Anecdotal Knitting

Pattern: A Curved Shawl with Diamond Edging by Jane Sowerby from Victorian Lace Today
Started: June 6, 2010
Finished: April 7, 2011
Yarn: Misti Alpaca Lace Solids, 437 yards/50 grams, 100% alpaca, over-dyed
Needles: #3 KnitPicks Options
Notes:
Shawl center chart A – took 70 grams or 612 yards. Knit 49 repeats of chart B edging separately, which took 30 grams or 262 yards. I hand sewed the border to the shawl.

I changed the first stitch on the odd rows of chart B to a knit stitch rather than a slip stitch. I added a knit stitch to the beginning of the even rows, (which also adds a stitch to the end of all the odd rows) because I didn’t like the loops of the yo as the first stitch. So CO 14 stitches instead of 13 and add one stitch to the stitch counts for all rows.

This pattern was intimidating until I knit 2 practice repeats of chart A – 24 rows, two separate times. I soon felt familiar with the stitch sequences, there are only three, and how the stitches should look on the needle from the previous row, to know that I hadn’t made a mistake. Still, this is a challenging knit, the edging felt epic, another once in a lifetime project – similar to the Lady’s Circular Shawl.

Pattern: Citron by Hilary Smith Callis in Knitty, Winter 2009
Started: August 29, 2010
Finished: September 10, 2010
Yarn: KnitPicks Shadow, 100% Merino, lace weight, 440 yards/50 grams, 660 yards, Redwood Forest
Needles: #6 circular

Notes:

This was a lot of fun to knit, I think it would make a perfect first shawl pattern for a new knitter. Just when it feels like the ruffle rows will go on forever and no progress is being made, poof, and the stitches are decreased by half again. I highly recommend this one and will make another for sure, next time in a light color!

Began with provisional cast on, added a repeat.

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This pattern is available as a free Ravelry download.
Pattern: I washed what I thought was a rag that a carpenter left at my house, and discovered a lovely little hat, this pattern is my version of that hat.
Started: 2.14.11
Finished: 2.19.11
Yarn: Cascade 220 and Plymouth Galway, 100% wool, worsted, 110 yards/50 grams, 90 yards total.
Needles: #6 circular and set of 5 double pointed
Gauge: 20 sts/4” & 25 rows/4” in stockinette

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Notes:
Please use the above link to download the free pattern.

Pattern: Lady’s Circular Cape in Shell Pattern by Jane Sowerby in Victorian Lace Today
Started: February 8, 2010
Finished: April 5, 2010
Yarn: Zephyr 50% Merino Wool 50% Chinese Tussah Silk, 2/18 by Jagger Spun, 1255 yards, over-dyed.
Needles: #6
Notes: Body of shawl, rows 1 – 81 took 63 grams = 700 yards, 124 repeats of border (chart B) took 50 grams = 556 yards.

For 10 panels the total stitch count is 58,462 stitches. 1/4 is on row 52, 1/2 is on row 77 and 3/4 is on the 58th repeat of border.

To knit the border into the live stitches at the hem I placed all the stitches on a circular needle cable with stops on the ends. I transferred 6 stitches from the cord to a locking removable marker and carried the marker on the circular needles used to knit the border stitches (not the double pointed needles that the pattern calls for). The held hem stitches were getting stretched out from the weight of the cord with stops without this intermediary step of a locking marker.

I used a provisional crochet cast on instead of the lace cast on as the pattern specifies.

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Pattern: Sleeveless Sweater by Barbara G. Walker from “Knitting from the Top”.
Started: December 1, 2009
Finished: December 16, 2009
Yarn: Galway worsted wool by Plymouth Yarn, 210 yards/100 grams, gray over-dyed, 525 yards. Gossamer lace weight merino by Knit Picks, 440 yards/50 grams, Sunrise over-dyed, knit with 3 strands, 440 yards. Total for vest is 672 yards.
Needles: 5 and 7.
Gauge: 4.5 st/in, 6 rows/in.

Pattern: Lace Cotton Ponchette by Wind Loop
Started: March 25, 2008
Finished: April 9, 2009
Yarn: Artyarns Regal Silk, 163 yards/50 grams, 4 balls, over-dyed
Needles: #4

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Pattern: Based on Chevron Cardigan and Hat by Nashua Handknits
Started: 6.8.08
Finished: 8.18.08
Yarn: 109 yards of Freedom 54 yards/50 grams, 263 yards of Knit Picks Andean Silk 96 yards/50 grams – 3 strands = 88 yards, 99 yards of Jumbo 33 yards/50 grams, 880 yards of Knit Picks Glimmer Denim 440 yards/50 grams – 8 strands = 110 yards. Grand Total 406 yards. Over-dyed it all to a range of greens and browns.
Needles: #10 1/2
Gauge: 4.5 stitches/in, 6 rows/inch
Notes: I only followed the sideways construction of the Chevron Cardigan for this pullover V neck vest.

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Pattern: Barbara Walker’s Sleeveless Sweater in “Knitting from the Top”
Started: 4.29.08
Finished: 5.8.08
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, 110 yards/50 grams, 5.4 balls, 594 yards.
Needles: #7
Gauge: 4.5 stitches/in, 6.5 rows/inch
Notes: Over-dyed left over worsted weight yarns in WashFast Acid and Jacquard dye – blue and black.

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This photo shows more realistic colors.

Pattern: Barbara Walker’s Sleeveless V – Neck Sweater in “Knitting from the Top”
Started: 10.20.07
Finished: 10.31.07
Yarn: Main Color: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, 110 yards/50 grams, 4 balls, 440 yards + contrast (see below).
Needles: #7
Gauge: 4.5 stitches/in, 6.5 rows/inch
Notes: Used 4 balls of Evergreen Wool of the Andes as the main color. For the contrast color stripes used approximately 20 yards of the following eight colors, Knit Picks Telemark in Aubergine, Burlap, Lichen and Tangelo, Andean Silk in Mustard and Lettuce, Classic Elite Skye Tweed 1272 Upland Green, and Dansk (over-dyed to brown) and approximately 135 yards of Knit Picks Andean Silk in Olive.
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