BTW, remember this original Northern Lights hat that I knitted and then donated as a silent auction item for the Master Naturalists conference? I got a nice e-mail 'thank you' Sunday evening from Karen, the woman who had the winning auction bid on this hat. It's always gratifying for me to know that one of my knitting projects is going to a good home! And with the cold and crappy days Mother Nature has been randomly giving us this spring, Karen will probably still have a chance to wear this hat before next winter!
I also finished the Snow Forest Lace Stole and here's how I had to block it on the living room floor. I usually block my shawls on the bed, but this one was too long: 24 X 66 inches.
I ordered a set of blocking wires from Knitpicks. I've been wanting some of these for a long time and figured trying to block out all the little points on this shawl edge would be a lot easier with blocking wires and it sure was! It was also much easier to get the measurements accurate and get the edges and corners nice and straight.
Here's another close-up picture so you can see how the pattern looks and how the blocking wires go through the knitted edge. It was so nice not to have to stick a pin in every single one of those points on the edging!
This entire shawl was worked from a chart, so I was able to easily calculate the total number of stitches: 61,008! (48,048 for the main part and 12,960 for the edging). I think I started this project either in October of November of last year. I'm glad it's finally done and I've already started another project.
This entire shawl was worked from a chart, so I was able to easily calculate the total number of stitches: 61,008! (48,048 for the main part and 12,960 for the edging). I think I started this project either in October of November of last year. I'm glad it's finally done and I've already started another project.
13 comments:
WOW what a shawl, it is a gorgeous piece and all those stitches. It is almost unbelievable.
MOM
Wow, Ruthie, what great work! Your projects are beautiful! No, we've never been to the Audubon Center of the North Woods. We've never heard of it! I'm always amazed with the new things I learn about a state I have lived in all my life! We are headed for Duluth on Friday. Hope to catch up with migration. Mom was sick for the last couple of weeks and we missed the warblers. She's doing better now,so hopefully a couple of days in Duluth will help my meager checklist.
I always like seeing the projects you post. You are talented...
That shawl is gorgeous Ruthie! You are just one talented girl. :c)
Hi Mom,
It's fun to find out how many stitches actually go into a project like this......it doesn't seem like that many while I'm working on it.
Hi Cindy,
If you get a chance on your way to Duluth, take that Sandstone exit and head a few miles west to visit the Audubon Center. I've always seen the signs, but we never had the time to turn off and visit. Last weekend there were quite a few different warblers in the area. When I was looking at my field guide, I was surprised to find that the arrowhead of Minnesota is the summer breeding range for many warblers, so I think you'll probably have some pretty good luck seeing them this weekend. Safe travels & good birding!
Thanks Kelly and Jayne. Now that summer's finally here, it will probably be a long while before I post any new completed projects.
I assume you know the number of stitches because you multiply cast-on by number of rows.
You don't sit and COUNT as you knit?!?
I too like the lacy pattern. I know I have asked if it's hard--it just looks so difficult to me.
I did finish the prayer shawl and gave it to our pastor--don't know if it has gone anywhere yet.
Hi Ruthie! Beautiful shawl! And those hats!!! Lovely colors!
I hope some of our warm weather makes it up north and awakens things in your garden/yard.
Birding note... Mom called to tell me she and dad saw a blue bird of some sort on one of their feeders. It wasn't a blue jay and the size of a sparrow. They didn't think it was a blue bird or a bunting. Hopefully I'll see it soon and can identify it.
I hope you're having a good week.
Beautiful, just beautiful! I just finished a beaded undulating waves scarf. Made it with expensive silk and would you believe one of the skeins had TWO knots where the yarn was joined together??? There go all those beads I so painstakingly threaded on there.
Hi Donna,
It's easy to calculate the stitches when the design's worked from a chart. Lace knitting is definitely not as hard as 2-colored knitting, once you figure out how to read the charts. A good project to start on would be a dishcloth--big needles and big yarn. Too bad you we don't live nearer to each other and I could be your knitting tutor!
Hi Julie,
Thanks for sending some warmer weather--the south winds blew in a high of 94 degrees for us yesterday!
I wonder if your Mom saw an Indigo Bunting--that's the only sparrow-sized all-blue bird I can think of and they would be summer residents in your area. They would come to a tray or fly-thru feeder containing white millet (although I saw mine eating thistle seed from a tube feeder last week!)
Hi Carolyn,
Your scarf sounds beautiful. I've experienced your frustration with knots in expensive yarn too, but it must have been even worse having to rethread all those beads!
My goodness the amount of stitches and time in the beautiful shawl! You have an extreme talent there girl...all your projects are beautiful.
Ruthie, these are all gorgeous. What a slick idea to use the wires to keep the shawl squared.
Ruthie, will you be putting these newly finished projects on etsy? They are so beautiful. One of these days when you return to Calif. or if I ever get to MN, I'd love for you to show me the proper way of knitting multiple colors (switching from one color to another). I don't think I've ever learned the proper way of doing it.
Wow - what a gorgeous shawl! And the hats too -- they look like they'd be a challenge to knit in all of those colors! Great job!
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