Casting On: Sweet November Shawl and Review of Knitter's Pride Needles

Remember last Thursday in my Really Kinda Random post, I showed you the table full of beautiful yarn?

Well, a skein of the pink yarn came home with me.  I wanted to make the shawl they had on display out of it.  It's called the Sweet November Shawl, by Caryl Pierre.

I cast on a few days ago.  It's going pretty well.  This is a really easy "lacey" pattern.  It's one I can easily do in front of the television.  You know I like that!  LOL.

The yarn I'm using is Tanis Fiber Arts.  It is 75% merino, 15% cashmere, and 10% silk.  Yummy.

If you are on Ravelry, here are some photos of the finished shawl and a link to the pattern.  I'm planning to put the fringe on mine.  I think it's cute with the fringe on.

The pattern is a free one on Ravelry.  I think you have to be a Ravelry member (membership is free, if you aren't familiar with it) to access the pattern.

I hope to have this finished in a couple of weeks.  It works up fast.  This is how I'm avoiding tracing Hazel's Summer Garden Block #2.  LOL.

This summer, when I was in New Hampshire and visited the yarn shop, I picked up some crochet hooks so my mom could teach me to crochet.  They had these beautiful wooden crochet hooks that I liked a lot.  Then, I learned the same company makes knitting needles.  I have always liked my bamboo knitting needles.  I like the "tooth" they have to them.  They hold my stitches on the needle well.  Anyway, when I was at the yarn shop in New Hampshire, they showed me these knitting needles by the same company, with interchangable wires on the circular needles.  I wanted them.  BAD.  They were having a big sale on that Saturday, the day Sweet Pea and I were to drive home.  My plan was to stop there on our way out of town and get some.  I got there at 10:30 am (they opened at 9:00).  All the needles were sold!  But when I went to Stitches Midwest this summer, I did get some.  This is the first project I'm trying them on.  So far, I am loving them.  They are smoother than bamboo needles. In addition, where the wire joins to the needle is so much smoother than my bamboo needles, the yarn slides so easily over it.  I am really enjoying that.  I'm really happy I invested in these.  Now, when I travel to my Mom's house, I can take all my needles with me in one small case.  I won't be stuck buying new needles when I get the itch to knit down in Florida!  Yay!  You can even slide your project down onto the wires and remove the needles if you need them for another project (there are extra wires, and in many different lengths).  The wires have caps to keep the yarn from coming off.  The wires are actually pretty soft, too, so they don't kink on me too much.  Very happy with them so far.

The needles are called Dreamz, by Knitter's Pride.

I got this set.  I guess they are called Symfonie.

So far, I'm really liking them.  And I feel spoiled using them.  I'll keep you posted as I use them more!

Until next time,

Comments

[Shelly]

Beautiful needles. Another one of the fetishes we share -- knitting supplies! Way to go with procrastinating on the Hazel block!

[jenclair]

The needles ARE beautiful and must add to the pleasure of their use!

[Brooke]

You are just sooooo talented!!

[carolld]

Needles are great. You do beautiful work and I love that color yarn. But I have to ask...do you have ALL your tea leaves made? LOL

[Sue]

Loved seeing your post today. I'm still hoping that some day I will be able to knit like this. It sure seems like there is a learning curve for me.

I bought that same set of Knitter's Pride circulars at my LYS. Unfortunately, I'm not that good....yet.

[Allie]

That's going to be a beautiful shawl - when I'm ready I'm coming over to have you teach me to knit!

[Linda in Calif.]

So nice to have tools that make our projects even more fun!

[Lynn]

Gotta have the right tool for the job or it will be no fun! What beautiful yarn! Looking forward to seeing the finished shawl.

[Jackie]

I was hoping to see a finished pic of the shawl=) U definitely have more talent in your fingers than I do in my whole self!

[Maggie Szafranski]

When I was learning to knit socks on the circular needle, the firm twist of the loop was driving me crazy. I may have to check these out and get back to knitting!

[Marit]

Beautiful shawl. I like it with the fringe too. After reading this I ordered my first pair of bamboo needles. Look forward to trying them!

[Deb]

Nice! What a great set of needles - they're beautiful.

[liveacolorfullife]

I'm going to check out those needles. And that pink yarn is just luscious!

So have you done a lot of knitting? I'm doing that "log cabin" afghan and when I joint all the blocks together (20, four across, five down) the instructions say to get lots of needles of the same size because the vertical sashing will be so long. I guess Joann's coupon would be the best bet? I hate buying multiples of one size but, oh well. The final product should be spectacular.