This week I've been busy at school preparing for the next year, painting, cleaning, decorating the room in Griz, and getting lessons created. But I've also been working in the evenings trying to complete some knit projects that were rapidly turning into monsters hanging over my head....
I made Christmas mittens for the teachers early in the spring, felted them with The Pirate's hat in July, but couldn't call them complete until they had some needle felting on the back. Today is the day I had slated for the needle felting which turned out to be the first 100 degree day that we've had all summer. No big deal, needle felting can to done anywhere, anytime, in any temperature - but where, do you capture the completed mittens in all their glory?
Felted Mittens by Nancy Lindberg
Now, on to the PI Shawl. I was composing, in my head, a scathing blog about how EZ had finally done me wrong. The shawl was scratchy and a total waste of time, money, and effort. I threw it into the bathtub, added a little conditioner and let it sit there all night. In the morning I drained the tub, and forgot about the shawl until afternoon. As I pulled it out, I noticed the scratchiness had almost disappeared and the entire shawl had taken on a new personality! Okay EZ, you're still number one in my book!
I added YO's K2tog every 12 rows except when doing the increases and then it was just YO's. The lace bit at the end is the gull stitch and finally a thick band of bind off that EZ recommended.
I do like the thick border at the end, however, it ate yarn like nobody's business and I ran out of unspun yarn. Because I didn't like the afghan at this point - I went into my stash and pulled out a brown wool that only matched because the wrappers both said brown on them. I've never done that before and probably never will again. It can't be seen in the photo and you never will see the color difference even when visiting the house. I vow I will stage the afghan everyday for as long as I have it, gracefully draped over the chair arm, ready for a chilled body to warm. A body that won't care that there is a yard of mismatched border - someone that is grateful for a light, really warm, piece of history to thaw out under.
I made Christmas mittens for the teachers early in the spring, felted them with The Pirate's hat in July, but couldn't call them complete until they had some needle felting on the back. Today is the day I had slated for the needle felting which turned out to be the first 100 degree day that we've had all summer. No big deal, needle felting can to done anywhere, anytime, in any temperature - but where, do you capture the completed mittens in all their glory?
Yarn: Galway Wool
Colorway: Gray, neps
Needle size: 7
Now, on to the PI Shawl. I was composing, in my head, a scathing blog about how EZ had finally done me wrong. The shawl was scratchy and a total waste of time, money, and effort. I threw it into the bathtub, added a little conditioner and let it sit there all night. In the morning I drained the tub, and forgot about the shawl until afternoon. As I pulled it out, I noticed the scratchiness had almost disappeared and the entire shawl had taken on a new personality! Okay EZ, you're still number one in my book!
I do like the thick border at the end, however, it ate yarn like nobody's business and I ran out of unspun yarn. Because I didn't like the afghan at this point - I went into my stash and pulled out a brown wool that only matched because the wrappers both said brown on them. I've never done that before and probably never will again. It can't be seen in the photo and you never will see the color difference even when visiting the house. I vow I will stage the afghan everyday for as long as I have it, gracefully draped over the chair arm, ready for a chilled body to warm. A body that won't care that there is a yard of mismatched border - someone that is grateful for a light, really warm, piece of history to thaw out under.
The mittens are darling, the afghan turned out nicely as well, but I am shocked that you compromised on the brown yarn situation! :)
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