The shrug.
The shrug must be the most challenging object to photograph without a human model. This one fits about a size 6-8 person but you'd never know to see it draped here. See those little squared off front corners? On a person, they're further back under the armpit and don't show. I look too beefy in it to model. With noone shrugworthy around today, its fence or nothing.
pattern: Shimmer with modifications.
yarn: Cherry Hill Farm supersock merino, definitely not just for socks!
needles: size 6us
changes: since the yarn is much finer than the pattern suggested, I used a larger size number of stitches to end up with a small size garment. Don't be silly, of course I didn't swatch it. But I kept an eye on it, OK?
I skipped the lozenge back but added honeycomb stitches around the wrists and across the back to create eyelets, so I could weave in some ribbons. Just for fun. You have to know the sister who'll be wearing this to understand why it'll work. It also made the lower back edge a little firmer, and I think thats a good thing on a shrug.
what I'd do different and/or the same: loved, loved, loved the yarn, so soft. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat, only this time I'd buy enough of the same dye lot. I'd also make sure if I saw the perfect hand dyed silk ribbon somewhere to buy it, not assume it'd be easy to find when I was done knitting. Especially if where I saw it was on vacation 2000 miles from where I live...
v.2 ...it ain't over 'till you been to the fair
Where some had a better time
than others.
Overheard near the ribbon winners in the needlework barn, this sniffy little statement: "well, some people have entirely too much time on their hands! " .And , as lovely as natural wool is, you can still make a fashion mistake with it:
v.3....it ain't over 'till the naked lady swims
Around here, this is what really puts a fork in it.
Last week was the 14th annual neighborhood all women last full moon of summer naked ladies swim night . The night teenage boys stay home grimacing & shuddering at the thought of all their moms' skinny dipping down the street. About fifty of us, full moon, clear skies, the beach, much champagne, lots of noise.
Summer. Hate to see it go.
4 comments:
That shrug is brilliant. If I don't hurt myself making the one I'm making now, I might do that one too...
(Hey, Montréal, at a restaurant with a strappy top...got to avoid frostbite somehow...)
Love the special touches you added to your shrug.
LOL at the naked ladies swim night. And the teenage-boy take on it all. Straight out of Malcolm in the Middle.
Talk about a sense of neighborliness and community!
Don't feel bad about mocking others' crafts; it helps you not take your own too seriously (that's my story and I'm sticking to it). And I'm guessing if you put a live rabbit in a dress and bonnet on a regular basis, you are used to dealing with some comments.
Finally, practical felting advice: I find it shrinks LESS if it is knit tighter. Looser== greater felt. So different gauges of the same wool may actually even out more than you would expect.
If you don't use the zippered pillowcase, skim the loose wool off the top before the tub drains.
That is all. Great shrug! Love the cuffs. xox Kay
I love the color of your shrug. What is it called? I have been thinking about making Clapotis (http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/PATTclapotis.html) for a long time now and this yarn might just push me over the edge. It is so rich and colorful for the long, drab winter.
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