Pendulum Shawl

I finished the Pendulum Shawl the other day and got it blocked. I had enough of the wheat-coloured yarn to do an extra section.

I blocked it quite firmly so it is quite drapey yet the garter stitch is still nice and squishy.

I'm not totally happy with the centre back and in retrospect, should have knit a long garter stitch tab instead of starting with three stitches and increasing.

I think this pattern would make a great rectangular scarf. I will inspect my sock yarn and fingering weight stash to see what might work.

I have been inspired by some of the weaving projects I've seen on the Weavolution website. Skip liked the linen stitch scarf I recently completed and I do have a narrow one I can give him but I could also weave one. I woke up yesterday morning thinking about what I would use for the warp. I have a ball of Zauberball black and white yarn I could use for the weft.

I took a couple more photos of the linen stitch scarf.

 Did I mention I LOVED doing the fringe?

Too bad Skip doesn't like the fringe. I stretched the scarf out to 7' when I blocked it so now it is nice and long for doubling and wrapping around my neck.

I noted that some people knit the linen stitch scarf in the round, knitting several stitches between rounds that will be unravelled for the fringe after completion. That way you only have to do the right side stitches, staggering them in the next round. This knitter explains it well with photos.

Linen Scarf - Done, Done, Done!

Back in 2011 I started this linen stitch scarf with three different colourways of Koigu yarn.

It was not a stimulating knit and I put it down for three years until I picked it up last May and finished knitting it.

Then there was the issue of how to deal with the fringe. For the lack of anything better, I tied knots in groups of 3 yarn ends. I did it somewhat evenly but wasn't all that thrilled with the loose yarn ends.

I purchased a fringe twister and promptly put it away unused.

For some reason, today, I did a search on YouTube for making fringe and found this very helpful video.

Inspired, I got to work undoing all the knots I had previously tied and started twisting 6 ends in 3 groups of two.

And before the Boston College/FSU game was over, I had the fringe done!

I haven't decided which side I like better.

I couldn't wait 'til it was light out so here it is.

Skip mentioned he liked the weight of it but he doesn't like fringe. Little does he know, I have another one knit for him without fringe. Heh, heh, heh...

It's Misti Alpaca Pima Cotton & Silk. It might be too colourful for him so I may do another with more manly colours.

Pendulum Update

I continue to work away on the Pendulum Shawl. There is an increase of two stitches every row so each wedge section is much bigger than the last.

I have used 12g on the last blue wedge and still have a couple of rows to finish. There should be 30g left for an extra wedge and the bindoff. There is more of the wheat yarn so I'm not concerned about getting to the end of a 6th wedge. The pattern only calls for 5 wedges each but hey, since I have the extra yarn, I might as well use it. It will be a L O N G scarf, perfect for wrapping around my neck several times or doubling and tying in unique ways around my neck.

Yesterday I received more paperwork to complete for my knitting gig on the luxury cruise line, Crystal Cruises. After dinner I put on some makeup and got Skip to set up the tripod and take some photos I could use for the requested 'headshot'. With all that sent back in, now I just have to wait to see when my flight will be to my embarkation port. Eeeeek!!! This is SO exciting!!!

Finishing, Starting, and Swatching

I finished the bindoff to the Cladonia shawl and got it blocked.

It is a very easy knit, especially when using two colours. One needs to loosely run the other colour up the edge as it was not as stretchy on that side as it was on the other. I did a bit of adjusting to get it blocking symetrically.

It sure is worthwhile to take the time to pin out each picot.

I will definitely knit this pattern again.

I also started the Pendulum shawl which is also a very easy knit. There is that issue with the peak in the middle of the first section but I'm hoping a firm blocking will eliminate that.

Basically it is a series of garter stitch short rows with increases at the beginning and end of every row.

I will be sitting around most of the afternoon while Skip has a routine medical procedure so I anticipate I will get a lot done on it then.

I have swatched for the Soumak Scarf Wrap that I saw someone knitting at the knitting retreat. There is an addendum correcting a mistake from the magazine. I am using many of my KnitPicks Palette colours and am supplementing from fingering weight or sock yarns.

I made a mistake about 8 rows in on the swatch and I didn't cut the ends because I'm just going to rip this out and reuse the yarn. It is a pretty easy slipped stitch pattern where you are only working one colour for two rows.

Getting Inspired

My knitting and stitching friend, Jennifer, and I have been planning to attend the Needler's (Knitting) Retreat since last May. The weekend finally came and we piled into my car and bombed over to the far end of Lake Ontario to The Glen House Resort. This was the view from our room just after sunrise.

It was the 25th anniversary retreat and several originals still attend.


The first night there was a 'show and tell' event.

Jen showing and telling us about her Susanna IC beaded lace shawl

Jen and I took lots of notes so we could look up the patterns at some opportune time. We were either so busy or the Wifi was so bad we really didn't have a chance to look stuff up all weekend.

These Ottawa knitters had participated in a KAL (knit-along) of the Peloton Shawl, Natalie Servant's design for the 2014 Tour de France.

Here, Natalie and Jen are staving off thirst as we wait to be called for dinner.

One of our two classes on Saturday had us knitting with silk hankies with Francine Hébert, who also created beautiful shawl pins that both Jennifer and I own.

Francine Hébert