Tag Archive | lace knitting

Marcelle Wrap: Done

I finally finished the Marcelle Wrap yesterday! Bound off in the morning, wove in ends, and blocked it last night. It’s currently pinned out and drying.

Grace is included in this photo for scale. It came out rather large, which was a surprise since I couldn’t get a sense of size when it was all bunched up on the needles.

I know I struggled a bit making this shawl, all faults of my own, but now that it’s done I’m delighted with it. It’s one of those projects where I can look back at it in pride that I was able to make something like this.

The pattern is the Marcelle Wrap by Little Church Knits. It’s well-written, a good shawl for an advanced beginner like me. My only comment is to buy extra yarn! Yarn is KnitPicks Palette in Oyster Heather and Rainforest Heather. I ended up using approximately 2.5 balls of the main color and 1.5 of the contrast color. No idea what I’ll do with the leftover bits but right now I’m tired of the colors and they can just go to the back of the stash.

I also finished the hat I was test knitting, so it’s drying and then I’ll do photos etc. I really should be knitting all weekend, because my knitting time is about to get cut drastically: my job search is over! I got an offer on Wednesday, accepted it Thursday morning, and I start this coming Tuesday. Yep, that’s extremely fast, faster than I originally wanted, but it couldn’t be helped. I’m going to be an administrative assistant at a medical research institute, and I’ll be supporting two new scientists. The first is moving his lab in on the 11th, and they wanted me to at least be partially trained before he arrived. The second arrives in early August, so I’ll get to ease in a bit before she arrives. I’m really excited but also terrified. Intellectually, I know I’ll be able to do the job just fine…but still, it’s new and different, and that’s always a little scary too. So you probably won’t hear from me quite as often, at least while I get settled in, but I’ll do my best.

For now, I must run and sweep the floors. We’re having a birthday party here today: my “baby” is 13 now! Yep, I have two teenagers in the house. Thank you, your sympathies are much appreciated.

U.S. friends, have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

Peek-a-Boo Bay Shawl

Jun24

Yes, I did cast on a new shawl yesterday, a new shawl in gorgeous bright rainbow yarn, and it was absolutely the right decision. I’m in love with it and don’t want to knit anything else right now. I think it’s just the right combination of color and pattern for me.

The pattern is Peek-a-Boo Bay Shawl, one of the fantastic Free Pattern Friday gifts from Little Church Knits. Yep, same person who did the Marcelle Wrap! I’m using Manos Del Uruguay Alegria for the main color, and I managed to cast on with the right size needle this time. The size 6s are giving it a delightful loose gauge, perfect for this warm-weather shawl. I will need another color for some stripes near the end, but I wanted to knit it for a while to see the colors before I decide. Right now I’m leaning toward the bright yellow-green, though the blue is a close second. This will probably be my weekend project, and the calendar’s pretty empty, so don’t be completely shocked if I have a finished shawl by Monday!

Cotton Lace Scarf

Jun23

My knitting mojo is hindered. I spend half my day doing job-search stuff, then when I do sit down to knit, my brain won’t stop thinking about it. It’s not fun. It means I can’t knit in silence right now; I have to have the TV on too. It also means my simple projects aren’t the best, because they don’t occupy my brain as much. But I’m still resisting casting on more new projects, so instead I’m forging ahead with my WIPs. The main one is my Secret Beach Scarf in three colors of Cascade Ultra Pima. I made it to the second color yesterday.

I like the idea behind this photo, but I couldn’t get the needles to lay the way I wanted them to, and it also occurred to me that many of my added treasures are just too small. They’re not proportionate to the size of the main item, the knitting. So I tried again.

I like this one better: the straighter line of the needle cord, the bigger box lid to help balance the knitting. Plus the white flower in the previous photo reflected too much light no matter where I went. Anyway, the scarf. It’s pretty. I like it. It’s simple to knit. It’s also kind of…boring. Once you get the pattern set, it’s very mindless. And there are times I crave that. But now is not one of those times. Maybe I need to give myself permission to cast on another lovely intricate lace shawl!

My other current WIP is an afghan for my mom, a special request. She picked out the yarn, and my goal is to get it done before the weather cools. I think I’ve got time! I’m using one worsted and one bulky held together with a larger crochet hook, and it’s working up quickly. It’s all peachy/green/tan colors, and while they’re not my favorites, I do think it’s lovely. I’m doing a classic ripple afghan, and I’d like to add a border when it’s done.

Other than that, I’m just waiting for my phone to ring. I put in a lot of applications over the last two days, and I’m dreading that first call requesting an interview. I mean, obviously I WANT it to happen, but it’s one step closer to having to convince a stranger that I’m a worthy employee, and one step closer to potential rejection. It’s just scary, thats’s all. But it’s all good. Once I get the first one under my belt, I’ll be fine. And until then, maybe I’ll cast on this Peek-a-Boo Bay Shawl by Little Church Knits with this gorgeous rainbow Manos del Uruguay Alegria.

Finally, I absolutely MUST share a couple of puppy photos. I mean, come ON:

Cutest puppies ever (in my humble dog-mom opinion). Unfortunately, right now they’re also the shedding-est puppies ever so I have to go sweep up some fur before my allergic Knitting SIL comes over for a playdate!

Back to the Lace

Jun17

Having finished the test knit project, I returned to my sister’s Marcelle Wrap. I’m near the end, at the lace section, and it’s a chart. I know many knitters love charts. I do not. Therefore, I took the time to translate the chart into written directions. Sadly, yesterday when I picked up the project, I realized I hadn’t read it all carefully and my instructions weren’t right. Close, but not quite right. So I adjusted them and forged ahead. It’s going a bit slowly, what with almost 350 stitches in each row, but it’s fun.

You can just barely see the beginning of the chevron pattern. It doesn’t help that it’s all squished together on the cord, but I can’t help that. Take my word for it, it’s going to be pretty cool. I don’t know how quickly it will get done, because the knitting is taking a backseat to the job search. It’s…an adventure. I’m learning what kinds of jobs intrigue me, and I’m learning that the online application process is lengthy and time-consuming, but I’m also learning that there are a lot of different industries and roles that need strong writing skills, and I’m confident I’ll find something that’s a good match for all involved. It is hard, though. Thankfully I have the support of a good dog, who’s by my side for almost everything, from working out…

to knitting…

Wishing you all a happy Friday and a lovely weekend!

Pink Diamonds: Take Two

Jun3

I blocked my Pink Diamonds shawl yesterday and oh my gosh, guys, blocking is never so magical as it is with lace. I liked the shawl before; now I’m obsessed with it. Brace yourself. There’s lots of photos coming because I couldn’t choose between them.

I think I’m prouder of this than anything else I’ve ever knit. I don’t know why, because it wasn’t more difficult than other things I’ve made. But I just can’t stop looking at it in wonderment. I think it’s official: I’ve become a shawl knitter.

What’s your favorite shawl pattern? (But not lace weight. I can’t handle that craziness.)

If you’re looking for pattern details, check out the previous post.

Pink Diamonds Shawl

Jun2

I have another finished project to share today! This one I finished over the weekend, although I still need to weave in ends and block.

It looks like wings! 🙂 I think it will be stunning once I block out the lace so you can see the beautiful diamond pattern. Here’s a close-up from while I was knitting it:

I loved knitting this one and could totally see myself making it again. The lace pattern was complex enough to keep me interested, but not so hard that I got frustrated. I could watch TV, but nothing that needed a lot of attention. And the pattern was forgiving enough that a few times, when I got to the end of a row and was off a stitch, I could fudge it without it being too noticeable. (Yes, I tried to find my mistake first, but sometimes I just couldn’t and it was easier to knit one instead of k2tog than tink a row or two.)

Pattern: Elizabeth’s Diamond Shawlette

Yarn: KnitPicks Galileo, color Abalone. It took a little over 2 skeins, around 350 yards. I LOVED this yarn. It’s a merino/bamboo blend and it’s heavenly.

In other news, I’m still working on the crochet slippers and they’re going faster now, but to get the stitches tight enough, it’s working my wrist and elbow harder, so I might take a wee break from those. I did notice that the designer has added more notes to the pattern, and they’re good, helpful notes, so future crocheters will have an easier time of it than I did.

Also: I’m going to be a test knitter for the first time!! I have no idea what the protocol is, whether I can talk about details or if it’s a secret, but I’ll let you know as soon as I can. I feel like this is a big step for me, like I’m becoming a “real knitter” now.

Sun is shining and the French Open is on TV today, so my day is bright. Hope yours is too!

The Green Stripe

May20

Back to the Marcelle Wrap I went yesterday, forcing myself through those last few stockinette rows with the cream. I confess, I was a bit bored with it. It was growing nicely, and the pattern was easy enough to do while I watched TV, but I kept thinking of more colorful yarns and more intricate patterns. The puppies were crazy, so I sat outside with them and knit and knit and knit.

THEN! Finally, after 49 rows, I was up to 309 stitches and ready to start the stripes, and the forest green made its appearance!

Suddenly it was interesting again, even though I’m still just doing the plain stockinette. I speed through the cream to get to the green again, and now I’m trying to speed through the stripes so I can get to the lace section! Woohoo! I am a bit worried I’ll run out of the cream color and have to order more, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

If you missed it before, this pattern is from Little Church Knits, who kindly offers Free Pattern Fridays. You can see all her designs here on Ravelry, or follow her blog here. This Marcelle Wrap is one of four free shawl patterns and I want to make all of them!

Back to the knitting now, to see if I can make to the lace today! Happy Friday, friends!

Selfish Knitting

May9

I didn’t do anything I was “supposed” to do yesterday. Well, no, I take that back. I did EXACTLY what I was supposed to do: relax, let everybody else do all the stuff, and only do what *I* wanted to do. So we had a lovely brunch, I got a couple of presents from my sweet daughter, we went to see the new Captain America movie (spoiler: I wasn’t a big fan.) and then I knitted the rest of the day while watching old chick flicks. (Sweet Home Alabama and Pleasantville.) I made lots of progress on a beautiful Pink Diamond Shawlette: Pattern is Diamond Shawlette and I’m using KnitPicks Galileo in Abalone and I’m loving everything about knitting this. But for now I must set it aside so I can focus on the things I have to do, like a mermaid blanket and a proofreading job.

Oh, and I finally have pictures of the rainbow scarf, which just got listed on Etsy this morning.

I hope all my fellow mothers had an equally lovely day yesterday!