Melisma Shawls

trio
Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

This pattern was introduced as a mystery shawl knitalong at Stitches and Scones in Spring 2010, and is now available for sale. The charted triangular shawl pattern allows the knitter to choose between different options for the main sleeveline lace motif, textured lace panels, and edgings. By varying which options you choose, the charts in this pattern can be used to create 8 different shawls. Both right and wrong side rows are charted.

Materials:
570 yards fingering weight yarn. Optional: 420 yards main color and 150 yards contrast color
14 stitch markers
1 removable stitch marker or safety pin
US size 6 (4.0mm) circular needle, 24 inches or longer
Tapestry needle
Blocking pins or wires

Pattern is charted only and includes some intermediate lace stitches such as various double decreases.

Finished width: 60-65 inches

Pattern is available for $6 USD via Ravelry or

Bag It and Tag It

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

I'm having a blast participating in the Project Yarnway group on Ravelry. This is the third monthly challenge - create a bag for a specific client for a specific purpose.

This bag is a tea party/picnic tote. My client, pictured, wanted a bag with ten flowers that could hold books, forks and spoons, puppies, and a kangeroo. My input as the designer was to use 7 flowers and ixnay on the kangeroo, but you can see a book, puppy, and fork/spatula in the photo. Not showing in the pic but also in the bag are two doll bottles and a Hot Wheel. So, generally what you need on hand as a preschooler-about-town.

The bag is made from Manos del Uruguay Wool Clasica (the green) and Cascade Eco+ (the orange), and embellished with more of the Manos and small amounts of other yarns.

Ase

Ase2
Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

This is the back view of my latest pattern, Ase, an asymmetrical wrap. The trapezoid shape highlights striped or handpainted yarns. Though written for worsted/aran weight yarn, it can easily be used with other yarn weights.

The PDF pattern is available for purchase as a Ravelry download for $3 USD.

Stash Flash

April 1st is Flash Your Stash Day. Maybe because it's foolish to have all this yarn....?

The "downstairs" yarn and my current WIPs arrayed on the dining room table:

Some closer shots of that group:

Wool/worsted:

More worsted, blanket and sock WIPs near the top:

Sport and DK, Sock

Sock!

Lace and Mohair

Fingering scraps and scrapghan WIP. You can also see my sock in progress.

The upstairs yarn didn't get out of the drawers.
Cones and worsted scraps:

Cotton:

Acrylic, novelty, the Professor and Mary Ann:

There has been some turnover since my end of year stash photos, but not a lot.  Need to get some of the older stuff out of the way for fresh new yarn!

Babies need blankies

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

My brother and his girlfriend are expecting their first baby, and my friend and her husband are also expecting their first baby. Both little ladies are due to debut in August.

Mystery Knitalong

This weekend, Stitches and Scones is kicking off a mystery-style knitalong of a shawl that I designed. My colleagues at SnS have done a lot of planning and setup work to enable the KAL. Participants are paying $5 and buying their 570 yards of fingering weight yarn at the shop. We will be handing out the first clue Sunday afternoon, and later clues will be distributed via a Yahoo group. I was flattered to be asked to do the design and am really looking forward to getting started. During my last few visits to the shop, it has been fun helping people choose the yarn for their KAL project. I can't wait to see everybody's projects, and hope the knitters enjoy it.

Amusing

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

I am late in posting, but I finished my Ravelympic sweater last week, in time to medal in Cable Cross-Country and Sweaterboard Cross.

Modifications: I carried the cable all the way down the piece after the fronts joined. I just continued with the cable pattern rows on those 25 stitches, adding 2 purl stitches just before the cable panel to balance the pattern. I also lengthened the body ribbing by about 2-3 inches. I worked the collar before the sleeves, and adjusted the sleeve length to be just a bit longer.

I'm quite happy with how it turned out. Most of my sweaters to date have not lived up to my hopes for them - this one did!

Ravelympic Update

Progress on the Amused sweater:

Day 4 - cross-country, skateboard cross, um…NCIS mini-marathon: Joined to work in the round. I continued the cable down the front. Started the lower ribbing.

Day 5 - women’s and men’s pursuit, curling: Tinked back a few rounds to continue the cable even further. Well into the ribbing at the bottom of the body.

Day 6 - halfpipe, women’s downhill crashing: I am adding a few inches to the ribbing of the body; it seemed a bit short to me at the given length.


Day 7 - halfpipe, men’s skating: Finally finished the body ribbing. Started unzipping provisional cast on to set up the collar for picking up stitches, as I plan to do the collar before the sleeves. I think I would prefer to be working back and forth on the collar with less weight on the piece.

Days 8, 9, 10 - ski cross, mass start biathlon, ice prancing, curling, speed skating, et al: Finished the collar. Wove in all ends as of the end of the collar. Started first sleeve on Day 10.

Olympic Amusement

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

I am participating in the Ravelympics again this year by attempting to knit a sweater during the Vancouver Games. This photo is my progress as of Sunday night. It isn't true to color - this is a lovely deep teal Dream in Color semisolid. The pattern is Amused, by Jordana Paige.

Progress so far:

Day 1 - opening ceremony: I cast on about 9:09 p.m. and worked up to getting the panels for the front cable joined to the body of the sweater. The yarn is really pretty.

Day 2 - ski jump and speed skating: Progress is somewhat slower than I had hoped. Just like downhill skiing, delays in starting were encountered: errands and laundry were my slush. I am still increasing the yoke and have three cable repeats done on the front panel. The Stitchminder app on my iPhone is proving invaluable as I keep track of multiple row counts and pattern repeats.

Day 3 - moguls, luge, biathlon, pairs skate: I have divided for the sleeves and done about another inch beyond that point. I’m trying to keep my knitting time spaced out with frequent breaks to avoid another bout of tendonitis.

Swatching by Monitor Light

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

I just did a quick swatch in preparation for my Ravelympics project, an Amused sweater (pattern by Jordana Paige) in Dream in Color Classy. As best I can tell without actually standing up and turning on the light, I'm getting gauge on the recommended needle size of 9, and I have five skeins of yarn wound up. When the Olympic opening ceremony begins about 23 hours from now, I will be ready.

Recidivist

Another wave of fibrous crime is about to commence. Patterns for Sock Wars V are being posted in a few minutes, and knitters around the world are waiting with yarn and needles at the ready.

Rambeau Collar

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

This cozy, reversible cartridge rib collar is a quick one skein project. I knit the prototype in just a few hours. The suggested yarn has some thick and thin attributes, and I think it would look nice in handspun as well.

Materials
Manos del Uruguay Wool Clasica (100% Wool), 1 skein (100g/138 yards)
16 inch circular needle, US size 10 (6.0mm) or size needed to obtain gauge
Stitch marker
Tapestry needle

Gauge: 3.5 stitches per inch in pattern stitch.

Circumference: 21 inches (Note: To adjust circumference to suit, you can cast on more or fewer stitches in multiples of 4)
Height: 7 inches

Pattern

CO 72.

Place marker to note beginning of round. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

Row 1: *Slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, K3*, repeat from * to end of round
Row 2: P1, *slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in back, P3*, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in back, P2

Repeat these 2 rows until piece is 7 inches tall or desired height.

Bind off all stitches. Weave in ends.

Full Stash Disclosure

Here it is, as of today, all of my yarn. Even the ugly stuff and the scraps.



It all fits (barely) on the dining room table with both of the leaves in. Here are some other views of it. The teal Dream in Color Classy in this shot is planned for my Ravelympics sweater this coming February.





The box lid in front has all of my sock yarn scraps that I've been using for a scrap afghan. It will take me twenty lifetimes at my current rate of knitting on it.











This view from the other end of the table cracks me up, as it looks like the yarn just goes all the way out to the blurry horizon.



To use up some of this lovely yarn, today I set up some personal "club" projects. I chose 11 sock patterns and 10 small project patterns and matched them up with yarn in the stash. I wrote each on little squares of paper and mixed them up in an envelope, similar to the 16 sock patterns I set up for myself in 2009.

It's not too late! I hope.

I knit some gifts for Christmas this year. They were made for specific people, well ahead of time, and set aside in my knitting cupboard. Last week I even wrapped them. I realized only today that maybe mailing the gifts would be a good idea, seeing as how Christmas is just a few days away. The last two boxes are on the way out right now.

It reminded me of how much I love my Click 'n' Ship account with the US Postal Service. Postage from my printer!! I made a lot of use of during the last Sock Wars. I'm glad I've dusted off the account in advance of Sock Wars V, which is starting up in January. Termiknitter 2!

If, like me, you have inadvertently left a few people's gifts to the last minute, or if you just can't face the post office, consider joining me in sending the electronic joy of an Amazon gift certificate.

Packing up

Wherever you may be headed this holiday weekend, gentle reader, be safe. The crux of preparing for any trip is deciding what knitting to bring. For our trek to Iowa over the next few days I've settled on the raw materials for a few pairs of socks. Tomorrow there won't be too much daylight to work with, but I expect some general visiting time on Friday and an all day car ride on Saturday. I haven't had Thanksgiving in Iowa for....twenty years? Can't wait to see the family!

Ase

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

Several people have had questions about the Aubrey shawl not knitting up to be a symmetrical triangle. Hold on to your handknit socks, symmetry lovers, the next wrap pattern I made (pictured here before sewing of buttons) is a trapezoid. I have the pattern jotted down but not written properly yet.

Wait a second. Do I seriously have nothing public to knit right now? I'm working on some swatches, but the only project I have going is my forever sock scrap blanket. How did this happen?

Pool Party

I just won the Project Runway pool in my Ravelry group! Thanks, Irina!!!! I was worried when Neenagaseeah was making her stinky face about all of the black in her collection. Nice to see some knits from more than one designer. Woo-hoo!!

Hi, Alpacas

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

Nothing to say, so I'll share this picture from last month of me meeting a few of the alpacas at Whispering Pines farm near Bloomington.

Slacker

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

Totally missed two days of blogging. I have been sacking out early the last few nights. Here's the Biscuit, wanting to model her mitten when she saw me taking pictures of Greg's gloves.

Silver Pitcher

Silver plate pitcher
Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

This morning we walked around Main Street with our guests for a while, and stopped into an antiques shop we have not been in before. I was looking for something to hold my straight needles in, rather than having them tucked away in a plastic drawer. I fell hard for this artfully tarnished pitcher, silver plate over copper, for $10. Greg and I are talking about rearranging the office to set up a dedicated knitting area for me, and this will go on my craft table when I have one.

Done Bespeaking

Bespoke gloves
Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

Gloves are finished! I finished knitting last night and wove in the ends this morning while we were out to breakfast with our guests. They are reportedly very warm.

Sebastian Featherstone III

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

Ellie had a Family Turkey project this week, in which she was to work with family members to decorate a turkey cutout and come up with an interesting name. This afternoon she colored it, pasted felt onto the stomach, and decorated it with stickers, and I knitted wings and a neck that she helped me to paste on and secure on the pack of the piece with tape. We topped it off with some sunglasses, a button from my stash. Greg and his parents helped us to decide on the name. Ellie says he's wearing the sunglasses because he's from California, like her.

Achtung

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

Beware the seven-needled WIP. Do not fold, crush, spindle, or sit upon.

Inbound Inlaws

Greg is at the airport right now waiting for his mom and her husband to land. They will be here until Saturday afternoon. Greg's taking the rest of the week off and we are keeping the Biscuit home from daycare to get extra spoilage from the grandparents. Ellie will be going to school but she gets out early enough in the day that there is still plenty of time to enjoy the family. I'm taking off Thursday and Friday. Not sure what we're all going to do, but there will most likely be quite a bit of talking/knitting time. Maybe I'll get to finish this second glove.

McGlovin

After tonight's session of bedtime knitting, I am just past the thumb gusset on the second of Greg's cashmere gloves. Since the first glove took less then a full skein, I am going to have an extra skein of the yarn left over. Not sure what I'll end up doing with it.

I need to dig up some stash to make myself some mittens. Our last few days of nice weather were a momentary respite from the advent of winter chill and I will be the last one in the family to have some hand coverings. I also need to decide pretty soon if there are any more gifts I want to knit for the holidays.

Can't blog, gotta watch Mad Men. What will happen?

Fastest Knitter in Indiana Contest

My local yarn store, Stitches and Scones is Westfield, is sponsoring a free, fun contest next week. Their announcement is below:

___________________

"Fastest Knitter in Indiana Contest
at Stitches & Scones

Adult Winner $225 Gift Card

Adult Heat Times:
Tuesday, November 10th at 12 PM
Thursday, November 12th at 6 PM
Saturday, November 14th at 1 PM

Youth Winner $75 Gift Card
Under 18 Youth Heat Times:
Tuesday, November 10th at 4 PM
Thursday, November 12th at 7 PM
Saturday, November 14th at 11 AM

Pre-registration is not necessary, but the first 50 participants to register will receive a commemorative item.There will be one winner for adult and one for youth categories.
Bring size 8 US needle with you and we will provide the yarn. Each heat is 3 minutes and garter stitch will be used.

Join in the fun, call 317-896-4411."

________

It should be really fun, and that is an awesome prize!

Naturally Simple

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

This is a partial view of a Simple Yet Effective shawl I recently made from Wisdom Poems Sock.

Sit and Knit

Since shortly after we moved here in June, Thursday night has been my knitting night out. Greg and the girls hang out for the evening and I get to go up to Stitches and have a few hours to knit and shop and chat with the other knitters. Tonight I took the second glove to work on, but neglected to bring the pattern with me, so after the cuff I had to set it aside in favor of the wrap in progress that was also in my bag. During the course of the evening I was helping someone who has not knitted in a while to start a felted bag and having the long knit rows of the wrap to work on and demonstrate with was helpful as well.

Citrus Palms

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

Small hands make for fast mittens. Here is the Biscuit wearing her new handgear this evening. Now to get back to glovemaking.

Lil Mitten

Started working on B's mittens tonight while putting her to bed. They will mostly match a hat I made her recently. I am holding together a strand of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in a yellow-pink colorway and a strand of gold Encore. The Encore is left over from a House Scarf I made for E, which was part of her Hermione Granger Halloween costume last weekend. The hat that goes with these mittens also had a strand of the LL, but was held together with some doubled Alpaca with a Twist Socrates that is pretty much the same color as the Encore. I likely have enough Socrates left to have used that for the mittens, but thought that something washable was a better idea. I should be able to make some good progress while I watch a Netflik with Greg.

Bespoke

A while back Greg decided that he would like for me to knit him some fine gauge cashmere gloves. He came into the yarn shop one day while I was working and pointed out some light Ecco Cashmere that he thought would make good gloves and kept dropping good-natured hints that were anything but veiled. "So.....where are my gloves?"

I looked all over Ravelry for a men's glove pattern and had some trouble finding something basic, decently manly, that wasn't fingerless and would work in a fine gauge. I ended up buying Ann Budd's Handy Book of Knitting Patterns, which has recipes for several types of basic knitted items in various sizes and gauges, including a glove pattern. The Ecco is laceweight, so I am holding it double to get eight stitches per inch on a size 1 needle. I finished the first glove yesterday and cast on the second this evening. Greg has been getting frequent fittings and is quite pleased.

I hope to finish up the pair soon, so I can get going on some winter gloves for me and some mittens for the Biscuit. The little mittens might sneak into the rotation before the gloves are done. It's getting cold and her teeny fingers don't hold much heat.

Thar She NaBloPoMos

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

I enjoyed blogging each day the last time I participated in National Blog Posting Month and thought I would give it another go this year. Not as ambitious as a novel in 30 days, but still fun.

I don't know why, but November tends to sneak up on me. I am aware of Halloween coming up, and getting costumes ready and trick or treating, and then when the next day it's November I am invariably a bit surprised.

Knitting content: The Mochi Plus pictured here is already a skein and change into becoming an asymmetrical wrap. I stopped into the shop on the way back from buying pumpkins with the family last weekend and picked it up to try out an idea. I liked the Mini Mochi quite a bit when I worked with it and wanted to try the heavier weight for this new pattern. So far it is working out well.

Knitting for the Cure - Lynn's Ribbon Socks

This month I designed a sock pattern in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The twist pattern is inspired by the pink ribbons worn to promote awareness. It is named in memory of one of my college professors.

The pattern is available on Ravelry (Rav link) for $3.oo, and $1 from each sale of the pattern will be donated to cancer research. Buy now from Ravelry.

The sock is constructed from the top down with a heel flap and six gore toe. Any fingering weight sock yarn is suitable. Gauge is 7 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch. The pictured pair was knit from hand-dyed Kraemer Jeannie on size 1.5 needles.

Knit Pink!

UFO sighting

September has kind of gotten away from me. I set myself some goals for the month in the Ravelry Stash Knit Down group. Also, the shop knitters challenged each other to work on unfinished projects during this month, and I played along. I did have to cast on for a pair of socks yesterday, but I had two good reasons - I was heading to a party and didn't have anything portable, and it is the September pair of my personal sock club. I am making another pair of Waimanalo socks out of some ancient Jawoll jacquard from my stash.

For the UFO/goal progress

• I am done with the main section of the shawl design I'm working on and am ready to start knitting on the border. I had to order a third skein of Jitterbug to do the border - it has arrived and is wound and ready.
• I knitted a top-down raglan for E with some simple cables along the top of each sleeve and from the underarm to the lower ribbing. It fits her well and will be warm. Her verdict? "Itchy."
• I finished the Gryffindor scarf, also for E, which she loves. It will be part of her Halloween costume and also be used for everyday once it gets cold.
• I knit more than 10 rows on my sock yarn scrap blanket
• I'm on to the second sleeve of my Radiate sweater. I've also woven in most of the ends. Need to finish this so I can cast on for something new AND recover my favorite hat needle that is currently being used for the sleeve. I can't work on it for too long at a stretch or it aggravates my right arm.
• One more stash down goal is to start a fall wrap from some Cascade 220 superwash I have left over from the Amelia sweater. The yarn is wound but I haven't started yet. I am making myself finish the knitting on Radiate first. (Buttons don't count.)

I have several planned projects in the pipeline as well, including Amused sweater for me, gloves for Greg, mittens and a Hermione hat to go with E's house scarf. Haven't even thought about Christmas gifts yet. Lalalalala, I can't hear you, approach of Christmas.

Askance Cowl Pattern

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Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

Reversible diagonal ribbing is easy to memorize and shows off hand-painted or variegated yarn. Only requires one skein of something you want to snuggle near your neck.

Materials
Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend (30% silk, 70% Merino Extrafine Wool), 1 skein (150 yards)
16 inch circular needle, size 7 (or size needed to obtain gauge
Stitch marker
Tapestry needle

Gauge: 18 stitches in 4 inches in k3,p3 ribbing. Gauge is not crucial.

Circumference: 24 inches (Note: To adjust circumference to suit, you can cast on more or fewer stiches in multiples of 6)
Height: 6.5 inches

Pattern

CO 108.

Place marker to note beginning of round. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

Work 3 rows k3, p3 ribbing.

Row 1: P1, k3, *p3, k3*, repeat between * to last 2 stitches, p2
Row 2: Repeat row 1
Row 3: P2, k3, *p3, k3* repeat between *to last stitch, p1
Row 4: Repeat row 3
Row 5: *P3, k3*, repeat between *to end of round
Row 6: Repeat row 5
Row 7: K1, p3, *k3,p3*, repeat between * to last 2 stitches, k2
Row 8: Repeat row 7
Row 9: K2, p3, *k3, p3*, repeat between * to last stitch, k1
Row 10: Repeat row 9
Row 11: *K3, p3*, repeat between * to end of round
Row 12: Repeat row 11

Repeat these 12 rows until piece is 6 inches or one half inch shorter than desired height, ending with an even row.

Work 3 rows of the next odd row. For example, if you end the body of the piece at row 6, you would work row 7 three times before binding off.

Bind off all stitches. Weave in ends.

Radiate

Radiate
Originally uploaded by ShelbyD

I've decided that I need to make more sweaters. After all, how many scarfy things and socks does a girl really need? (Answer: More.) And Indiana has a proper winter, unlike Ventura County, where winter means it's a good idea to bring a coat for about seven weeks or so, but if you just have a sweater on it's not like you'll die. So I figure it would be prudent to have some layering options for under my walrus skin parka or whatever I end up wearing in the icy months.

Last night I cast on for a Radiate sweater from Knitty. I'm glad for the finished object photos on Ravelry, because the pictures with the pattern aren't necessarily the best. I bought this yarn, a Berocco cotton blend, with the intention of making a Mr Greenjeans sweater out of it, but I think that pattern would look better in something wooly to have better definition on the cables. I'm also thinking that the Greenjeans may accentuate my shortwaistedness.

It's Thursday again, which means knit night at Stitches and Scones - yay! It's great to have found such a welcoming bunch of knitters. Last Thursday I got there and pulled out my sock in progress only to discover that I was missing a dpn. It later turned up, broken, in the garage. Must have dropped it on the way out. The other project in my bag was on 14 inch needles, which is is a little awkward while sitting close to others. I had been reading on Ravelry about working socks on one small circular needle and thought I'd give it a shot. I bought a size 1 Hiya Hiya 9 inch needle and transferred the sock to it. It's tiny! It took me a few inches before I stopped feeling like I had giganto hands. I used dpns for working the heel and picking up the gusset stitches, as well as for the last few rows of the toe. It's nice not having to change needles as I'm working around the sock. I did realize how much I used the dpns for knowing where I am, though, like decreasing for the gusset stitches one stitch away from the end of the needle. When there's no end of the needle, the autopilot hiccups a bit. Using the circular also gave me a chance to try out some recently purchased pretty little stitch markers for small needles. I'm on to the second sock of the pair and am continuing the single small circular experiment.

That Girl is Poison(ed)

I never want to work in the yard again. The one time I get ambitious and do a bit of pruning, I also manage to find the poison ivy lurking in the greenbelt. Since I'd never had it before, it took about a week for me to start breaking out, but it turns out that I am a delicate flower when it comes to poison ivy. A pudgy, cranky, delicate flower. I had blisters all over, one completely raw shoulder, and developed a charming little skin infection. My right arm swelled up such that I couldn't knit for four days. Even though I am now much better, my arms still look like I lost a fight with a badger.

I've got the beginnings of a sock to prove I'm on the mend. It's the August selection from my personal sock club. The pattern is Sunshine Socks and I'm using some KnitPicks Bare that I dyed a while back. I charted out the pattern for myself to make it easier to keep on track.

Fairly Busy

I thought I would jump right in to being a Hoosier and enter some knitting in the upcoming State Fair. I don't expect to win anything but had a great time entering the Ventura County fair last year.Next weekend is the time to take in entries, and I've been working on several projects for the categories I am enrolled in.

The Eleanor socks I knit as the July pair for my personal sock club are my entry for Adult Accessory. The yarn is Knit Picks Bare that I dyed during my first attempt at hand-dyeing.



For Child Accessory, I made a mistake rib scarf, from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, for the Biscuit to wear this winter and added a corkscrew fringe.



I am done with knitting another Cabin Carry as a Felted Purse entry, but haven't felted it yet.



I am totally thrilled with how my Aubrey shawl came out (see previous post for pattern and more photos) and it will be my entry for Shawl/Scarf.



I also signed up for Adult Sweater - One Color, and knit an Amelia in some cream Cascade 220 Superwash. I just sewed the buttons on this afternoon. However, I cocked up the neckline something fierce and the fit is otherwise disastrous on me. It is currently stuffed into a bag in my room until it either mends its non-flattering ways or I think of someone else to give it to. Plan B is to enter my February Lady Sweater, shown here in a lovely ladies room shot.



Not all of my recent knitting has been for the fair. Friday evening I finished this baby gift for a co-worker of Greg's. The hat is Little Pumpkin from Itty Bitty Hats and the sockies are something I ginned up on the fly to go with.



And sometimes I do thing other than knit and work and care for my young. After the morning thunderstorms cleared up yesterday and we were back from running errands it was a lovely breezy day outside. There is a dead tree of some kind, let's call it an Indiana Thornbush, in the greenbelt behind our house, and I went after about half of it with a handsaw and lack of common sense. I had a good time pulling out branches and snapping off twigs and said "C'mon, you son of a bitch" more than is probably ladylike.

Aubrey Shawl Pattern

A simple lace shawl, worked from side to side. Pattern is written for fingering weight yarn but can also be used with other yarn weights. Use a needle several sizes larger than called for on the ball band.




Materials
Crystal Palace Yarns Mini Mochi (195 yd/skein), 2 skeins
Size 10.5 straight or circular needles
Tapestry needle
Coil-less safety pin or removable stitch marker (optional)

Gauge: not critical

Abbreviations
yo – yarn over
kfb – knit into front and back of stitch
k2tog – knit two together

Pattern Notes
This stitch pattern is based on garter stitch and will be very stretchy from side to side.

After a few rows have been completed, you may wish to place a coil-less safety pin or removable stitch marker to indicate the right side of the work. I usually place a colored elastic on the end of one of my needles – when I’m working with the marked needle, I’m on a right side row.

If possible, join new balls of yarn at the beginning of a WS row to facilitate weaving in of ends.

Pattern

Cast on 2.

Work increase section as follows:
Row 1 (RS): Knit to last stitch, kfb
Row 2 (WS): Knit
Row 3 (RS): *yo, k2tog* to last stitch, kfb
Row 4 (WS): Knit

Repeat these four rows 38 times or until shawl is half of desired width, ending with Row 4. (Note: If you are using two equally sized balls of yarn, do not wait until the first ball runs out to work the center rows. Give yourself some wiggle room and work the center before half of your yarn is gone.)

Work center rows one time:
Row 1 (RS): Knit
Row 2 (WS): Knit

Work decrease section as follows:
Row 1 (RS): *yo, k2tog* to last 2 stitches, k2tog
Row 2 (WS): Knit
Row 3 (RS): Knit to last 2 stitches, k2tog
Row 4 (WS): Knit

Repeat these four rows until 2 stitches remain. Knit last two stitches together. Break yarn and draw through last stitch. Weave in ends. Block, if desired, to even out triangular shape.