Monday, December 7, 2009

A Thing Of Beauty

This is a thing of beauty.
With the skein of yarn I purchased from Islandsweet at Toronto's One Of A Kind show last week, I made this little shawlette. The pattern, you might recall me mentioning, I quickly memorized when the vendor explained how she made the scarfettes she had on display.

She began by saying that she had started with the typical 'dishcloth' triangle - increasing one stitch at the beginning of every row. This, of course, makes a triangle that has 45' angled sides. Which she didn't like. So she began again by casting on three stitches. Then, on every row, increased ONE stitch at the beginning of the row, and TWO stitches at the end of the row. (I did my increases by 'knit front and back'.) This is really three increases at each end of every row. I'm not sure why she did it in two steps, - two stitches, turn, then one stitch - but since that is what the artist did, that is what I did. I copy well. And look at the lovely shaping it gave the scarf.
Knitting often makes me wish I had more mathematical knowledge. Then I would know why this shaping occurred. Why I don't know, but it looks lovely.

Each of her skeins had different yardage. Mine had 70 metres and my finished shawlette took all but a few inches of the yarn on 10 mm needles. This would work nicely with any bulky, thick and thin yarn. Colinette comes to mind.

The finished shawlette is not large, but is the perfect 'splash of colour' on the blank canvas of a dark winter coat.


I love it.

2 comments:

LaurieM said...

Very lovely. And most certainly one of a kind!!

Sel and Poivre said...

Every dark winter coat needs a splash of colour - our winter is too long without it and that's one great looking one of kind "splash" you've whipped up! I know what you mean about knitting math - I'm actually considering taking a math knitting course at the DKC winter workshops!