Monday, June 11, 2012

The Monday After


Hi Knitters,
It's the Monday after graduation and the rounds of graduation parties to attend. It has been a day of recovery, at the very least, a small moment to catch my breath. I bound off the Balm to the Soul Shawlette, designed by Jaala Spiro, this morning. It is the first shawl I have made out of my own handspun yarn, which feels kind of good. The roving/yarn is from Sunshine Yarns, another favorite of mine. The colorway is called Wintersong, which is as pretty as the shawl.

It's a great pattern and there is a Balm to the Soul Shawlette knitalong starting on June 15th if you are interested. I am a member of the knitalong group (see the link below) but I am not entered for prizes or anything like that so I just worked on my shawl and finished it early. If you are joining in the knitalong you should wait until the 15th to start.

This would be a good first lace project because the lace repeat is simple as simple could be. You have it memorized after two rows, the second row being all purl stitches. I highly suggest it!

You only need 300 yards of either a worsted or a dk weight yarn. Everyone has that hanging around, right?

Here are some links:
Jaala Spiro of Knit Circus
Balm to the Soul Shawlette pattern
Balm to the Soul Knitalong Ravelry group
Sunshine Yarns and Roving


My version is quite different than the one in the pattern photo. The handspun gives it a completely different feel and look. My gauge was not the same because my yarn was not even at all. This was a very early handspun of mine and so my spinning was not close to even at that time. I love the finished shawl and I can't wait to wear it. It was so much fun to knit this great little pattern with my handspun yarn.


I fudged around quite a bit with the lace and the final sequence. I didn't have quite enough yarn to complete the entire pattern for the dk weight yarn version. I'm not even sure my lace is quite right, I never counted the stitches and ended up off a little bit here and there but I don't mind one bit. It looks beautiful to me. I will wear it proudly. It is so nice not to worry about a project being perfect sometimes. When it is just for me I generously forgive my little goofs.


Here's what is left over for the yarn. I possibly could have sneaked in one more row but that's fine. I was guessing at every row near the end. Sometimes you hit it, sometimes you don't.

It's fun to get a couple of shawls done this early summer. I don't know how much personal knitting time I will have over the next couple of months. I have lots of work projects going and coming up due. I am happy to have these sweet simple shawls under my belt already thanks to the lovely Jaala and her inspiring patterns. My guess is that you would love them, too. The other one I'm talking about is the Fruit Slice Shawlette.

Anyway, what a fun way to start off the week. We are hosting an enormous graduation party this coming weekend for my son and three of his buddies. There is so much work to be done, I can't even begin to think about it. I'll be taking it one step at a time. I know it will all get done and I am looking forward to the party.

I'll be back soon with a couple of blocked shawlettes to share. Hopefully I can get someone around here to snap a couple of photos with the shawls on my shoulders.

Happy Monday!
best, susie

14 comments:

jane said...

Beautiful! Thank you for sharing your lovely work

JulieLorayne said...

Beautiful !! I just got started on the previous Shawlette....I just went blank on the name !! Had to start it on 24" #9's and have gotten to a point where I need to put it on longer ones !!! I am still waiting on a set of new addis to come in so I can swap it over !!! Using Noro Taiyo, it is looking good. It is much easier than I thought, and wish I'd seen it earlier ! Thank you for inspiring me to want to knit in my sleep !

wuaaw said...

Wow! You finished that very quickly! It is lovely.

wuaaw said...

Wow! You finished that very quickly! Very lovely! Makes me want to start mine, but I don't think I can until the 15th.

Anonymous said...

Such beautiful colours! And you knit so fast! If you weighed the shawl, knit a row then weighed again you could calculate the amount of yarn used for a single row. Then you could weigh what you have left. Possibly? :)

Susan B. Anderson said...

Yes, I could weigh and keep track but I just want to relax:) I did think about though....
susan

Sara said...

Wow. Just wow.
Sara

Zenitude said...

That is a great shawl to show off handspun yarn. I've been spinning for months now, just for the shear pleasure of spinning...now it's time to start knitting all of this yarn!! A shawl would be perfect...thanks!

Anonymous said...

I'm trying to be patient waiting for June 15. :)I finished my Remrants June CKAL last evening and I'm all ready to go!! Meanwhile I'll work on an EZ double hat.....
Your shawl is just beautiful. :)
samm

Anonymous said...

It is SO encouraging to read that you aren't even sure you did the lace right.

It's hard for me to know there are mistakes in my work, but who else would ever know anyway?

isabel said...

your handspun is perfect for this shawl, thanks for sharing the lovely photos. I'm looking forward to the KAL..

bitten78 said...

your shawl just looks so cuddly! I love handknits, mistakes and all. mostly only we know they are there. good luck with the party, I have my oldest daughter graduating middle school this year, my younger daughter graduating kindergarten, and this time next year my oldest son will be graduating elementary school with my youngest son graduating kindergarten. let the games begin! I'm going to have to learn how to knit in my sleep!

Brandi Schoch said...

Your handspun is gorgeous for this shawl. I may have to try some handspun for lace.

Stefanie said...

It's almost ethereal, Susan. It's beautiful.