When Knitting Was a Manly Art

Now that the Lace Garland Shawl is winding down (nope, not done yet), I started digging through my stash boxes for inspiration.

One box is absolutely full of Wool-Ease. I remember finding an unbelievable sale price right after I started knitting and was doing a lot of ‘Joan’s Socks’. I must have 30 skeins in various colors. I don’t know what I’m going to do with it all, as I’ve turned into a bit of a fiber snob, but I’m sure I’ll find a use or maybe donate it.

In the bottom box I pulled out a couple plastic bags that had stuff still on needles. These turned out to be two Counterpane samples that I had started with the thought of making at least four and sewing them together as examples.

The top one was done in Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton on #3 needles. This has one completed and another about 1/2 done. The pattern is called Leaves and LInes. The second is as found. About 1/2 completed in Cro-Sheen on #0 needles in a pattern called Wheat Ears. Both patterns are from the book “Knitting Counterpanes” by Mary Walker Phillips. I think I’ll try to finish at least the one and maybe give a try at making a simple 4 panel sample of each.

Click on thumbnails for full size pictures.

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Haven’t even picked up needles today. Too much other work to do today. I did have time to pull out a CSS book and play around with the files controlling how my blog looks. I can never leave well enough alone. I’m not much of a programmer, really. I just poke at things until I get frustrated or until they *kind of* look like what I wanted.

New logo and some minor color changes, but it’s starting to be my blog and not a repeat of the default MovableType config. More changes will follow, but they will be small and incremental.

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This crochet edging has become the hardest part of this project. There is 7 loops/repeat with 24 repeats around. I can only get about 2 repeats done until my back aches and I need to stop. I’m also really not satisfied with the tension I’m getting on the crochet chain loops. Some are longer and some are shorter, though some of that will probably even out when I block it. I’m just under half way done and it’s probably going to take a couple more days to finish.

Here’s a couple of shots from this morning. First one is in natural light and second with the flash. They show different details and I like that for my own records. You can click on the thumbnails for larger pictures of each.

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The shawl was packaged up and presented to my Mom for Christmas, with the understanding that I was going to take it back and finish the crochet edging and block it.

Mom was as appreciative as ever. She’s been the recipient of a number of my lace projects and she’s a joy to give to.

OT — None Knitting Comments — My Mom is an amazing person. She has Macular Degeneration – nothing but peripheral vision and one eye has additional cataracts. A bad heart – triple bypass and valve replacement. Type 2 Diabetes. And her only disappointment is not being able to do her Crosswords and read her books. “Someone is worse off than me” is her mantra. I’m no longer sure she can *really* see the knitting I’m giving her, but that doesn’t keep me from continuing to give her nice things. I love this lady.

I’m finishing the crochet edging on the shawl. I now see that it’s pretty simple. Three or four stitches gathered together and a 9 stitch crochet chain looping between gathers. Simple, huh? Yeah, right… I’m slower than molasses with this, but I’m determined to finish it as designed.

I’ll post pictures when finished and then when I get it blocked.

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Jake and I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year.

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Our first snowfall of the winter and it happens on Christmas Eve. Not much, as you can see, and that’s turning over to rain as I type. But, it’s a nice way to start our Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

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As of this morning, I’m down to two rounds and 672 stitches. That’s just about the max for the circular I’m using.

Final two rounds will be done tonight or early tomorrow morning. The crochet edging is going to be an after-Christmas project and I’m going to pull the shawl off the needles onto a piece of scrap yarn so that Mom can get an idea of what it will look like when finished. I’m really pleased with the way it turned out — and my local fiber friend says she’ll help me with the crochet so I feel confident that it’ll be done right.

As new project for the New Year, I’ve decided to try to duplicate the lace sampler from Susanna Lewis’ book ‘Knitting Lace’. I’ve got a cone of Jaggerspun Zephyr in a light tan and have already decided on borders, etc. Also joined a yahoo-group (lacesamplerproject) of other like-minded folks. This one’s under no pressure and no complete date and will just be an easy to carry small project when I need a break.

Two more days until Christmas and it couldn’t look less Christmassy here in Oregon. After weeks of rain (9.56 inches since Dec 10), the morning is clear and crisp and looks like a grand day. Good day for mucking out barns. Ah, the joys of farming…

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Less than 7 rounds to go. 480 stitches/round. I think I’m going to make it. The only sticking point now is the crochet edging. I’ve never crocheted before. It’s simple chain stitch, but I don’t know that I really understand the instructions.

One way or the other, it’s going to be packaged up.

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Less than 10 rounds to go….. and six days until Christmas. I’m doing about 2 1/2 rounds a day, so it’s going to be close (That’s about 1000 stitches a day….! This is the first time I’ve really kept a count on one day’s progress).

Stitches are getting a bit tight on the needles, but I’m more worried about having enough yarn. Each round uses more yarn and then I have the crochet edging to do.

Mom’s going to get this thing, even if I have to box it up and wrap it still on needles and finish it later.

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Well, here it is. 8 days until Christmas and I haven’t picked up a needle in two days and I had promised myself that the Lace Garland Shawl would be Mom’s present.

Work here on the farm hasn’t left me with time or energy to do much and I really need to put my head down and finish the shawl. I’ve decided, if I can get it finished (not blocked), I’ll present it and then take it back to finish blocking. So….. The still uncompleted mittens go back on the todo pile and started knitting like mad on the shawl. Only 15 more rounds to go, but I’m currently up to 456 stitches/round with 648 stitches on final round. Already stitches are getting tight on circular and I don’t think I have anything longer in #7. Gonna be fun…

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