I have so enjoyed outdoors this past week. Mellow, soft light and pleasant temperatures, really good for dog walks. Just the right amount of wind to freshen the air and sunny skies with occasional clouds and rain showers. A bit chilly during the night, a bite of fall in the morning. Cold feet desire woolly socks, warm shawls at hand to pull on and an oversized cardigan to wrap around. No need to question whether to knit or not - as if I ever questioned it.
Ok, so the weather has been very inspiring, but even though there is a strong pull to keep knitting, I still have not found that perfect next project to work on. I have cast on for two new shawls, both have been ripped back; I have been knitting a sweaterdress but I have a feeling that I am going to rip it back tonight. I would love to have a knitted dress, but my yarn choice is not working. It seems to be a bit wiry and the stitches seem a bit clunky, no matter how I tension the yarn. But I did finish something, and I am very happy about this something.
I finished the shawlography shawl by Stephen West. I love the pattern, it is absolutely an interesting one, with all the possible color choices and different knitting stitches; nupps, i-cord loops, little welts, brioche, criss-cross stitches to name a few. From the very beginning I kept doubting the colors. I was not sure which route to take. At first I chose to have a pale color palette, but at some point decided that I did not like it and that it would need something. I would have ripped it had it been something else than mohair in the mix.
Since the beginning was red, it was the obvious choice and route to take. Oh, but I was never sure of any of the color changes and at some point just thought that this was not going to be a good one. The colors kept bothering me and I did not concentrate on my knitting; just kept the thought to have it done. I made mistake after mistake, my stitch counts were off all the time and I had to keep adjusting them, thinking since the colors do not work anyway, I am not going to be bothered with the mistakes.
Until, I soaked it and stretched it out to dry. I was happily surprised! I do love the shawl, I love the strong colors and I do think it did work in the end, way better than I imagined. I just need to remember, that the shawl is not done until it is done. That every new color affects the previous ones and the shawl will keep changing with every single choice. The light beginning really lets the border shine.
If you look at the original pattern, the final border of the shawl is knitted with stripes but I have done both of my shawlography shawls by picking up a variegated yarn to the border not to have to weave in all the ends. This border again with Hjertegarn’s old Kunstgarn. I do love that yarn, it had wonderful colors. I have, I think, two skeins left and then it is gone. It has rescued so many shawls.
Years back Noro used to have fingering weight beautiful sock yarn… need to see if that yarn is still available. Those colors were also so beautiful.
While I was stretching it and pulling here and there yesterday, it inspired me… maybe to knit yet another shawlography… now only to figure out the color. So here I am, still at the starting point.
While taking pictures for the shawl, the surface of the lake kept changing. Just had to share.
Lene
