Improvising
Great design solutions are often the result of a mistake or problem that really makes you think outside the box. Such was the case with this mystery shawl that I finished knitting. The pattern was given in 3 clues, and all I knew was that I needed 400 yards of a sock or fingering weight yarn. I chose some handspun from my Fiber Optic fiber, from a pencil roving (Blackberry Jamble), Merino/silk blend.
This was the first hank that was spun on my new Jensen wheel, prior to my wrestling some semblance of control over it, and the spinning was not as even as I have come to expect from myself, nor was the yardage as good as I would have liked. So, I started the project with 396 yards of a somewhat unevenly spun, yet gorgeous yarn. Towards the end of the knitting I knew that I had to finish it off with another fiber, even though my yardage was technically correct, the larger gauge of yarn and unevenness ate up the skein more quickly. Luckily I had some singles left on a bobbin from the blue-green Fiber Optic gradient, and since they were from the same designer, the colors matched up perfectly. I Navajo plyed the blue and had just enough to finish off the shawl.
Blocking really showed off the colors and the pattern well, and any irregularities in my spinning seem to disappear.
It is really more of a “shawlette”, not my garment of choice, but this will make a beautiful scarf under a Fall coat, or a light cover on a summers eve.
Jan 5:54 pm on August 16, 2012 Permalink |
Beautiful, Frances. What do you mean by 3 clues!???
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knitting1105 6:00 pm on August 16, 2012 Permalink |
3 clues means that the pattern is given out a little bit at a time. You only know the yardage that you need, needle sizes and you just trust the knitting. Usually done just for socks, shawls, hats, etc. Things that do not require an exact fit.
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jettefierce 7:53 pm on August 16, 2012 Permalink |
it looks like it’s glowing!!! love the colours!!!
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knitting1105 8:10 pm on August 16, 2012 Permalink |
It does glow from the silk, which makes it very hard to get a good photo. Hopefully I can get outside when my daughter the model is here and get some better photos.
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