What I made, by Sharon

Once again, we went to the park on Sunday to photograph a shawl. This time it was A Hap for Harriet, knit in S hetland Lace Organics I'm quite please with how this came out, it ended up quite long, which I was rather worried about since I only manage 18 points on the increase/ decrease sections, and Kate Davies did 24. Still, it ended up plenty big ough The pattern gives yarn percentages for the three sections, and I weighed my yarn carefully. I was still left with enough for two more repeats - when i finished it I held it up and noticed that my tension was noticeably tight for the second half! Still, blocking will fix any number of sins. I have often wondered what is actually meant by yarn "blooming" well on this yarn it obvious. The yarn on the top was a yarn tale that went through blocking, the one on the bottom, that is not all fluffy, did not. I enjoyed knitting this, and doing a knit-along with Kate. Somehow knitting the same things is even more fun ...

This is a great time of year for my knitting. Despite it starting to warm up, there is Christmas, the Boxing Day Test and then music festival knitting for new years eve. I wanted something simple but fun, so I cast on for Martina Behm's Shore Hap,  he second pattern I've knit from the Book of Haps . It's really easy, but the stripes and shaping keep it interesting. I've finished the first half in four days - like I said, lots of knitting time. I'm reading Penelope Lively's How It All Began , which seems quite good, but I've been so busy knitting, socialising and hanging out at the cricket that I haven't made much progress with it. As always on a Wednesday, I'm joining Ginny for the Yarnalong. Pop over to her blog to see what she, and everyone else, is up to this week.

I finished the first shawl from Kate Davies' The Book of Haps. It's the cover pattern, Montebretia , the pretty star of a book of great haps. Right? You'd think so. As I was knitting it I knew it was pretty: The colours, the welts, the bobbles. I figured construction was somewhat similar to  Colour Affection, and other medium sized shawls featuring short rows. Well, it's not. The final shape is odd, and basically unwearable for me. it's too deep to wrap around my neck like a scarf: It's too small to go all the way around my shoulders like a crescent shawl.  If I wear it like it's pictured on the front cover I can't move my arms at all. To be fair, it doesn't look like the model can either.  It might look all right held together with a shawl pin, but that's not really how I want to wear it, and it's still really messy. There is excess fabric everywhere, and the colourwork in the border means ther...

Usually, if I haven't been reading and knitting anywhere more interesting I snap a picture on my coffee table. This week I decided to take the picture of what I see from my couch. I quite like my view -some trees, the sky, the house across the road. It's all good. This week I've been knitting my first shawl from The Book of Haps, Montbretia . It's been going very well, although I'm a bit worried because I only have 30 grams of the green left, but no one else has run out of yarn. Maybe I actually am two thirds of the way through? I'm at the end of the large amount of green. Although I only cast on on Friday, so it seems unlikely that I would be that close to finishing.  I'm reading Lines of Departure by Marco Kloos. It's the second in a science fiction / space opera / military series. I'm listening to Officers and Gentlemen  by Evelyn Waugh, military ficution (satire?) set in the Second World War. I mention them in the same paragraph b...

I just knit two shawls , and they are large ones. This winter I have found myself most often wearing shawls with two and a half skeins of yarn in them, like my Colour Affection 1 and 2 , and Dreambird . I've found myself wearing them all the time, instead of cardigans, and I just want more large shawls. Luckily Kate Davies just released a book of shawls, designed by her and others. Most of the designers are people I have knit from before. While I wouldn't say I love every single shawl, there are at least four I consider must knits ( Montebreta . Theme and Variation , Shore Hap and Unicia in case you were wondering.) The best part is, each of these shawls are large. No more one skein necklaces, but giant wraps to keep me warm. I picked up the book from the post office earlier this week, and I have the perfect colours for Montbreata, which I cast on immediately. Haps are happening and its already so much fun.

I finally got the ends of the hap blanket sewn in. Then I blocked it. Knitting this was an unusual process for me, I did the garter stitch central square, and then put it aside while I knit Owlet. Then I did the lace edging, and put it aside while I knit skew. I finally got the ends sewn in, and then it sat around for a bit before I blocked it. (There was NO WAY possible to get a picture without Tarragon, so i just went with it) Now it's done and I'm happy with it. It will be gifted to Elise next week and I think she'll love it too, presuming her Bengal's don't have the same fondness for fibre in their diets as mine does. I found the feather and fan lace quite fun once I got the hang of it, and I loved, loved, loved, knitting something huge and warm that sat on my lap like a big warm cat. This has inspired me to make another bathmat while it is still chilly, so I can carry my own warmth with me wherever I go. But first, a green cardigan, because I just c...