Finished SunRay! (But behind on the Weekly Wrap-Up)

Whooooooooo....Finished my SunRay! Great pattern...easy to follow....tinked quite a bit in the fourth repeat (due to DreamGirls distraction)...but basically had the pattern down flat by the 5th repeat. Did 6 repeats total...Used Elann.com Highland Wool in Violet Heather...Size10 Brittany Birches to start with, then switched over to KPOptions (love those KPOptions!) 6 full skeins and about 1/4 of a 7th! Finished size is 80" x 42" (yeah, I blocked the bejeebers out of her!) And I totally, totally love it. Started (early) April 29....finished May 6....It's a WRAP!


Blocking photos per SK's request! (Thank you so much SK for the great pattern! You restored my self confidence in lace knitting!) please ignore shoe detritus at the photo edges...too lazy to crop!





Next on the needles....a Luna for Juna...in elann's Adara...Fern would be the color of choice!

More details on my blog!...And honestly, bad KAL hostess that I am, I will get the weekly "wrapup" later this week!

Happy Knitting!

I'm Late To The Party!

Better late than never...

I spent some time yesterday reading the posts and comments here and looking at all the gorgeous work in progress and finished work. Wow! This is an inspiring site. I hope the shawl action continues for a while 'cuz there is such a sense of accomplishment and momentum here.

Part of me is a bit flabbergasted -- didn't y'all just start, like, yesterday?

I am porting over some bits from an archived post on my blog. This is the Moonlight Sonata shawl I started in March. I am about halfway through the fourth repeat now, but it has been sitting around for a while. Shui Kuen asked me to report on some of the things I discovered while knitting it.



The yarn is Mondial Giada, a sport-weight merino/silk blend that is softer than a baby's cheek. I dyed it myself in a colorway I'm calling Moonlight(when it is lighter) and Midnight (when it is darker). This would be Moonlight. I'm using 4mm needles.

The tricky bits to keep an eye on are:

It is not as difficult a shawl to knit as it looks, but I would not recommend it to a beginner. You do have to pay attention to both sides of the knitting. What I like about that is that it is a constant check that I have not made mistakes. I count every section like a litany. I can't knit this one with a talking book or TV or music, or anyone else in the room. But that's jut me.

Watch for S2KP and SK2P: You need to do both of these, and it can be easy not to notice the change.

When YO before a purl stitch, you have to wrap the yarn around the needle twice. When YO before a knit stitch, you simply have to keep the yarn in the purl position.

The double increase takes getting used to. You do the back stitch increase, then the front stitch, the slide that off; THEN pick up the vertical loop from behind with the left hand needle.

And concentrate!

Shui Kuen says that once you are past the first two repeats of the moon pattern, it gets easier as you can see what is coming and read your lace. I've never been good at reading lace, but Shui Kuen is right. I have caught a few potential errors easily because I can anticipate what I should be doing next to make the moon pattern come out. Cate can probably comment on this too, since she is also knitting the shawl.

I am knitting Sunray now too, and I am in the third or fourth repeat. It's going very smoothly. I find it an easy, rhythmic pattern to follow, and I love the day-glo orange and soft buttercup yellows of the yarn I'm using. I can't report on the Sunray shawl on my own blog, since the recipient reads there sometimes. I'm planning to take pix and post a report here later today.

Victorian Lace Shawl finished

I've finished! I can't believe how quickly this shawl knits up. No pictures (alas) remember I have no digital camera on hand, but I'm working on it.

All I have to do now is soak it and block it. I can't wait for my four daughters to see it on Mother's Day.

Susie

Incan Clay Yarn pR0n!

My gorgeous, delicious, beautiful Incan Clay Sonata Print yarn arrived today! Take a look at THIS!
I just LOVE it! I was afraid it might turn out to be too Halloweeny, but the light grey has a tinge of blue in it, and the dark grey has a breath of brown, I think. The russet, peach, and apricot clay colors are nice as well. Here's a bit better representation of the colors:

More at my blog.

Stick a fork in me....



Here she is unblocked and lounging on the lawn.
The first section is Elann HW in Wisteria which transitions into HW Dusky purple which transitions to Sierra Aran in Hyacinth for the final rows and bind off.






Alas, I have no master blocker. Just lil' ol' me and my pins.

For those of you interested, I think I used 5 balls wisteria, 2 dusky purple and two hyacinth. I thought the bind off would use more yarn--turns out it used way less than half the skein. I could have done a couple more rows. oh well. I'll post a final picture as soon as she's dry. Love this pattern! What should I make next?

Lisa, your Sun Ray Shawl

Lisa, will you please show us a picture of your Sun Ray shawl on a blocking stage. I would love to see how the edging is being pinned.

Just Getting Started and Loving It

I have just finished my second repeat and I am loving this pattern. The yarn, Elann's Luna in Green Tea, is a little tricky since it tends to split but I like the feel of the knitted fabric. I wonder how it's going to block. Maybe I should have done a swatch???

Yes, Luna is finished

Four skeins of Pure Peruvian Alpaca from Elann in Atlantic Mist, and size 9 addi turbos. I have plans to make this many many more times. Thanks SK for such a beautiful pattern.

rounder shawl...

I am wondering what kind of shape the Moonlight Sonata ends up. Is it a half circle? More than a half circle?

The Pattern probably explains, but I am brain dead today!

Sun Ray Shawl knitters....

I thought you might be interested in reading about my Sun Ray shawl battles a few months ago.
Ornery Sun Ray Shawl. In fairness it was the yarn and not the pattern. I did finish her tho' and pics are there. I would like to do her again this time in some sort of yellow, as inspired SK.

I didn't knit a stitch all weekend on my Luna due to an unexpected houseguest but he just pulled away so I will pick up the needles again and get her finished in a day or 2.

Marie's Luna Moth

Here's a pic of my Luna Moth after completing the first repeat. It doesn't look like much. Can't seem to get the needles to behave and lie flat. I don't know how you guys get your knitting to spread out so you can take a photo. You can read more on my blog.


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I need help-- More ways than one!

I am making the Sun Ray for my daughter's birthday May 18. I am on row 15, I do not understand what it means to increase. Ih ave 43 stitches, not enought to do 10 increases on each side??? And it appears that they have reversed the k2tog and ssk, can someone explain to me how I am to make this grow wider? I have been knitting for 10 years and feel like an idiot, asking what is probably a simple question! Page

Moonlight Sonata Closeup

I am posting my first Moonlight Sonata Closeup pictures which is knitted with seasilk-a gift from Benne. Happy knitting!

Moonlight progress

I've finished the third repeat of Moonlight Sonata - phew. I'm starting to get in a rhythm. Lace sure looks messy before it is blocked. Can't get the color right in the pictures, though. It is an indigo or denim blue. I am using Addi Natura's, size 4. They seem a bit pointier than the Addi Turbos. At some point, if I keep on knitting lace, I will invest in some Addi Lace needles. I don't have a job right now so am on a total shop-from-my-stash, no spending diet.

Grace's Luna

My Luna Moth in progress using Elanns Pure Peruvian Alpaca, a simply gorgeous yarn to knit with. I will be adding additional repeats since I have more yarn, this is my daytime, pure daylight project. Everyone is doing such gorgeous work, it inspires me to make so many more.

needles question

I have cast on my Peruvian wrap. While I did/do have the correct size needle, I know they aren't the ones for this job. I am they type of person who can read and hear the right way to do things over and over, but I still need to find out myself by doing. My size 15 bamboo needles aren't pointy. Any suggestions for a good large needle that is very pointy? I have to go and buy them today, so I have them ready if I get knitting time in this weekend.

Thank you in advance. Amanda

Have I decided on only one yet?? Hmmmm.....

Here is one of the 3 shawls I've been deliberating over. This is the Luna in an ebay no-name mohair. I have to say I LOVE the rhythm of this pattern, clickety-clack-clickety-clack, extremely soothing. And the yarn is very nice, considering it's mysterious properties!

The other Luna that I started is being debated; if not frogged in the next few days, I'll post a pic.

The 3rd shawl is the Highland Wool Wrap. Though I'm lovin' the challenge of this one, there's no rhythm happening here...I need my total brain in high gear and at full attention. Needless to say, progress is a bit slow as, I'm kinda using my brain for other things (like walking and talking and feeding myself)!

Here's the first progress shot of the Victorian Aran Lace shawl in HW Wisteria. She looks a bit wonky but hopefully nothing that blocking won't iron out. As you can see, I'm onto the vine lace portion and she is just zipping along. I think this is going to be a wonderful, cozy shawl! I've only got a couple more ball of Wisteria--look for a color change soon. Happy knitting, everyone!

Off to a slow start...

Looks like everyone is off to a good start, either early or on time. I still haven't cast on yet. DH did manage to print out the Luna Moth pattern and gave it to me last night. Yay! :-)

This will be my very first shawl, so I'm leaning towards using a WW yarn to help me stay motivated. So I'm thinking of cast on with HW in Red Maple, which I have 4 balls of. I hope it's enough. Of course it helps to know I have Sandra to fall back on; she says she has Red Maple HW in her stash.

I haven't figured out which needle size to use. US8 or US10? The pattern says US9, a size I don't have. I guess I need to try both and see. Or maybe just jump in with US10 and see what comes of it.

The pattern says to use a US H crochet hook for the provisional cast on. My one and only crochet hook is a US G. I don't think that should make any difference. I've been meaning to pick up a few more crochet hooks in some other sizes (especially smaller since I seem to be heading in that direction). Do you guys feel strongly about crochet hook brands as you do about knitting needle brands? Or are they all the same?

I've been working on a lace scarf recently and was going cross eyed looking at the row pattern instructions. Then it dawned on my that I could use that "lace book" thing which I had used a couple years back. I totally forgot about that. I've been dumbed down over the years, lol. It's only 10 rows of instructions for the Luna Moth shawl, so I think it'll be easier for me to jot those row-by-row instructions onto index cards. That way I know I'm following the right instructions instead of straying off to an adjacent row's instructions.


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Finally! Progress on a KAL!

Here is my so-far progress on Luna Moth. The yarn is the Filati Fantasia Cezanne that Elann had last year, in the Straw colorway. I like the way the yarn is knitting up, though it does tend to split just a bit. This is about 2 evening's work; I quit working lace when my eyes get tired. I've started the 2nd repeat of the main section here. I have 300 yards of the Cezanne, so I'm thinking I'll have a nice-sized shawl.

I like the look of the new version, in the darkish green Callista, but whew! That's a big shawl!