects you and your family and their LIVES? Knitting and phone conversation not a good combo.
It is delicously cool this morning – the weather informers are saying we have a “September” weather pattern in place now. Ok. I’ll take it! I don’t know if this means our “August” weather pattern will return when we start school or it it just means Fall is going to arrive early (perfectly fine with me!!, LOVE Fall) but it’s so cool and clean and crisp outside right now, I just want to pull out a sweater to knit on! I know there were a lot of nasty storms around yesterday and the day before – a Water Spout in the Long Island Sound! We didn’t get but a few sprinkles of rain and the garden could have used it. But after the last storm – which knocked down all our corn crop – I think it might be best to set up the sprinkler and not wish for storms! Some of the corn did stand up again, but still – when you have almost grape sized hail – something has got to give!
Have a Happy Friday!
Posted by Christianne 
