Friday, June 22, 2007

Border tales and yarns…

The quick pick-up seems as though it’s going to work out just splendidly :)

I cast 15 stitches onto a size 9 DPN and then, using another needle and a small ball of the border yarn, picked up 17 or 18 stitches going down the side of the shawl.  That small ball in the above photo will only be used for picking up stitches as I work my way down the side.  Then I attached the working yarn and began to do the border, knitting out to the edge and purling back to the side of the shawl.  The border is attached to the shawl with a p2tog, where one stitch is the last stitch of the border and the other is your first picked-up stitch.

Funny thing, I had the number of stitches to pick up all worked out to be a multiple of 16 because there are 16 rows in the border pattern.  Anyone see what’s wrong with this?  Bueller?  While there are indeed 16 rows to the pattern, only 8 of them get attached to the shawl - only the purl rows, so only half the number of pattern rows.  This didn’t turn out to be catastrophic because if the number of picked-up stitches was divisible by 16, it was divisible by 8 but it annoyed me all the same.  I keep making this mistake and no amount of self-lecturing, finger-shaking, bribery or threat seems to make any difference.

Anyway, after a couple of repeats, I had this:

The big ball of yarn on the right is what I’m working the stitches with and the little ball on the left is what I’m using to pick up the stitches.  You probably can’t tell from the picture, but there are 15 working stitches on the needle and a couple of picked up stitches at the end.  When I pick this up to work on again, I’ll take off that point protector and put it on the other end of the needle (to keep my working stitches safe).  Then, using the little ball of yarn, I’ll pick up another 16 - 24 stitches down the side of the shawl, move the point protector back to the other end of the needle and work another couple of repeats or so of the border lace.  Repeat until border is complete.  I think I’m going to like this better than picking up all the stitches at once on a long circular :)

I’m going to meeting with some friends for lunch in a couple of weeks.  I’ve already missed the birthdays of two of them and the third’s is soon enough that I probably won’t see her again before then.  So I thought maybe purses/bags might be nice - especially if I can think of something special to put inside them.  Something like the Peony Purse.  I’d like that shape anyway if not exactly the pattern since I’ve only got about two weeks to get these done and that pattern is a little elaborate.  Also, two of the yarns I found are marled and not suited, in my opinion to fancy texture work.

This is Classic Elite Flash - you’ve seen it here before :) This is really nice, light worsted weight cotton yarn.  It works up well, washes beautifully and maintains its good looks.  I use it fairly often when I want cotton because it’s dependable, not very expensive and comes in every color under the sun.  The corn colored yarn consists of two strands of very light yellow combined with a third strand of deeper yellow.  The ocean colored yarn is a strand of light lavender, a strand of pale aqua and a strand of medium blue.





This is Classic Elite Newport which, I think, has been discontinued.  It’s also a cotton yarn though a bit heavier than the Flash, and has a gorgeous, shimmering finish.  Color selection was very limited, but I lucked into these three related shades and am interested in seeing how this stuff works up.  Now this could handle some texture work :)

Have a great weekend!

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1. That is some BEAUTIFUL yarn!!!!!

   Posted by adrienne  on  06/22  at  09:27 AM
   Location :



2. Adrienne - I’m trying not to become too fond of the Newport there because I’ll never find it again.  But the Flash is always around and always nice to use.

   Posted by Robbyn  on  06/22  at  09:53 AM
   Location : Out from under - for a while at least!



3. The yarns are gorgeous.They will make an adorable little bag. I really like the border on your shawl. Can’t wait to see it finished. Have a wonderful weekend. Peachie sends purrs to your house :)

   Posted by Maureen  on  06/22  at  10:12 AM
   Location : NH



4. My head is just spinning with how you you’re doing your border work. Can’t say I understand it but I’m still duly impressed! You are definitely the thinking man’s knitter!

   Posted by Ryan  on  06/22  at  11:13 AM
   Location :



5. I have to say that although I like knitting the body of a shawl best, an edging is what really gives it that finished look.

   Also (in an unrelated note) that little black hoping guy totally reminds me of the doot balls in Spirited Away!

   Posted by omly  on  06/22  at  12:40 PM
   Location : Boston, MA



6. i’m in the gallery applauding with ryan!! the edging is beautiful and you’ve cleverly (again- it has to be those elves) devised a technique that is comfortable for yourself-

   love all the yarns- a nice little bag holding something perhaps scented like soaps or sachets would be a treat for your friends- you zip through projects so i know you’ll meet your deadline-

   deadline? did *I* say deadline? well, you know what i am now off to do-

   stay happy-

   Posted by  on  06/22  at  01:20 PM
   Location : same place as usual...



7. Maureen - I’m still mulling over what to do with the bags but I will definitely be posting about them.

   I hope your weekend is likewise splendid!  Our kindest regards to Miss Peach :)

   Posted by Robbyn  on  06/22  at  03:28 PM
   Location : Out from under - for a while at least!



8. Ryan - You have no idea how I wish I could just show you all as it’s really simple and my description seriously bites.

   Maybe, if I can think of how to explain it clearly, I’ll write up a tutorial?

   Posted by Robbyn  on  06/22  at  03:33 PM
   Location : Out from under - for a while at least!



9. Omly - this is the first shawl I’ve ever edged and I think I agree with you - it really finishes things nicely.

   And yes, that little guy reminded me of “Spirited Away” too - one of my favorite films and the one that turned me on to Miyazaki in the first place :)

   Posted by Robbyn  on  06/22  at  03:38 PM
   Location : Out from under - for a while at least!



10. Barb - Thanks :) It’s working out fine, not awkward or difficult to handle, the diagonals in the lace all point in the right direction - I’m happy!

    Soaps or sachets are a nice idea - though I had been thinking about scones - appropriately wrapped, of course :)

    Posted by Robbyn  on  06/22  at  03:40 PM
    Location : Out from under - for a while at least!



11. Gorgeous yarn! I can’t wait to see what kind of bag you knit up. I’m a big time bag ho!

    Posted by Opal  on  06/22  at  04:08 PM
    Location : Honolulu, Hawaii



12. I still haven’t tried a knitted on border. I don’t really understand completely how they work. One of these days I will figure it out, and in the meantime I am enjoying watching your progress. Thanks for the detailed info for us border challenged people. ;)

    Posted by Lisa  on  06/24  at  03:51 PM
    Location :



13. Opal - I confess that while I’m fond of making them I almost always give them away :) I have a couple “fun” small bags that I used to use but even those - not so much any more.

    There is one though, a scaled down version of a much larger pattern, that I use all summer.  In fact I like it so much, I’m thinking about making another one in darker colors.

    Posted by Robbyn  on  06/24  at  06:58 PM
    Location : Out from under - for a while at least!



14. Lisa - I’m not sure how comprehensible those directions really are - LOL!  More like notes :) But I am trying to come up with something that is easily read an understood - with lots of pictures, natch!

    Posted by Robbyn  on  06/24  at  07:00 PM
    Location : Out from under - for a while at least!

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