Project: Progression Shawl
Yarn: MadTosh Prairie
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I am knitting this project as part of a class. I have been mentioning it and struggling with it for some time. I am on the verge of tearing the whole thing out and starting over, perhaps with different yarn. However, first I will share some of the things I learned.
This is kind of a nifty pattern, the cast-on is only 3 stitches, and the cast-off is only 14 at the end, because the bottom section is knitting on sideways.
We learned Judy's Magic Cast-On for use as a provisional cast-on to make the little starting rectangle. Here is Cat Bordhi demonstrating the cast-on.
The pattern says to cast-on 3 stitches, knit 6? rows, then pick up 3 stitches across the horizontal edge, and 3 more on the other end. If you use Judy's Magic Cast-On, you cast on 3 on the needle one, then 3 on needle 2. You can knit 6 rows from needle 1, then knit in the 3 stitches that were waiting for you.
Photos with notes:
At the end of the Magic-Cast-On there are 3 stitches on one needle and three on the other. Keep the stitches with the working yarn on a needles. Then:
Slide the unused 3 stitches onto the cord. This is a circular needle trick, I guess.
Knit 6 rows of 3 stitches each (in garter stitch).
Pick up 3 stitches on the horizontal edge, like in the garter stitch ridges. Then:
Slide the 3 old stitches onto the needle again and knit them too.
Now you have 9 stitches and are ready to start a shawl from the top down. It can have a 3-stitch garter stitch on each edge, and you have 3 stitches in the middle to work with.
Since this is a half-circle shawl, we doubled our stitches right after a purl row, I think.
We knitted a few rows, and doubled stitches again, then had a simple lace stitch.
There was a diamond section (1.5 repeats) and we doubled again, and now I am on section 5, with the cascading triangles.
The last good picture is at the end of the first repeat of the pattern.
Half-way through the second repeat (the pattern calls for 3), my yarn broke, near the end of the row. I joined in on the other side of the break and kept knitting. Then I changed my mind, and unknitted. In the course of un-knitting that row, I am two stitches short.
I think I hate this yarn. I think I dislike single ply yarns in general and this yarn in particular. It has a thick/thin spin that might be charming in a chunkier yarn but is totally annoying in this fine lace yarn. Imho.
I attempted to capture the difference between the thin and the thick - here the dark brown is particularly thick, and whenever there is a k2, k3, etc. Sometimes it looks like a blood clot.
I don't know if my bad mood or bad karma or whatever it is will continue. I will probably pick back rows until I have the right number of stitches. The pattern is well-written and actually is kind of nice - each section gets harder as it goes on. This yarn, though, I am not sure it is my friend.
What Are You Working On?