Beautiful Lace Shawl



{Original Source}

Look what I found on Pinterest!


A beautiful, lace shawl that would be no harder to knit than a scarf. 

This project is from Lion Brand, where you can find more information about the specification of the version you see here.  I love Lion Brand yarns, because they are good quality, come in beautiful colors, and are easy to work with.  They are also reasonably priced.  Some day, I want to visit their store in NYC.

The Lion Brand pattern combines cables and lace.  However, you can make this shawl in any knitting pattern you like.  Here's how:

• Choose your favorite knitting stitch, and a beautiful, soft yarn that will drape well.

• Figure out your gauge, using needles in the recommended size for your chosen yarn.  (I tend to go one size smaller, because I know that my knitting is loose.)  Or, sometimes going up a size for a lacey stitch works well, to emphasize the decorative nature of the lace.  If you want a quick-to-knit project, and don't mind sacrificing drape for bulk, choose a bulky yarn and super large knitting needles.

•  Once you know your gauge, figure out how many stitches you need to get a width that drapes roughly from one hip to the other on the bias.  From here, you can calculate how many pattern repeats you need, and cast on.

• Knit until you have enough length to wrap around your shoulder. Attach buttons and button loops where the closure needs to match. Then, you could choose to crochet a border around all the edges for a neat finish.  Or, you can leave the edges unfinished for a softer look.

• For a different look, you could actually knit on the bias, so the project would grow upwards from the lowest hip corner, making the stitches appear to wrap around you horizontally, instead of diagonally.
• The more adventurous could figure out how to create flowing sleeves by adding a side seam under the arms--the fabric would have to be much wider, and some shaping would be involved.

The basic version would be a great advanced beginner project.  One of the things I always felt intimidated by as a beginner, was creating the shaping necessary for knitting sweaters.  This would be an in-between project, once you feel confident enough to knit a scarf.  Now you're just knitting a bigger scarf!  But you're also building your stitching skills, confidence, and stamina in preparation for your first sweater.  The total number of stitches, and time to knit, is almost as much as a sweater project.  Once you can knit a large shawl, you can tackle a simple sweater.

Happy Knitting!--Ayana

Knitting with Stripes

I found a great idea today on Pinterest, for knitting stripes.  It's so simple, yet so appealing!



Knitting Stripes
{Original Source}

The basic idea is to alternate colors for any set number of rows that you wish.  But, on the row that you switch colors, you k1 p1 across the whole row.  All of the other rows are knit in basic stockinette stitch.  What I love about this is the texture created on the k1 p1 rows.  Simple! but Elegant!

Stash Busting

Knitting in stripes is a great way to bust your stash.  You may not have enough of any one yarn for a large project, but together many odds and ends yarns can be joined.  Or, you can mix an expensive yarn, "stretching it out" so to speak, by alternating with something more basic. 

This can also be a great way to use novelty yarns, which might be too much of a good thing for a large project, but would look elegant alternating with a background color.

Alternating Colors in Your Knitting

While I love the idea pictured above, I'm not as fond of the rainbow.  I prefer something a little less regular, or maybe a little more surprising.  Here's how you can get a more artistic effect.

1) Use the Golden Ratio.  1:2:3:5 

Color A: knit Row 1.  Color B:  knit Rows 2-3.  Color A: knit Rows 4-6.  Color C:  knit Rows 7-11. 

Continue this pattern, either keeping the same color scheme, or creating new ones while maintaining the same number of rows at each new color change.  This generates a sense of randomness that is still balanced.

2) Use the ratio of each color to the other(s). 

This works best when you have odd amounts of yarn. 

Let's say you have 4 oz. of Color A, 6 oz. of Color B, and 8 oz. of Color C.  (I just chose random, but easy-to-work-with numbers.)

For every 4 rows worked in Color A, work 6 rows in Color B, and 8 rows in Color C.

This can be broken up into smaller chunks, as long as the ratio remains the same.

For example.  If you want smaller repeats of color.  Color A:  knit Row 1-2.  Color B:  knit Rows 3-5.  Color C.  knit Rows 6-9. 

You could then alternate this with both larger and smaller repeats for variety.

The benefit of this method is that you will not run out of one color before you've finished the whole project.

Designing Knitting with Stripes

These ideas can be incorporated into any type of knitting project, from home decorating (throws, pillow covers) to garments (hats, sweaters, mittens, scarves, shawls).  If you are making a larger project, or a fitted garment, of course you have to be careful with gauge, yarn weight, and yardage.  However, if you are making a scarf or hat, feel free to experiment away!

For the time being, my knitting page is just about ideas.  After the wedding dress is finished, I can make knitting tutorials!  Yay!

Till next time,--Ayana

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