Entrelac Cowl

Tah DAH!  A completed project. 

I intended to use both skeins of my Noro Silk Garden Sock yarn for a long entrelac scarf.  I used the pattern which can be found HERE.  But it came as no surprise to me that I grew tired of knitting this.

Entrelac, I think you may agree, is a very cool knitted effect and Noro Yarns tend to scream, "Entrelac... I want to be ENTRELAC!"

But entrelac is a slow and sort of tedious process.  You create small squares and triangles, one at a time. This consists of you knitting from 1 to 8 stitches in a row, turning the work each and every time you complete a short little row.  Some of the gals at my local knit shop actually learned to knit backwards just to avoid turning the work repeatedly but I am not quite that clever.  I am, however, clever enough to realize that this project was doomed to be tossed aside as a project in which I lost interest. 

I picked this project up just the other day after ignoring it for a few weeks. As I was working on my scarf, I realized I was approaching a change in color to "cobalt blue" which was the same color in the cast on row.  I decided to complete the final row and I stitched the two cobalt blue ends together.  Tah DAH... an entrelac cowl!  The two ends actually matched up pretty well; I just wear the seam at the back of my neck. 

I wore this to work today and it kind of perked me up to wear something special like this. I got some nice comments from my friends... "Did you make that!? It's so pretty... I like it."  I like that I can rotate the scarf just a little to the right or to the left and different colors appear. I imagine it will go with a lot of outfits.  I think I might have enough yarn remaining to make two more cowls just like this.  Yes, entrelac is fun... but in limited doses.  The finished result is worth the effort. 

Clapotis #1 and Clapotis #2

This month I finished two... count them... TWO... Clapotis (pronounced Clap-oh-tee).

If one is a Clapotis... then maybe I am more correct to say I completed two Clapoti?

If I am finding myself addicted to this pattern, as evidenced by the fact that I made two in a row, would you say I have a "Case of the Clap?"  Oh, that's bad. Forgive me! But know that I stayed up really late to complete the pink Clapotis last night.   The pink project is made from Brown Sheep Wildfoote Luxury Sock yarn in the colorway called "Sonatina". 

I said in a previous post that the Clapotis project is wildly popular on Ravelry.  I have to admit while knitting both of these projects, I did get a bit bored toward the end, but I am sure (like many others) I will come back to this pattern again some day. It's a fun knit, it's such a wearable garment (it drapes so nicely), and the pattern is pure genius and so clever; the finished result is just so nice!

The pattern is available on www.knitty.com and on Ravelry.  The pattern link is HERE.

I like what the pattern designer, Kate Gilbert, says about this project:
French women are known for wearing scarves. Starting in September and until summer arrives, this is a most important accessory. The scarf may be striped or patterned, colorful, wrinkled and is much bigger than the scarves you probably have. Women just wrap the scarf around their neck in a "Je suis belle et ça ne demande aucun effort*" sort of way and off they go. Since I have lived in Paris, I have realized that these ladies are on to something. I find I am much warmer wearing a scarf, even if I'm not wearing a jacket, so here is my knit version of the French scarf. It's knit on the bias so the variegated yarn makes diagonal stripes and stitches are carefully dropped to make a pattern in the opposite direction. This creates a scarf which tends to be a little more of a parallelogram than a rectangle, but I promise, it's nice that way. It's made of the softest, most luxurious yarn I have ever used and is a dream to wear. Instructions are included at the end to modify it to create a stole. *I'm beautiful and I don't even try.

Purple Turtle Tracks

 Oh, I love this pattern.  I've made it a few times before. The pattern for these Emilee Dee Mitts can be found on Ravelry; the link is HERE.  The lace pattern is called "Turtle Tracks".  It looks like cables but there are none.  The design is made from yarn overs, k2tog's and ssk's. 

 I used Berroco Comfort DK yarn in a dark purple; however, in these photos, the yarn looks rather blue, doesn't it!? Funny how that works!  If you've never made mitts before, and you like the look of these mitts, I really think you'll enjoy this project.  This was the first mitt pattern I ever followed and I keep coming back to make more. 

This is my 4th pair of fingerless mitts for a charity called "Mitts of Steel" for dialysis patients who suffer from cold hands.  I think I might need to make a pair for me since I like them so much.  I had the mitts on as I was taking pictures and I noticed how nice it was to have my fingers free so I could adjust my camera easily. 

Frustration... and Another Clapotis

I started a cute little project last weekend... "Le Weekend Shawlette"... so named because you could start it on a Friday evening and finish by Sunday.

I was cruising along. I finished the lace border several days ago and, on Thursday, I proceeded to the short row shaping so the straight lace border would magically morph into a crescent shaped shawl.

  After SEVERAL short rows, it decided to check my work to see if I had essentially the same number of stitches to the right and to the left of the short row shaping... I did NOT!  The short rows were shifted to the right... what happened!?

I went back to the pattern and realized I missed about six rows, with oodles of decreases, which should have been completed BETWEEN the lace border and the short row shaping.  I did not want to unknit stitch by stitch (lazy me!) so I just started ripping back.  UNFORTUNATELY, there weren't ANY rows of stockinette between the short rows and lace, and as I ripped back... I started to lose the lace pattern made up of oodles of yarn overs, ssks, ktogs, and S2KP's.  I made several desperate attempts to rip back to a row where I could recapture the 300 plus stitches. Eventually, I just gave up. 

Over 6,000 stitches... gone.

For some reason... I just did not have the heart to cast on the same "Le Weekend Shawlette" again. 

Meet Clapotis #2... she's looking a little crumpled at the moment, but I am looking forward to wearing this scarf.  I seriously did not see myself making another Clapotis EVER especially after I became so bored with Clapotis #1 just a few short weeks ago.  But there is something so appealing about the ingenious "fabric" one creates when knitting this project.  I am hoping some of the crumpliness will be resolved in blocking.  Clapotis #2 will be much smaller than Clapotis #1

(which reminds me.... I really need to post some photos of Clapotis #1).

Mystery KAL is no longer a MYSTERY

Should you ever have the opportunity to participate in a Knit Along (KAL)... or better yet...
a Mystery KAL... I highly recommend going for it!

Around New Years, I learned about this Mystery KAL on a Ravelry group called "Susanna IC" which is pretty much a fan club for folks who drool over love to make the patterns designed by by Susanna IC.  She has beautiful designs.  Basically we were told how much yarn we would need, how many beads we would need, what size needles we would need, and in the end...we would have a crescent-shaped shawl. The pattern was given out in the form of "clues"; we received a total of six clues over the course of six weeks.  The end result is pictured above. 

I love my completed shawl.  I loved the mystery of not knowing what the shawl would look like in end. I loved seeing the shawls being knit by others in the group... the yarn choices, the beads, the variations.  I must confesss the pattern called for nupps.  Nupps are are much like bobbles.  To make a five stich nupp, for example, you k1,yo,k1,yo,k1 in one stich (from one stitch you create five stitches). Then on the next row, you purl those five stitches together. Nupps are known to be tricky, especially the part where you purl the five stitches together. I chickened out. I put beads in the place of nupps.  I am tempted to cast on another mystery KAL right away, but next time with nupps. 

If you are interested in this project, you can find the pattern on Ravelry by clicking HERE.  The project can be made in lace yarn, fingering or sock yarn, or worsted weight yarn.  Since I participated in the KAL, I got the pattern for free.  Many of Susanna IC's patterns are free, but there are several I am tempted to purchase and cast on... right away!

Clapotis Continues



Clapotis

Since I am caught up on my Susanna IC Mystery Knit Along (KAL) shawl with beads, I am spending a lot of time working on my Clapotis (clap-oh-TEE).  I just barely started on my second hank of yarn so it looks as if I can make this wrap rather longer than the patter calls for if I so choose.  I am still working on the straight rows (where the width of the project remains the same) but I am just about at the point where the pattern calls for the decrease rows.  I think I will continue straight for just a bit longer to make a nice generous sized wrap. 

I can see why this pattern is so very popular on Ravelry. The pattern is sure genious...so clever!  It's easy knitting but interesting enough to keep it fun and keep your brain working.  Some folks consider knitting rhythmic or medative.  I think this pattern fits that description. 

Mystery KAL Continues

Mystery Knit Along crescent shaped shawl with beads
Designed by Susanna IC

I am having a fun time with my Mystery Shawl Knit Along with the "Susanna IC" Ravelry group.
I am now done with Clue #5; the final clue is expected to be out this weekend.  I am little boggled about how to block out the points. Folks on the Ravelry group are blocking their projects in various ways and taking photos.  I imagine this time next week, I'll be wearing this lovely wrap. I am looking forward to it!