Erich Engeln Spitzenstricken Teil 3

Yup I know - the title is a mouthful! But it is such a delicious mouthful you'll want to savor it for a long time!

I found it first on Ravelry via a shop called A Knitted Peace in Colorado - but wasn't happy with the translation and recharting - then I found this one at Lacis.com and at first I was a little put off by the price. But then I got a look at the shawls, and some doilies, and particularly some edgings (always searching out new edgings) and I knew I needed it.

Originally I made Trachtentuch A/Schultertuch A in a handpainted silk merino blend. Wasn't happy - between the price and the stripey bits - well lets just say I learned a valuable lesson.

Then I had a partial cone of ColourMart 3/28 heavy lace weight 100% cashmere (2 cones = 3 shawls - and I've still got enough left over for a scarf) in Persian Blue Mix. I used a size 4 needle (thinking of dropping to a 3) and went to town. Wow - a week of knitting later and now I love this thing! I don't know if I can give it away or if I'm going to hastily knit another "hug" for a friend! So soft, so fluffy, such drape...well enough - you'll just have to knit your own! I will say that there is a line of nupps that I would replace with beads, and the bottom medallions cry out for beads as well but that will have to be on the next one - and there will definitely be a next one!

I was also surprised at the way the front ended up draping - it falls in a ruffle much like the "Potato Chip" scarf! It adds a graceful "aire" to the front. I also crocheted the edging cause I need to keep practicing this cursed skill - and I use the term loosely! Thank-you Brooke and RMS for the little reminder the other day!

Tuesday 2 Tuesday Knitting

This week I did 8 more Chemo Caps - actually it turned out to be 1 a day which is pretty good considering my current life. So here we go...

2 of the Beaufort Hats a freebie over on Ravelry using some Cascade Sierra Quatro I got from the sale bin at the Kirkwood Knittery!











Then a whole bunch of the Tretta pattern from Grumperina also over on Ravelry but I think it was $4 - but here's the thing it's kindda ribby so it fits all kinds of heads! I used some Paton's Mercerized Cotton I found over at Smiley's Yarns (online cause I don't get to NY nearly enough) and some of the softest stuff I've felt - Rowan CashCotton DK that I got out of the sale bin at the Kirkwood Knittery (I knit more Chemo Caps from Brooke's great sales!)





Then there's this funky little number from PaperMoon - over on Ravelry. I'm torn, it's a little busy but hopefully someone will love it. I used Cascade Sierra in Lavender and a too cute button both from...The Kirkwood Knittery. Yarn on sale button NOT! The hat just feels too bulky (but the back of your neck will NEVER be cold), and it grew quite a bit after I washed it.







And finally this old standby - the Lace Edged Hat - also found on Ravelry, and made with some more of the Rowan CashCotton DK that I got at the Kirkwood Knittery Sale Bin!

Chemo Caps - YET AGAIN !

So I haven't been to guild in over a year and half...but in my defense I have a traveling hubby and a rotten beastie boy who's in every sport know to mankind...weekends are a valuable commodity not to be squandered!!! Anyway I digress - I went to Guild on Saturday! Left the hubby doing school stuff, left the beastie working on the lawn (don't hire him - he's not very good) left the sleeping hound on the couch and made a break for the door!

The sassy Ms. RMS did a fun presentation on the fundamentals of hat math and design. But what struck me the hardest was the lovely red head who was in critical need of Chemo Caps for the Breast Wellness Center. And our own Hospitality Princess explaining that there was a pressing demand in the entire city. WOW, what a sad commentary that there are "sister-friends" in need...again...still!!!!! So in memory of Cheryl, Marilyn, Grace, Malinda and Jim who lost the battle, and for Annie, Tammi, Betty, and my mom who kicked cancer's ass here's another round of cancer caps!

So this one is made from a mystery hank from SOPHIPHI over on Ravelry - she sent it as a thank-you/trade for some ColourMart merino/angora lace weight. It's feels like it's merino/silk blend somewhere between a fingering and lace weight. I used the HiyaHiya interchangeable needle kit (size 4 needle and 16 inch cable) and one of my all time favorite hat patterns...the Filigree Lace Hat Pattern by Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer over at HeartStrings! The pattern calls for sport weight yarn but I used the large instructions and a size 4 needle.

I've been using this as a Chemo Cap since 2005 when Cheryl was looking for something she could wear on an "outing" (fashionista). Not too hot, just enough coverage, not too tight and super soft. I've made it in every fiber from cashmere to silk to cotton and they always turn out great!

Math Mafia Lessons

Okay Eye Candy First...

This is called the Luiza Shawl and I picked it up on Ravelry for $5. Made some mod's mostly increasing the size and then I got no skills cause I had some issues with the pattern some of which were resolved with a quick response from the designer - anyways here it sits on the bed. So for those keeping track that's 16 full edging repeats + 2 half repeats + the center 3/4 circle! I ended up using 1.75 balls of Knit Picks Gloss Lace, on size 5 needles, with finished dimensions of 70 inches across the top, 50 inches down the side, and 34inches down the spine. (And believe it or not each of those edging repeats blocked out to 5 inches!)





Now this last bit is from the "Math Mafia" - which would be the nerdy guys I live with and indulge me in this "crafty" thing. They figured out that if they used the laser level from the workshop, compensated 40% for growth from the original piece and did a little math (formula included which I don't get but which they swear works just fine) and then to make things even easier pinned out a template on the bed to the correct dimensions and then since I always complain about blocking those damn semi-circles at the bottom placed pins to allow for precise placement. So cred to the Math Mafia who now adds shawl blocking to their growing resume.

Stump the Chump

Ha you thought I was going to show you some new knitting (can't cause it looks like a jellyfish right now) - or share some of my stash (please I NEVER share my stash) ... fooled ya!

I am stumped!

I am knitting the Cameron Shawl from Sharon Miller over at Heirloom Knitting using ColourMart 2/30 Merino/Silk/Cashmere blend. It's a typical square Shetland Shawl using typical techniques and there is really nothing different here...but

During the last 8 or so rounds the number of stitches stays static, and then on the very last round you DECREASE 9 stitches per side, and then gentle reader you apply the edging which has NO ease around the corners of the shawl. This gives you the right number of stitches to knit 22 repeats of the pattern per side! My question is this...if I just increase one stitch per side (instead of decreasing) I'll be able to add an extra repeat of the edging per side and maybe it will lay better or is this VanDyke edging stretchy enough that it will do what I want when I block it. The second question is will my fiber actually hold the block like the sticky shetland wool or will I be disappointed and the corners will pull in like my Lerwick?!

And if just one of you dares to mention the word "SWATCH" may your computer screen go blue! And yes I posted the question over on the Ravelry!

Some more eye candy

Here's the final shots of the Panama Shawl - it is a Christmas Mystery written by Monika Eckert at Wollklabauter! She is toooo talented! It was published as "clues" starting on Christmas Eve and I've been working on it pretty steady ever since!

Final thoughts are that I loved the pattern and I loved the fiber but I still seem to think I need to knit lace in fibers devoid of color? Iced blue, gray or white but the strong color changes somehow detract from the beautiful stitches...

Thank you Moni for the Wonderful Xmas gift...

So I started knitting right on time - okay some days I was a bit excessive and sat up waiting for the posting of a clue! Clue by clue photos are in my Ravelry Account (RogueKnit). And for those who want to check out my stitches extra large here's a link to my Flickr photo!

And I Knitted and I Knitted and by the end my rows were taking 55 minutes to finish the pattern row and the subsequent purl row...but I did it...and with help from the beastie and the hubby I blocked today and here it is...



I'll post a picture on a model as soon as it's done drying!

Now for the technical stuff - I used JoJoland Harmony - ended up using about 1350 yards of cobweb weight on a size 2.5 needle - Finished dimensions are 90.5 inches at the top and 63 inches down a side. Now GO KNIT YOUR OWN!!!!