I tend to use the same yarns again and again. I also tend to knit the same things again and again. I like comfort. This is all especially true when I am teaching someone else! A very dear friend asked me to knit something with her while we were in Toronto in July 2009. She actually taught me how to knit years ago but with school and other commitments, she has asked me to help her get going again. It’s wonderful to knit side-by-side with her now as we both fly through the balls of yarn and chat and drink wine. I think there’s more wine drinking than anything but it’s wonderful!
So this last time in Toronto, we decided to make the Textured Shawl Recipe together. It taught her how to increase, do a provisional cast-on, and work some patterns other than garter, rib or St st. I bought some Berroco Ultra Alpaca in a new colourway Gneiss. This is one of my favourite yarns out there. I just never get sick of it, the finished product or the colours. I finished my second hank on the plane home halfway through the final pattern repeat and not having started the final garter section. I thought, Well, when we are back at New Years, I’ll get one more hank. THANKFULLY, one of the LYSs brought in Gneiss this Fall, I bought one and finished it so that I can now wear it back at New Years!
I soaked it in eucalan for ~20mins before “blocking” it – I literally just lay it out on the dinning room table to dry. It’s soft and wonderful – doesn’t scratch at all. Eucalan is amazing for that though!
I knit on 5.5mm circs. While we were flying back I mentioned to dear hubby that maybe I should have gone up to 6.00mm but now that I have been wearing it, I wouldn’t want it any bigger to be honest. It drapes really nicely – I thought it might be stiff but it’s not at all. I did lifted make 1’s for the increases (EZ style) – the results of which are perfect.
This pattern is definitely a favourite. I think I added a few extra garter rows to the end. I did cast off with 6.5mm needles for a slightly stretchier edge, which I am glad I did. Happy Winter!
