Moving Apace In Full Color

The second project from designer Linda Skuja is moving along quickly.  And it is in living color!

This crochet short row design is fun and eye catching.  The yarn makes me feel secure in my goal of expanding my palette into colors that are not my normal comfort zone.

Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball is a friend of mine.  This Crazy version is, however, new to me.  And it is fun!

The color repeats of Crazy remind me of the way that Noro is plied - with a whole lot more wool.  Even though this pattern is quite open (requiring full coverage underneath) and the design features cap sleeves, the wool of the Zauberball will provide much warmth.  I'm thinking that this one will be a great addition to my winter wardrobe.

Here is the back.  The short row sections are not for the beginner and many suggestions for success abound within the social media yarn world.  That part is great and one of the reasons that I am so active in following blogs, notes & discussion on Ravelry and face-to-face participation in both formal and informal knit/crochet groups.

What do I mean?  I mean all the free help, advice and tips that are to be had by reaching out and joining in!  I get free help, I offer input, the yarn spins, the hook & sticks move and projects are completed.  Right now, I personally know four others who are all working on this pattern.  We help each other, we offer up well deserved "Oohs and Aahs" and we agree when it is time to add that extra row* into the pattern.

*The Extra Row reads:  Rip back now.

Successful Test!

My opportunity to test a friend's short row crochet work has come to an end.  I'm a bit sad to see this one finished and blocked.  It was a joy to make and it provided the opportunity to learn a new little twist on the single crochet stitch.

This is my interpretation of How Deep Is The Ocean.  The stash did not include a skein of "ocean" shades, so I made do with this Lang wool that hints at sunset on the water.

Here is a close up of the short row work.  Crocheting the sections makes this pattern fun.   Since crochet is so quick to stitch (at least it is for me) the sections work up very fast.  Each short row section is a perfect stopping point.  And that makes this scarf pattern an easy travel project when interruptions are anticipated.

I love the way that stitching straight rows appears to make a curve.  I have mentioned this for knit projects in prior posts.  The illusion just makes me happy.

Congrats, Leo, on a great pattern!

Scalloping Along

The first Coquille is completed.  "First", because already a new one is swimming about my thoughts waiting to be cast on.  And the term "already" relates to this post where things looked grim. 

This shawl is a quick and easy knit.  As the name suggests, ridges end with a scalloped detail provided by short row gussets.  The shawl is worked on two different size needles which produces an open feel without any lace work - or life lines - required.

I still have not decided how best to block the thing.  If the gussets are blocked open and wide, I need more pins.  If left soft and rumply I really don't need to block it at all.

The Zauberball plays rather nicely with the vertical stripes.  Long color repeats are the secret for this pattern. 

However, the next one that I see in my mind does not leave the color repeats to chance.  I'm hoping to control for color and wind up with a more stained glass effect.

The KAL for which this was done is not over until March.  Plenty of time. . . .

Can You See Me Now?

I am knitting stripes.  These are not shrinking violet strips.  These are high contrast stripes in shades and textures that jump out and say, "look at me!"

Even though these particular stripes speak to me, they are quite boring to knit.  The same thing

over

and over

and over

and over even more.

But every now and again, there are wedges to be knit and  that breaks up the monotony of stripe after stripe.

Watch out world, here I come!

Well, after a massive amount of  monotony broken up by bright wedgie-ness.

Short Row Day

This afternoon had a blank spot. An actual chunk of time not committed to anything. Seemed like the perfect time to cast on and work through the lower sleeve shaping for the cardigan. The pattern specifices a nice gently rounded edge created by short rows.

Managed to get one sleeve all shaped and at a good stopping point.



The other sleeve is cast on and ready for the first of the short rows.














Bert is not impressed by short row shaping.