Monday 6 June 2011

Princess Kate Shawl ravelry KAL

First attempt

Second attempt

As it is after a rethink
OTN's as from last night is the Princess Kate Shawl I'm knitting along with a few other pals on the KAL that Eleanor is running over on Ravelry.
I'm on my 2nd go having ripped out the first when I became aware that not only had I not understood the pattern instruction to PURL was not a "mistake" or typo but was in fact what set the ruffles! Annoyingly I had realised it on ONE half and not the other hence it was apparent I'd gone "wrong"!
Additionally, I seemed to have not "got" the sequence quite right for the knitting of the "wraps" either in particular on one side - the left as you look at it!
The pattern is deceptively easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy and I got into the knitting without being fully aware!  I canvassed opinion from a terrified family about what to DO .. rip? or carry on? and generally opinion was to rip and start over!  I'm CROSS with MYSELF therefore, for going wrong again! I think I'll mark the relevant rows with a highlighter pen!
I'm using the delicious Rowan Felted Tweed yarn which is going to give me both the look and the feel of the tweedy original that inspired the pattern in shade 156 (discontinued, I believe.  I purchased 8 balls of this some time ago and had planned to knit another Martha with it but this is a better use of the yarn I feel although I was VERY tempted with some of Eleanor's yarns!)

I'm using a 60cm circ size 3.75mm addi turbo needle and so far I think my tension is right for both the yarn and the pattern and with 8 balls I think I'll be ok - the instructions are to knit to about half the yardage available so I'll just knit and see how it looks before commencing the 2nd side and accept the size as what I gets for my yardage!

I'm not an experienced knitter of shawls or wraps, but I've thoroughly enjoyed wearing my Birds Nest in the delicious KSH which is rather similar in colour but a different shape and altogether more patterned being lace-styled.  A good cyber-craft-pal Pauline has also treated me to a lovely cone of the deliciousness from here! too for good measure! and I have about two pattern ideas from which to select - both from The Knitter more on that later!)

Birds Nest Shawl 
Cone of Yumminess Gift


2 comments:

Val said...

That looks really lovely! I do wish I could knit! Boo hoo!

SewIknit2 said...

you could/should learn!
Honestly its a whole load of fun!
(as if you need anything else to distract you!!)
Sue x