I have noticed a particular start to some top-down shawl patterns. It generally goes:
Cast on a few stitches provisionally.
Knit x number of rows.
Pick up stitches along side and knit.
Undo provisional cast-on and knit those stitches.
At this point the stitch patterning for the shawl begins. Sometimes that x number of rows is longer as with the Moonlight Sonata and done this way, it seems to be an edging or a border. But often that x number of rows is short, 14 - 20 or so, as with the Kiri.
What’s that about? I’ve seen it several times now, but none of the patterns have explained why that’s a good way to start a top-down shawl. So in the interest of scientific exploration (ahem…), I decided to play with the idea and see if I could figure it out :)
I started off with 5 provisionally cast-on stitches which I knit for 20 rows (10 garter st ridges). Then I picked up 10 stitches down the side , undid the provisional cast-on and knit those stitches too: 20 stitches in all. This provided me with a somewhat crescent shaped piece of knitting upon which I then started working the standard increases - one on either side of the center stitch(es) and one at each end of the row - 4 increase stitches per right side row.
I couldn’t come to any conclusion. Maybe I’m just being thick. This method does provide a nice, tidy start and perhaps that’s all it’s supposed to do. However, I kind of got carried away with the colors and continued on the item past what could be called the experimental stage :)
I had started with two strands of alpaca lace weight plus a strand of variegated rayon thread. As I was perusing the stash, I noticed some lovely plum colored Cleckheaton mohair wool (a gift from dear Nat at KnittingNatty) that would coordinate beautifully with the rose colored lace weight and the multi-colored rayon and the next thing I knew I was swapping out colors as the spirit moved me and adding things like eyelets and petals…
I hardly put this down all weekend and pretty much ignored everything else as the only thing I seemed to be able to think of was getting back to all that luscious color :) Yes, carried away is the right phrase. As of this morning, it looked like this:
Sizewise, I imagine this will be more like a generous scarf or a shoulder shawl when it’s complete. The thing is, I think, to find a yarn you absolutely adore (maybe in a couple of colors) and then give yourself permission to play as suits your fancy. I’m having so much fun with this which is why, I suppose, I can’t put it down :)
Before I started that little sojourn though, I played with something else. I got the link from Omly over at Omly Crafts for Birds of a Feather. I haven’t been attracted much to the amigurumi crochet projects, but this was just too cute for words…
The little one on the left was the first attempt and shows it :) The red one is a little better, I think and I altered the pattern to the extent that the tail and wings were crocheted as I went along, rather than created separately and stitched on afterwards. Just me being lazy. The eyes and beak are embroidered because I had neither craft doll eyes nor felt.
Myria likes ‘em :)
No trackbacks yet.
That shawl is BEAUTIFUL!!! And I would also love to know why top-down shawls start that way. But for some reason those little bird things are upsetting me…. They’re scary! Why are they scary?! I think they need mouths. They can’t EAT or chirp. (OK, I will shut up and go back to work now.)
Rob - LOL! That yellow spot between the eyes? That’s supposed to be a beak. Use your imagination. I had been thinking about including a small flock of these in next year’s Dulaan box but maybe I should make the beaks more clearly defined?
I don’t know why I’m making another shawl - I just finished one for heaven’s sake. Seduced by the colors I think…and I guess that’s as good a reason as any :)
Beautiful shawl. The yarn is just gorgeous. And the amigurumi? Too adorable for words.
Opal - It’s funny how you can have yarn for a long time before something clicks, a few things come together and you go “Oh my God! Why didn’t I see this before!”
The birds are really quick to make and don’t take much in the way of materials. And they’re just ridiculously cute :)
Sorry. Those beaks look like noses. Yes, I know birds don’t have noses but I got that image in my head and now I can’t get it out. Sigh. It has been that kind of summer…
Rob - Actually, since you brought it to my attention, I’ve been thinking about how to provide something a little more 3-dimensional. I think it would look better. It just has to fit my criterion of being able to be worked as you go along. I don’t really want to sew things on afterwards :)
awww, love the crocheted birds! What else could we expect from our tweety- pie? (ducks, runs for cover…)
Nat - Ducks?!?! Hehe… (I don’t know about the “runs-for-cover” part - what kind of bird is that?)
