Monday, August 9, 2010

The End Is Upon Us

Short on time today. I finished Evenstar on Tuesday except for the graft, which I let wait until Saturday. I almost attempted it on Tuesday, but I realized my working yarn was attached to my front needle instead of my back needle, and that threw me off enough that I decided to wait. I thought about turning around to the other side but I realized all my stitches would be twisted.

Finally on Saturday I threw caution to the wind and just went with it the way it was, and I think the end result is actually not too bad.

Knitting - 008

I'm perfectly fine with it all through the beaded section - the place I am unhappy is at the base where it actually meets the shawl. I ended up with a big giant hole there, and basically I used my ends to kind of sew it shut. I'm hopping this will look a little better once it's blocked and the ends are trimmed away, it won't be quite so bunched up. I hope. But, even if it doesn't get any better than this, I defy anyone to find it when they're looking at this.

Knitting - 009

You know what bothers me more than the graft? The ladder stitches in the center from when I first started.

Knitting - 015

But again. Will you really see it when you're looking at this?

Knitting - 012

And some extra glamour shots that I don't have a clever lead in for.

Knitting - 011

Knitting - 014

Knitting - 010

It's still not blocked, and I am rather perplexed as to how I'm going to block it. It's huge. It covers my whole ottoman and I can't fit the whole thing in the shot when I'm using my 50mm. Normally, I put sheets down on the floor of my guest bedroom and pin the piece out on that, but that's not going to work unless I take the bed out (which would involve moving heavy things, and then cleaning and vacuuming and more work than I really want to do).

I have a queen sized bed that I don't think will be large enough. All the floor areas that are big enough for me to use are hardwood and not suitable for pinning. So, I'm a little stumped for the moment. I may have to go buy some of those interlocking foam floor tile thingies that lots of people like.

I did block my Maia shawl from 7 Small Shawls.

Knitting - 002-2

Knitting - 004-2

Knitting - 006-2

Love. I'm desperate for the next shawl to come out - though, I'm even more desperate for my yarn to arrive. I had considered using Schaefer Audrey again in Indigo, but instead I ordered this from Twilight Knits and I have been checking my mailbox obsessively for days. It makes me giggle a little that this shawl will use the same stitch motif in the edging that was used in the Evenstar shawl. IT'S FOLLOWING ME.

While I wait I'm working on a Summer Flies shawl.

Knitting - 016

Yeah, not very impressive looking, is it? But it's very soft, and I think it will block out pretty. Maybe not as dainty and feminine as the picture in the pattern though, and it's been a very quick knit. I'm on the second to last section, the knotted openwork area. When I finish that one I will switch to the lighter colored yarn for the ruffled edge.

I also went back to my Follow the Leader shawl and I'm almost done with the lace shoulder band, at which point it will become mindless take-a-long knitting. I'm still not sure about this project. I'm not passionately in love with either the yarn or the color, but I'm going to keep trucking on it anyway. I may give it away when I'm done.

Knitting - 017

Whew - picture heavy post! Just as well, since I don't have time for 1000 words today.