Officially done -- guest blogger Carolyn

I lied, this is Penny, but someone needs to report that Carolyn's shawl is done and tonight we block. We'll get pics and add it to this post SOON. She finished at 2 a.m., this morning. Persistent!

Way to go -- Carolyn. Tomorrow we hike!

(In reality, we did not hike and we did not block the shawl until today. Carolyn was not feeling well.)

Update June 1st:
 I'll post a couple more pics after the shawl is dried. It turned out soooo pretty.

Update June 3rd: Carolyn, this is wonderful. Now go work on a pair of socks. No -- read!!!

Finished at Last! - Guest Blogger Sue

Yay! Finally able to finish after receiving my yarn care package from bluesaddiction.  Many, many thanks to her! Bound off my last 17 stitches and blocked my shawl.

It was a little windy out, so it would not stay still for the picture!

The color is a little truer in this photo.

I really enjoyed meeting and knitting along with everyone! Can't wait for the next KAL!

All the shawls have been gorgeous!

Finished! ~ guest blogger Andee

 

I finished up my Shetland Triangle last night! I headed outside with my trusty camera, tripod & remote shutter and tried my best to get some quick pictures of it.

 

It is so windy out today I was afraid a tree was going to fall on me!  So I'll be back later when I get better pictures, but I wanted to prove it was done!!! I love how it turned out. I did 17 repeats and I really liked the yarn I used.

It is a hard color to photograph see the picture below. Not the right color.

 

So once we get some good lighting I'll get better pictures. I love how I can wear it as a shawl and as a wrap around my waist.  I tried taking my manikin outside for some pictures to show how it can be worn but the wind kept knocking it over.  So you'll have to take my word for it right now.

 

I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday weekend. I'm looking forward to the next KAL!

 

~Andee 

Finished -- guest blogger Penny

Not only is it finished, but I wore it to church this morning, and why it looks a bit rumpled on the hanger. Thanks for inviting me to join in the KAL, Melissa. Eager to see all the other shawls.

Tangled~ posted by guest blogger Andee

I was hesitant to join the May Day KAL. I knew May would be a busy month for me.  I started the month off with a trip to the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival.  It was fate that I ran in to Will & Jeff and saw their Shetland Triangles and I knew I had to make one too. 

But I've been busy as excepted for the month and knitting has been slow.

There have been two new babies born at the farm.

Then we had shearing day. I am so sore from shearing day. I have sore muscles I didn't even know I had.  But it is totally worth the hard work.  The alpacas are so much happier to have their heavy winter coats off. This is my alpaca Blue and his awesome gray fleece. I think I have to make a cardigan out of his fleece.

A before and after shot of another alpaca named Bing.

Plus add in a few birthday parties and BBQs and here is where I stand on my Shetland Triangle.

I have about 16 or 17 repeats done, I'm not really keeping track of the repeats. I got about 3 rows in on the edging and my center pull yarn decided to get tangled.  I spent 3 hours last night trying to untangle it.  Stupid I tell you.  I was tempted to cut it so many times. But well I guess I'm stubborn.  I am almost done working it out.  The party we were supposed to go to today got canceled because of the weather. So fingers crossed I will get the tangle undone and finish this up and on the blocking wires today!  Wish me luck.  No more distractions. 

~Andee



Guest blogger Penny - question...

Hi guys and gals... I need some help.

I didn't do 11 rows of the fir cone lace repeat, because I was concerned about running out of yarn, so I knitted 10 and my numbers are different from the directions (at the end of each row). It's worked out fine, up until the lace edging.

Edging... I finished rows 7 & 8 and my count was what it should be. However, after knitting the 9th row I did not end up with increases. The count was the same as 7 & 8. I'm thinking I've done something wrong. I've traced each stitch to the end several times, and even re-knitted it twice. I still end up with no increases. I'm going crazy!!!

Have I made a mistake somewhere, or are there no increases for the next few rows? I notice I keep doing the same pattern on 9, 11, & 13.

I'm soooo close to being done, and excited to block it, because I bought Carolyn and I "real" blocking wires. In the past I've done it the hard way -- one pin at a time. Too laborious.

Thank you in advance for your input. I have a sinking feeling I'm going to be "un-knitting" again. Groan.

Update: 5/24

I'm done!!! Look how strange the colors look on these ABC blocks compared to the shawl before it was blocked. Of course, the photo was taken indoors at night. I'll post a proper picture when it is dry.

What an interesting experience -- this KAL. Thanks for your help and encouragement everyone.

Dave grumbled because I am supposed to be editing a children's book and not knitting, so I have promised him the book has priority. Better put the needles away, or be a closet knitter when he's not home. Tee hee!

Stalled - Guest Blogger Sue

Well, I thought for sure that I had enough yarn for the border chart and bind off! But, alas, NO!!! I started the edge chart with 22 grams. It was taking about 2 grams per row.  Since I am doing a stretchy bind off, I guess it just wasn't enough!

17 little stitches left to bind off, and that's all I have left! I did a search on Ravelry for everyone who had used TML in Celadon. Luckily, I found a very kind and generous knitter (why should I be surprised, that is how knitters are!) in Texas, who is going to send me a few yards! I really didn't want to have to buy a whole new skein just for 17 stitches!! Will update soon with finished photos. Hope everyone else is not running into any problems!

It's a Wrap . . . guest blogger Liz

"If you presume to love something, you must love the process

of it much more than you love the finished product."       

- John Irving

The words I included above from novelist John Irving are not intended to disparage my finished garment.  I am very pleased with my Shetland Triangle.  I decided to include the quotation above, however, because I am a bit sad that I finished this project so quickly (within two or three weeks), as I enjoyed making it so much.  The lace pattern offered just the right amount of challenge for me right now, when I’m a bit weary and not ready to tackle too many taxing mental challenges.

I actually have about a skein and a half left over of the Cascade fingering yarn I used to make the shawl.  This amount is equal to the quantity that I used to knit is project, so I could feasibly get cracking and cast on another shawl this evening.  But I have to make some progress on some other partially done pieces first, as I get a bit anxious when I have more than three or four works started but not completed.

I am very pleased with my end results, though, even if I should have perhaps followed the instructions and pinned the points of the edging—the wires I used didn’t make for very steep angles in my points.  I can always use the proper technique, however, in future attempts to make this item. 

Thanks to oneknitwit and twoknitwit for sponsoring this KAL.  I’ve enjoyed taking part and especially liked reading the other participants’ posts and blogs. 

Finale - Guest Blogger Dixie

In the Pines

 Hi  Kaliers,

 After beginning this pattern with a lace weight yarn, I changed  to Malabrigo fingering. The other yarn wasn't suitable for me. I enjoyed this knit, and once I caught the rhythm of this pattern, I was off.

I completed 12 pattern repeats, but didn't use the whole 440 yds. With luck and a good wind, I may have been able to squeeze in another repeat, but I decided to leave that challenge for another day.

Last night while blocking, I thought about the beads I didn't add, but since the yarn is rather compact, not to mention I knit a "wee" bit tight, I think the shawl holds its own without any.

 And last but by no means least, a very special thank you to Melissa!  She has been an absolute gem! {Suffice it to say that blogger, for me, has been measuring high on the misery index, but thanks to Melissa it has been foiled; or I have. ~ CC: Clueless in Canada} :-)

I am looking forward to seeing each finished shawl. Enjoy stitching.... ( Marianne40 rav)

KAL Progress - Guest Blogger Sue

I have finished 11 repeats of the body chart, and have 22 grams of yarn left.  Wondering if I can squeeze in one more repeat before starting the edge chart.  I may just continue on to the edge chart since I don't want to run out!! Should have measured before the last repeat to see how much yarn it required!!

The spine measures 18" right now, so it should block out, with the edging, to a nice size. Getting anxious to finish!

Hope everyone is pleased with their shawl!  The finished ones are gorgeous!!

Slow Progress ~ guest blogger Trudy

Seems I should not do two projects at once, especially when I like both.  Will try to not do that again, but you know how it goes all that pretty yarn and so many beautiful things to knit .  Then there is always a  good book to read .  My class for the Entrelac Scraf is done , so pressure is off.  It is a fun knit .  I'm making progress with my Shetland Shawl slow but sure, but am loving it.  Pretty new to lace so slow.  Those that I have seen finished are beautiful. Will post a picture of both my projects, just to update that I have been knitting.

Ready Set Go ~ guest blogger Andee

So I had plans of using my handspun merino for this shawl. I got it on the needles and I was loving the pattern and yarn, but I couldn't help but thinking of another project I thought the yarn would be so much better for. So I set it aside and picked up a skein of Cascade Heritage sock yarn.  I very rarely buy yarn without a plan and this yarn I had bought because I loved the color.  I figured for only $12.00 a skein of 437 yards I'd buy two and find something to make with it.  It has been sitting next to my computer waiting to be knit it.  I started the shawl over with this yarn on Saturday night and by Sunday at noon I was done with all the repeats from the chart and ready for the edging.  Talk about a pattern that flies off your needles. 

I am loving the rows of purling and knitting! Lace with rows of knitting sign me up any day.  I still have the other skein of yarn so I'm going to keep going until I run out of yarn.  I think this would be nice to be able to wrap around and around. We'll see.  But I did set it aside and picked up another project. Two projects at the same time. Yikes! That is so not me, but I really need some hand knits to wear in this warmer weather.  So I casted on a top.  I'll be picking away on the Shetland Triangle over the next week. But I'm not rushing it. It is such a joy to knit.

Ravelry notes- Shetland Triangle

Happy Knitting,

Andee

Guest bloggers... Penny & Carolyn

Yikes... I don't know how I keep screwing this up, but seems like I get a few rows knitted and then I find my count is off  -- again and again. Grrrr! Oh well, I'm making progress, plus I am getting a lot of sunshine.

Let me guess, Melissa, you're on your third shawl. Is that right Wonder Woman?

Update: May 12th:

Carolyn is doing great. I LOVE the color. She came over and I took a pic of her shawl...

She wanted me to post our shawls together. Not sure why they look more colorful...

Guest Blogger Trudy

Hi, my name is Trudy aka thirdknitwit, just happen to have the honor of being Kelli and Melissa's ML.

This is my first attempt at lace also at blogging, so patience please.. The yarn I'm using is Malabrigo Sock 

yarn in Lettuce.  I will try to get a picture of what I have done soon.  The three I have seen done are

stunning.  Hope to learn a lot from all of you great knitters.  See you soon.

Aha Moment ~ guest blogger Liz

I’m a latecomer to this group, but saw the knit-along last week and decided to ignore the mound of tote bags filled with works in progress (that I navigate like an obstacle course all over my house and in my closet) and jump in.  Any excuse to buy new yarn!

I ordered some yarn from Webs Yarn and my package was waiting for me last night when I returned home from work.  I didn’t splurge for this project, as I felt a bit guilty about a couple of big items I’m in the throes of making (where I’m using copious amounts of Rowan and Noro yarn), but I did find some Cascade fingering weight yarn that is inexpensive and should make a pretty shawl.

I used my ball winder on one skein last night and decided to attack the project.  After about a half an hour staring numbly at the neck chart with no idea what to do and experiencing a bit of low self-esteem when I read several posts on Ravelry by women who’d made this project and discussed how easy it was to knit up, I had an epiphany and suddenly the schemata made sense.  I knit 20 rows of the neck and one or two of the body.

I do like this design.  It’s complex enough to keep my interest, but isn’t one of those uber challenging patterns that I am only able to attack in the summer and fall--when my brain isn’t completely depleted of the capability to process simple information--as it typically is at the end of the school year.  (I teach high school English and by the end of second semester--after months of dealing with teenagers--I’m quite proud to simply be getting dressed in somewhat matching clothes and regularly attending class with some semblance of a lesson prepared for each day). 

Looking forward to working on this shawl this coming weekend. 

I need to get another set of size 6 needles, so I don't have to switch back and
forth between projects.

To say hello... ~ guest blogger Amy

Hi all.  I'm Amy.  I was so excited to join the KAL (great pick of patterns, guys!).  I've had the pattern in "queue" for so long, bought the yarn "back in the day"...was ready.  I even dithered (I really think this word should be used more often!) on whether to add beads...in the end, I did not.

May 1st came, I diligently CO, and bam...kid #1 got hit with the creeping-crud that goes around when the seasons change (of course this is my breathing treatment kiddo, nothing serious, just enough to throw us off our game).  Enter more knitting.  Then in the true meaning of sharing...kid #2 came down with some version of the creeping-crud.  More knitting.

Now you all know that at this point, it's only a matter of time...and yep, it was my turn :)  Lost my voice to my children's great amusement.  We are all on the mend now. (Ironically, my husband who has wicked allergies and is usually the more "fragile" of all of us, is perfectly fine.)

My apologies for my lack of participation on the blog. My voice is back..more or less...I was able to volunteer at the school today, and "speak sternly" when necessary ;)  So despite the "non-drama drama" (because my life IS pretty simple!), I do have a FO to share.

  BUT I am soooo looking forward to seeing all the remaining FOs and seeing everyone's progress.

And a sidenote, that pool in the background has already been used...not being from TX, it always amazes me how quick it can get hot here....bless this TX weather ;)

I finished something! ~ guest blogger WillyG

Yay!  I finished something for the KAL!

I know, I know, it's not even a full week.  Like I said before, I was on vacation. But it really is a simple knit once you get going, and as lace goes,  pretty easy to catch/fix mistakes.  (And I did so.)

This shawl is all about imperfection.

See the little plying error?  I had a few of these.  As I got further into the shawl, I figured out how to tack these to the back of the fabric as I knit, but earlier on there are a few oddities to keep the perfectionists busy.

I also noticed as I knit that the color transitions came out a bit stripey for what I had envisioned. Someone overlooked this factor when he was blending the colors!!  But that's okay; I have several ideas for how to remedy this next time.  And there will be a next time.  This was superfun!  I already bought more of the same type of fiber in a different colorway...

Into The Whirled dyes the best colorways, no?

Now for my favorite bits about this shawl.
I love the fabric I ended up with - light and a bit drifty, but not so airy that it annoys me.  For some reason, I like my knits to have a denser fabric than many people - even when it comes to lace.  This turned out perfectly, and I'm delighted I was able to spin it.  WOOT!  Milestone right there.

I also love the color blending in the first section, more by default than anything.  The fibers were longer than the color blocks in the sea foam sections, so the olive crept in.

I'm also in love with the undulating movement created by the simple lace patterning.  For the lace newbies, it takes a bit of blocking to smooth out the natural bumps that form in the fabric, but once you do that it really pops.

I think the simple pattern shows a variety of yarns beautifully; I can't wait to see yours! And once again, happy May!!

Oops.... post by Guest Blogger Jeff

Somehow this 200+ year old great wheel ended up in my possession. I don't know how that happened, but boy am I excited about it. :)

Overall, this Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival was the BEST. I'm sure Will will be posting all about it over on his blog, and he is the real blogger in this family, so I won't go all into it except to say I spent lots of money and don't feel bad about that one bit. We took a shepherding class on Friday(decided I wouldn't mind having a small flock for fleece, but probably won't go into it full time), spent all my cash on Saturday on goodies from Gnomespun, Into the Whirled, Persimmon Tree Farm, Loop, and a few other small farms on some breed specific fiber (Icelandic) and yarn (Montadale), took the sheep breed walk with the amazing Deb Robson on Sunday morning and learned about breeds I'd never even heard of (have you ever heard of Soay or Hog Island sheep?), and bought a great wheel that's been around as long as we've been a country. All in all, a fabulous weekend!