Three finishes, and a first.

The Bias Pink Shawl is yet another iteration of my standard recipe shawl…a wardrobe staple. CO3, inc up one side almost to desired length/yarn usage, change from stockinette to (yo,k2tog) just long enough so that yarn-chicken isn’t necessary to complete a stretchy BO. A lovely layer that will go with multiple ‘pink’ options.

The Cedar Pullover is a lovely pattern by Joji Locatelli and yarn by Sweet Paprika (held double). The neck is modified to change the seemingly random yoke increases, which show horribly…why do designers do this? I shortened the distance between the purl rows to be able to incorporate the increases/hide them in the row above for a much smoother fabric. Knit to my desired length then added the lace panel as instructed. Then, when knitting the sleeves, I knew I wanted this very light top to have 3/4 sleeves and to be finished with the same lace as the hem, so changed the decreases to accommodate these changes. Viola!

We discovered I’d never made actual ‘shortcake’ before. The supermarket ones are supremely unsatisfactory, so the request was made to bake cupcakes….or something. Well, challenge accepted and off I went to my trusty old stand-by, the gingham notebook-style antique handed down from my mother….Better Crocker at her best. Even my daughter the baker approves of the use of this classic! The shortcakes rose and split just as they should and gained the approval of those few who were able to taste test 🙂

May Socks. Finally finished in August and out of sequence with the previously finished June Socks…whatever! I have discovered that, along with the June Socks, they are slightly too tight to be comfortable. So, off they will go to the baker, who has smaller feet. They were a joy to knit, just my usual vanilla pattern, and kept me great company during waiting situations and sleepy times when keeping my hands busy was the goal.

My next finish will be another vanilla bias shawl…this one from a Schoppel-Wolle Lace Ball that fades pink-purple-almost black then back and forth. Its almost done except for the BO and a wash.

After that, I’m working a Calliope, a free pattern by Espace Tricot in a super soft single in Cloudborn Fibers Alpaca Wool Silk Fingering that will likely pill horribly since it is very loosely spun, but is so soft I can’t resist in spite of knowing I will constantly have to deal. Unfortunately, my gauge swatch is a lying liar that lies….and having placed sleeve stitches on a holder and knit a few more rounds I was able to try it on, to discover that this lovely sweater is freakishly huge. What was supposed to be a 47″ circumference (I like 4-5″ of ease) has become a 56″ circumference thanks to may gauge changing more than 1.5 sts/” ! Ugh, I don’t have to take it all back. The lovely ribbing at the neck and the short-rows can remain….I just have to get it back to where it would be above the split for the arms for the 2nd size instead of the 4th. Using a tubular cast on, instead of the less stretchy long-tail, I had to change the initial sequence from (k3,p1) to (k2,p2) since my brain just couldn’t figure out how to accommodate the (k3,p1) while working the tubular cast on….just made my head want to explode so moved on. Oh, and I’m enjoying my new swift. A lovely hand made jewel sold by the ladies of Fleece & Harmony on PEI.

The oldest daughter stopped by for a short social-distance visit last weekend, so was able to give her the Miette Shawl destined for her (also knit one for myself and one for the baker). This lovely pattern by Cozy Up Knits has appeared in previous posts, but was able to get some additional photos with a live model! Abby made an appearance, too. As the weather has turned cooler, the local dear population has become a more cohesive group and we’ve had the pleasure of watching them up close….

Until next time….