You might remember back in April, I blogged that I was casting on a new knitting project. Well, I couldn't say it then, but I was knitting a shawl for my mom for her birthday. Well, Hell must have frozen over, because I actually finished it on time for her birthday! Mark it in your calendars, friends, because it's a first! LOL
The pattern is called Bias Beauty Shawl. I wish I could give you a link to the pattern, but it was a one-page sheet I got at The New Ewe yarn and quilt shop in Newaygo, MI a while back. I am thinking it may be a pattern someone at the store wrote up. If you want to get hold of the pattern, maybe you could try contacting them. Sorry!
And here it is hanging over the railing of my brother's lakehouse deck. I really love it. You can see how it hangs at an angle. It's knit on the bias. I have never knit anything on the bias before. Truthfully, I'm not sure how it happened, because it just felt like regular knitting, but I sure like the way it hangs.
Here is a close up of the pattern. (You might also be able to see the little flecks of gold from the strand of gold metallic thread that is embedded into the yarn.) Again, you can see now the stitches go at an angle. The stitch is really pretty easy and produces this very open, lacey effect. Somewhere during this, I tried to knit a lacey cowl with fingering weight yarn. I tell you, I ripped that baby out four times and finally gave up. I am not sure knitting lacey stuff is for me! But, I can attest, if you haven't been successful with lace before, this pattern might be for you. It was easy to follow, easy to execute, and still gave the lacey look. I would highly recommend this pattern as an introduction to lace-type work, if you haven't done much with lace before.
Here is the ruffle edge, which I just love. This is such an interesting shawl to knit. You start at each end and begin knitting at this ruffle edge. You knit to the center back, move your stitches to a stitch holder, and start again from the other end. Then, you join them in the center.
Here is my beautiful mother on her 70th birthday, modeling the shawl. It should be great for this Florida resident who is always cold when she is in air conditioning.
Here is the back. You can see where it's seamed together. I didn't do the greatest job on the eam, if you ask me. I had a few problems that resulted from poor planning on my part (i.e., not leaving myself enough yarn on the edge to do the kitchner stitch all the way accross! I had to start from each end and work my way to the middle. Sheesh!). But it looks fine!
Mom also like wearing it as a scarf like this.
Back view when worn as a scarf.
We also liked the scarf worn this way. Happy birthday, Mom! Hope you liked it. I enjoyed knitting it so much, I'm going to knit one for myself in a champaigne color.
I really enjoyed knitting this and would recommend the pattern to anyone. I'm off to list this project as COMPLETED on Ravelry.
A true confession before I leave you....I had both halves of this done about 2 months ago. For some reason, though, I waited until two days before I had to leave for New Hampshire to sew the two halves together and block it. Why do I do things like that???!!! I am such a dork sometimes!
And by the way, just so you know, I am sitting outside as I write this. It's a warm evening, and I'm sitting in the shade, drinking a glass of wine, eating some cheese and crackers (no, it's not on my diet....leave me alone), watching Sweet Pea blow up water balloons and talk to the dog and cat. It's a very pleasant evening! Let's just hope I don't get pelted by water balloons!!
Catch you all soon!
Until next time,