Monday, September 26, 2005

Knitting, an Experiment and a New Friend

It dawned on me that many stitch patterns are directional and that would mean making two pieces and grafting or starting in the center and working out in both directions.  I didn’t really want to do that for this scarf, so I settled on the Cameron Scarf pattern (on the sidebar under Knitting Patterns.  It has a nice, textured look and couldn’t be anything but feminine in this color.


Cameron scarf

This is really, really red!




So I got started.  I’m pleased with the look, but it’s a little narrow and I’m wondering what, if anything, I can do to ameliorate that without ripping out what I’ve already got…

Yesterday, I was thinking about the way many patterns deform the cast on/off ends of a piece into points, scallops, etc...and wondering if working both ends from the middle would be possible.  I thought maybe a rigorous blocking might take care of the issue, but there was only one way to really find out :)

So I did a provisional cast-on for the Fish-Scale Lace Panel pattern from the 365 Knitting Stitches a Year calendar (May 31st, if you’re curious), adding 2 garter selvedge stitches to each side of the panel.  I worked two repeats of the pattern and then undid the provisional cast-on and worked two more repeats in the other direction.  I wet it and blocked it and left it to dry overnight.  This is what I got:


Lace swatch

Bi-directional fish scales




The experiment worked well enough.  I had worked three rows of plain stockinette in the center as I thought that might help alleviate the tendency of the swatch to deform the fabric.  You know, spread it out a little to kind of diffuse the effect?  Next time I wouldn’t bother because except in the very center, it sort of blends in with the pattern.

However, there was an odd thing.  I cast on 21 provisional stitches to start - 17 for the lace panel and 4 for the garter selvedges.  But, when I unzipped the provisional cast-on, there were only 20 stitches.  I lost a stitch on one end.  I vaguely remember reading something about this some time ago and it wasn’t difficult to replace the stitch but… Where did it go?

Saturday, after we’d had a lovely lunch at The Wayside Inn, dad decided to check out a Salvation Army thrift shop in a neighboring town.  He loves being able to get a good shirt for $1.00 or so and surprisingly, he is often able to do so. 

At the shop, we went our separate ways - since I haven’t much interest in menswear and he isn’t thrilled with books or kitchen paraphernalia.  And as I wandered down the aisles, I saw this:


Sheep doll

What’s my name?




She was in nice shape, no burst seams, no spots, stains or obvious wear and cute as the dickens.  I don’t really have a lot of places for her to sit but I knew if I left her there on the shelf, I’d still be thinking about her when I got home.  So, for the grand sum of $1.99, she was liberated.  She’ll live in the front room where she can preside over my knitting, but she needs a name.  And no, Baaa-bara isn’t acceptable :)

Happy Monday!

Babbled by Robbyn on 09/26 at 10:46 AM
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  1. She looks like Sherrill Sheep to me.

    Posted by  on  09/26  at  12:28 PM
    Location :

  2. Lambchops!

    Posted by Kathy  on  09/26  at  12:35 PM
    Location : Southern California

  3. Charlotte - Sherrill is cute but not quite right.  Now if the doll were a Crow… :)
    animal-smiley-085.gif width=30 height=40

    Posted by Robbyn  on  09/26  at  01:31 PM
    Location : In the living room

  4. <b>Kathy<b> - Heheh - maybe not :) We did giggle over the possibility of calling her Mint Jelly though :)

    Posted by Robbyn  on  09/26  at  01:33 PM
    Location : In the living room

  5. if the name didn’t have such a silly connection in my head (think carol burnett lol) i’d suggest Ewenice ;-)

    Posted by laurie  on  09/26  at  01:35 PM
    Location : in the knitting corner ;-)

  6. Laurie - That occurred to me and also, because of the ditsy print dress and the long apron on top, I wondered about “Ewenity” after the Puritan fashion of naming their daughters after desireable characteristics - Patience, Endurance, Charity, etc…

    Posted by Robbyn  on  09/26  at  01:55 PM
    Location : In the living room

  7. What about Baa-baa-ran?

    Baa-b-aran?

    Baa-baa baa-baa-baran

    Now I can’t stop!

    Posted by Laurie  on  09/26  at  02:34 PM
    Location :

  8. Laurie - LOL!  Nope - very cute but absolutely not!  Everytime I looked at her that damned song would run through my head.  Ooops, too late :) Thanks to your suggestion, it might anway :)
    drummer.gif width=36 height=29

    Posted by Robbyn  on  09/26  at  03:13 PM
    Location : In the living room

  9. B-ewe-la? Ewe-genia? Ewe-lalie?

    Posted by Colette  on  09/26  at  04:16 PM
    Location :

  10. Mary (as in Mary Had A Little Lamb), Woolis (instead of Lois), Lucy Lamb

    She was found near the Wayside Inn, at the Salvation Army store, you liberated her, she is a generous soul, perhaps Harriet (in honor of Ms. Tubman of the Underground Railroad)?null

    Posted by  on  09/26  at  06:32 PM
    Location : Minnesota

  11. Colette - Oooooh, Ewe-lalie!  Now that’s a real possibility :)

    Posted by Robbyn  on  09/26  at  06:34 PM
    Location : In the living room

  12. Betty - Those are wonderful suggestions :) I can see I’m going to have to incorporate several things in this name :) What the heck!  Who says sheepies can’t have a plethora of names!

    Posted by Robbyn  on  09/26  at  06:37 PM
    Location : In the living room

  13. how about Rosemary, on account of how good little lambies taste when cooked with?

    Posted by Nat  on  09/26  at  09:55 PM
    Location : downunder

  14. Nat - By that logic, I should name her Garlic :) Rosemary Garlique?  Heheheh....

    Posted by Robbyn  on  09/26  at  11:51 PM
    Location : In the living room

  15. Mary had a little lamb…

    so I guess she should be Mary though to me she looks like an Agnes.

    Posted by  on  09/27  at  12:19 PM
    Location :

  16. Karin - Oh goodness, I never thought of that!  Agnus Dei! 
    angel.gif width=61 height=23

    Posted by Robbyn  on  09/27  at  04:55 PM
    Location : In the living room

  17. Lana Linn! get it??? heeee

    Posted by  on  10/05  at  08:28 PM
    Location : nor cali

  18. Shannon - LOL!  That’s priceless :)

    Posted by Robbyn  on  10/05  at  10:21 PM
    Location : Hiding from the rain

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