A Fair Isle on the Horizon

This morning our prayer shawl ministry team, Knit One Pray Too, met at our local coffee shop, The Blend. I really enjoy getting together with these ladies. They have such a desire to serve. Each time we've had a request for a prayer shawl, someone has already made one or is willing to do so. Usually we meet once a month on the third Wed in the evening at Crossroads United Methodist Church but once in a while we switch to a day meeting. Today M and I both brought our relatively new copies of A Prayer Shawl Companion. The others were interested in looking at the patterns, prayers, and poems in the book.

I'm on a bit of a baby binge again. I finished another Pinwheel Blankie. Sarah was here one day and I demonstrated for her how to start that blanket. When I finished the Raspberry Wool Peddler's Shawl I didn't have a project to launch right into since the next project was requiring a lot of swatching and planning. I picked up the Pinwheel Blankie and it felt good in my hands. At the time I needed something soothing. With the first Pinwheel Blankie I made (yellow) I came so close to running out of yarn on the border that I overcompensated on this one. So the end result is just barely 36 inches across. That is big enough for a tiny baby, especially if it is used over a stroller or car seat. It might be a bit skimpy for actually wrapping around the baby.

Another fun project was Alice Starmore's Wee Baby Bonnet pictured on the front of Piecework Magazine Jan/Feb 2009. I used remnants of Shetland Wool from Meg Swansen/Schoolhouse Press. I would eventually like to make the cap in the more highly contrasting colors chosen by Alice Starmore but I used what I had on hand. The little ear flaps are so cute; I love the way they tuck under the edge. The cap is actually a swatch for a Fair Isle Vest, a kit I purchased years ago from Schoolhouse Press. During our move in May 2007 I lost or misplaced a few things. In fact, the only errant objects that I know of are two knitting videos and one of them came with this kit. Although the video is not absolutely necessary I think I would enjoy watching it as it was filmed on Washington Island, in Door County WI, which is one of our favorite places on the whole planet.

My, didn't the baby bonnet have a boatload of ends to weave in? I've started on the Fair Isle Vest but it is slow going. You would think the baby bonnet in the exact same wool (different colors), washed and blocked, would be an accurate enough gauge swatch, but so far the vest is looking looser. I am gamely plowing ahead and trusting my needles, wool, and hands. That could be a BIG mistake for when you make a gauge error on Fair Isle you will pay dearly in the end. This much I know.

The Pinwheel Blankie

Ah-h-h-h-, The Pinwheel Blankie was such a fun project that I feel like casting on for another one already. It was so much like knitting yoga (unlike the Lacy Ribbon Skirt) that I half expected to fall asleep and wake up with my hands still knitting rhythmically. Talk about the chi flowing! I made it in 8 days. The knitting just flew by as the segments became larger. Like Elizabeth Zimmerman's Pi shawl, the design is very organic. A mathematician could probably tell us why the design is so pleasing to the eye. Perhaps the whorls follow the Golden Mean. From a knitter's perspective, it is easy, quick, fun, and satisfying. I will be sending this blanket off to Iowa soon. The baby is of unknown gender (although they know it is either a boy or a girl, thanks to the marvels of modern medicine) hence the buttercup color. This is my new favorite baby gift, after the pumpkin hats, of course.

I was very pleased with the seed stitch border I chose. I then cast off in i-cord.

To cast off in i-cord: Knit 2, slip one, knit one, psso. Slip the 3 remaining stitches back onto left needle. Repeat 500 times.

That's right. I had over 500 stitches on the needle by the time I reached the width I wanted, which is about 32" in diameter. A little less than 3 feet in diameter seemed to be a good size to me. Those young mamas have enough weight to carry with those mammoth arm-breaking baby carriers so I wanted it to be big enough but not too big.

I started a 4th skein of yarn just before I started the seed stitch border, thinking that would be a generous estimate. I was sweating it out at the end when I realized the i-cord was sucking up the yarn. There was just a little bit left in the skein. I believe the i-cord border is the icing on the cake, don't you?

Knitting is a Comfort

Our two younger sons came home today for a sad occasion. A close friend of theirs died unexpectedly on Saturday, just a few weeks after his 26th birthday. We're all so much in shock that this young, wonderful life is gone from us. Our youngest son and his girlfriend (and two dogs) drove all the way from NM, spent the night at his brother's place in KC, and then drove the rest of the way today. It was about 22 hours of driving. After the funeral tomorrow, they will reverse the process. Both boys will be pallbearers at the funeral. I'm going to play the pipes at the cemetery. I've played many funerals and I've always managed to keep it together even when I know the person; but I haven't had to do it when my boys are broken-hearted. It is hard to believe that they were home several weeks ago to be groomsmen in a wedding and now they are both pallbearers in a funeral.

Over the weekend I finished the Lacy Ribbon skirt and blocked it. I basted it together and will just leave it that way until she tries it on. Now I need to find some quality ribbon that has a vintage look. If you know a source, please let me know. I took this photo after blocking it and pinning it out on the bed in the guest room.

I also whipped up some sweet booties in Queensland Bebe Cotsoy. It is so soft. Cute, cute, cute. The pattern is from an issue of Knit Simple that I checked out of the library. I just happened to have this yarn in my stash and it is very close in color to the sample booties in the pattern. Beware if you knit this pattern. Read my notes on Ravelry. I'll get buttons sewn on soon.

On Sunday I started knitting a Pinwheel Blanket in a very soft cotton the color of butter. It is coming along nicely. After knitting that skirt where I had to be continually vigilant with the double strand, this is a piece of cake. The boys are currently visiting with their friends. It is raining. I am going to knit.