pepperknit

The Swallowtail Shawl is done! And I wore her to work today (to many wonderful compliments).

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl
Source: Interweave Knits
Yarn: Shelridge Farm “Soft Touch Lace,” 100% wool, 2-ply laceweight
Color: Mandarin
Skeins: Less than 1; a skein is 500 yards
Needles: Addi Turbo size 5 circ, then a size 8, then a size 10
Preblocking size: 34″ wide by 16″ high at the tip
Postblocking size: 54″ wide by 22″ high at the tip
Started: Thursday, May 17 (evening)
Finished: Monday, May 28 (evening)

Modifications: I chose to make the shawl larger, increasing the number of center back motif (”Budding Lace”) repeats. I prefer this proportion–more center motif, with the border qualifying as more of a border. The pattern calls for 14 repeats. In order to match the stitch count up to the next motif properly, the next size up must have 19 repeats. The way this is figured out is that the repeat of the Budding Lace pattern is 6 stitches wide. The repeat for Lily of the Valley border is 10 stitches. Which means you have to increase the Budding Lace by a multiple of 10, and the lowest multiple of 10 that 6 can make is 30, so that makes 5 additional repeats.

Now, what I didn’t pay attention to was that the Peaked Edging repeat is 8 stitches wide. So like someone who is convinced she’s got the theme answer in a crossword puzzle and goes to write it in only to discover the number of boxes is horribly misaligned to the length of the supposed answer, I knit away on the third row of the Peaked Edging (the first row where the stitch count matters) and realized at the end that it was off! By 2 stitches on each half–quite easily remedied. If you do make the larger shawl, you can either sneak two increases at either end of the halves on row 2 (a pf/b [purl front and back] would suffice), or work row 3 as follows (I’m too lazy to make a chart): k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, *k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k1; repeat from *, end k1, yo, k1 yo [this is up to the center stitch–repeat this after the center stitch]. The boldface I used here calls out the two instances where the pattern has been changed. The first k2 should have been an ssk and k1, but because you have fewer stitches, you should leave this one as a knit and pretend you decreased there. Same goes for the k1 on the other side, which should be a k2tog.

Note that the pattern says, “The shawl can be made larger by working it with fingering, sport, or worsted-weight yarn on larger needles.” At first, I didn’t realize why it seemed to take the easy way out for making it larger! Ahh, it’s because you can’t just do more repeats like with other patterns!

I’m really happy with the modified size. If I hadn’t it would have been miniscule. I’m not sure if my yarn is a lot thinner than what people usually use (I didn’t do a gauge swatch because, well, I didn’t really care to test it that closely), but it wouldn’t even have wrapped around my shoulders if I hadn’t increased. It’s about the same size as my Kiri, maybe just a tad smaller, even with the increase in size. I think maybe three repeats of the Lily of the Valley border would be my next step for increasing the size–it’s got more than enough of the Budding Lace, I think. To do this, my guess is that you would work Lily of the Valley Border 1, then Lily of the Valley Border 2, then Border 1 again before moving on to the Peaked Edging.

Now, my decrease modifications. Let’s start with the nupps. A p5tog is nigh-on impossible to execute. But slip 2, p3tog, psso is exactly the same (think about it), and decently straightforward to enact, so that’s what I did (thanks to those who reminded me that this is the the way to do it!). I really wish I’d had the Addi Lace needles, though, because even getting the needle into the 3 was sometimes finicky. At times, I used a size 2 Knitpicks needle, which is nice and pointy, and just dragged the new stitch immediately onto the working needles. Since I knew that sl2, p3tog, psso is the same as a p5tog, I also knew that sl4, p1, psso would also be the same (or sl3, p2tog, psso), but that wasn’t any easier–I tried. The real issue was the fact that the stitch just following the nupp is a yo. So of course the yo gets out of place and overlaps the nupp stitches, making getting the needle into the correct stitches a pain, and to add to the problems, the yo pulls at the very last stitch, making it tighter around the needle. There were times when I’d forgotten to do the yo, and it was much easier–and it’s easy to just pick up between stitches to create the yo that was missing. I think if I were to knit Swallowtail again I would not make either yo on the sides of the nupps on the knit row, and just insert them on the purl row. I didn’t do it here because I hadn’t been doing it consistently, and I didn’t want the yo size to be erratic throughout.

The other decrease modification I made was to the “sk2p” (sl1 kwise, k2tog, psso). I decided I didn’t want the stitches to be passed over each other at all–which creates a direction–and instead I wanted a centered double decrease, where the “middle” stitch seems to travel straight up and down with the other two tucked behind it. When I first “discovered” this decrease I used the cabling w/o a cable needle technique to reverse the order of the first two stitches (and twist the second one), but in the edging pattern (of course, only at the END of the knitting!) it occurred to me that there was an easier way. So, I reveal the centered double decrease that I made up but which probably exists in plenty of other books, but I didn’t see it there:

Slip 2 stitches at once as if to k2tog. Slip without any further twisting back to the left needle, then k3tog tbl.

Another modification was for the edging. Just like for my Kiri, I wanted to ensure that the bottom edge was scalloped nicely–no gentle curves or the hint of a scallop for me. To do this, I used a size 8 needle to purl the last row of the Peaked Edging, then a size 10 needle for all the final rows per the pattern (2 rows before the bindoff). I think it was the perfect choice.

I knit the Swallowtail with no particular event in mind–I was just in the mood to knit lace. But I will be attending a black tie wedding in November, and the dress I will probably wear is a simple black sheath, so it will go nicely with that. I’m not entirely sure what I was thinking buying orange laceweight yarn, but I really enjoyed having the lapful of sunshine to knit on. And that’s good because I have another whole skein (and the remainder of this one!) to knit something else.

Yesterday, my friend L and I got together for a crafting afternoon. Our mission? Freezer paper stenciling onesies. i’m sure there are tutorials out there on the web, but I didn’t quickly find one when I briefly looked for it, so here is my brief guide to using freezer paper stencils to paint adorableness onto clothing. It’s super easy, and you’ll figure it out yourself, but it’s nice to know you’re on the right track, I think.

Step 1 is to procure the materials. Onesies are cheap from Target or other big box stores like that; fabric paint is not so cheap but the smallest containers I found at the art store will last me for YEARS. I got Jacquard fabric paints, because Jacquard is a dye company I know is respectable. For brushes I got some little sponge-tipped brushes, because I knew we’d rather dab than paint. And finally you need the freezer paper. This is a kitchen item, usually, so look in your grocery store aisle with the wax paper, saran wrap, etc. I must confess I got mine from my mom, who had a roll and was like, ‘yeah, take it.’

Step 2 is to design your motif. I used the computer to draw out what I wanted, since mine was going to be type-based. L looked for images online that she could use as inspiration, and she freehanded hers. Look for pieces with bold areas of color–fiddly use of many colors is not going to work here.

Step 3 is to transfer your motif to the freezer paper, then cut it out. Freezer paper is thin enough that you can just trace. Ensur that the shiny side of the freezer paper is down. Use an X-acto knife to cut the shape out. Think it through: Keep in mind that what you cut OUT is what you will fill IN with paint. So sometimes, if you want to keep an area in the middle white, you need to preserve part of the “insides” to be stuck on separately. If you are doing more than one color, trace your uncut image over more than once so you aren’t just hoping things will match up later when you redraw the shape.

Step 4, you iron on the stencil! The freezer paper box recommends a “hot iron” for ironing it on. We set the iron to “cotton/linen.” Place the stencil on the onesie where you want it, with something behind it (we put a piece of paper between the layers), just to protect the back of the onesie. Press the iron onto the stencil. Avoid squiqqling the iron around if you have small parts, because you risk shifting them before the paper is set. Just press down; it’ll adhere within 10-15 seconds.

Step 5, paint. Put a small amount of paint on the brush and just tap it onto the stencil, ensuring good coverage and paying attention to the edges.

Step 6, the hard part: Wait for it to dry. While it’s drying, I’ll show you an example of our first layer and second layers, so you can kind of see the process a little more closely. Note that we both wanted to preserve white areas within our motifs, so we had separate elements to cut out and stick on. They are simply ironed on with the rest; no sweat.

Step 7, the best part: Peel off the stencil. It comes off really easily; don’t worry!

Step 8 is to repeat steps 4 through 7 with your second color. Be mindful when you set down the second stencil, so it’s aligned properly. We have no tricks for this, just our eyes. We did a decent job of it, so I wouldn’t fret too much.

Step 9 sets the ink: Iron the back of the painted image for 30 seconds with a hot iron. This should make it washfast (according to the dye we used).

Step 10, stand back and coo over how frickin’ cute they are! Decide you are going to go into business creating these. Wish you had more handy to make more immediately.

Lessons learned: When applying ink to thin elements, like type, don’t get all overzealous with the paint–it might bleed just a wee bit. But when applying ink to large elements, like circles, do your best to ensure there’s adquate coverage at the edges! Ah, it cuts both ways.

Explanation of our chosen motifs: Remember the dinosaurs I made? (Stegs and Trice) They’re for the upcoming twins of my friends C and TJ (who occasionaly reads the blog, but I’m hoping he won’t between now and the shower next Saturday). And when they had their first ultrasound, the little girls were labled “A” and “B.” So I made “baby a” and “baby b” onesies! My friend L bought the most adorable frog towel (a hooded towel, where the frog head is the hood) and a little stuffed frog that ribbits for her college friend, who’s pregnant with one. So she made a frog. She also wanted a “lil’ sweet pea” piece, so she made the pea pod, which I’m totally going to be using for some future child, because I luff it so much.

I started the Cabled Bandeau last weekend when my parents were visiting. I kept twisting the cast on, because the craptastic Crystal Palace bamboo circs were difficult to control. They’re craptastic in other ways, too, and I really need to never ever use them again. I switched to my Addi Turbos. But I digress . . .

I was knitting the size S (not XS) because my gauge swatch (with the Brooks Farm Acero doubled–yes, it’s a fingering yarn, not DK) was a little small, and the XS would have been too small. Or so I thought.

When I got to about 3.5 inches, I put it on waste yarn and tried it on. I realize that this isn’t the most accurate time to measure, but it was enough to see that it is Too Big. The piece will stretch out to excessive proportions, and if it’s a tube tob, I need it to be just a bit more clingy. Not suffocating, of course, just clingy. The solution might be as simple as knitting the XS, but I might actually want to do the math and get the measurements exact. I think it will be easy to adjust to a smaller size–make the moss stitch panels on the sides smaller–but I want to know for sure.

There’s no rush to figure it out, though, because I am now using the needles for something else. My Swallowtail Shawl has begun!

Thursday night.

Sunday evening.

At first, I wasn’t trying to memorize the lace or attempting to read the pattern, but it happened without trying–the motif that’s the body of the shawl is so super simple. Only three pattern rows to remember, two of which are identical except for being offset slightly. As usual, I am too cocky to use lifelines–and last night it nearly did me in. Something was wrong–just one row down!–and instead of tinking like a smart knitter, I pulled it off the needles and ripped. I initially had a lot of trouble getting it back on the needles, and I was cursing my devil-may-care attitude, but then I concentrated just a little bit more and all was well.

The pattern calls for 14 lace repeats after the initial row, and i’ve done 12. I might want to do more, as I want the shawl to be larger, but I haven’t decided for sure yet. I can’t wait to get to the lily of the valley part of the pattern (it’s the motif that I really like; these leaves are ho-hum)!

I got tagged for the “7 Random Facts” meme by KnitAnnie (who is not Annie Knits; don’t confuse them!), and you know what, it couldn’t have come at a better time, because I just have nothing to say otherwise! I’ve been too busy to post or knit. I’m trying to think of things that you guys most likely don’t know already about me–it’s tough!

1. My parents both have security clearance for their jobs, so I do not know what they do. No, really.
2. I majored in physics in college, and was intending to go to grad school and get my PhD, in order to do nuclear physics. My senior thesis research was published in the Journal of Chemical Physics. But I veered off on a different course.
3. I have what I jokingly call “color aphasia,” but which probably doesn’t have a name. I will uncannily refer to colors by the wrong name all the time. I will see green but call it red. I’ll ask someone to give me a blue pen, and I’ll call it orange. I don’t consistently misname colors (that is, blue isn’t always called orange), but I do it all the time.
4. I won the Arts Program Prize in college. This is not a huge award, but it’s given to a graduating senior at the end of the year, and it was a bit of an anomaly that a non-art major won it. I did printmaking, and I really miss it. One goal for this weekend is to go through my portfolio and think about getting some stuff framed.
5. I became a foodie only after I began living alone, right out of college. At first, I was a lazy chef, but then a neighbor of my parents was talking with me and got all excited at the idea of living alone. “You get to cook just for you! You don’t have to think about what anyone else likes! It’s liberating!” Within a year, he’d have left his wife, but I had been inspired by his words. I subscribed to all the cooking magazines, cooked elaborate meals just for me every night, and baked goodies for the office. I sometimes think (especially after having edited several food reference books) that I know everything about food (which is not true, of course, but when I’ve lost interest, it feels that way). I’ve been too busy lately to devote any time to cooking, but I know it’ll come back.
6. I’m a total slob. People think I’m neat because I’m a perfectionist normally, but I leave clutter everywhere, and like Megan I generate piles of clothing. My ex hated this quality, and I do sometimes feel guilty that he spent our many years together cleaning up after me.
7. I don’t believe in god and I generally fashion myself a skeptic. However, more and more I’m getting into some slightly woo-woo spiritual views and beliefs. For instance, on Monday I was on my way to yoga and when I got into the elevator to get to class I didn’t even have to look at the guy in there with me to just KNOW he was the instructor (who I’d not yet taken class with). He didn’t say a word, didn’t do anything but move to one side of the elevator, but his energy overwhelmed me. I knew that I would love his class, and I did. There’s something to that feeling, and I am finding it more and more undeniable. So I believe in the energy and spirituality of individual folks, I guess.

There you have it! I kind of hate tagging people, but I also hate when people don’t tag, so I’ll toss out some names, and you can write up some stuff or not, it’s up to you. Ashley, Caitlyn, Laura, Karma, Coleen, Katie, and Jennie–if you’re game . . .

And because it’s nearly Friday, some Eye Candy!

To moms, daughters, aunts, grandmothers, friends, great-grandmothers, and all the women who care for others. But, of course, especially to my mom, the best mom in the world!

Now, it’s been bandied about that I have no stash. This isn’t entirely accurate. I have some stash. But it’s really rather small. I showed it to Lolly and Kris a few weeks ago, and Kris laughed–laughed!–when he mentally compared the basket of sock yarn and 1.5 bins of yarn I own to what he has in his house. Remember at the beginning of the year, when I declared I would reduce my stash by 1/3? Actually not all that hard to accomplish. (And yet, I don’t think I did. I reduced it by, I don’t know, maybe 1/4.)

So I was resolved to buy yarn on Saturday at Maryland Sheep and Wool and feel no guilt. And I did! I spent nearly all the cash I’d given myself to spend, and I couldn’t be happier with my purchases. The “spree” didn’t start out so well–I was so overwhelmed that I passed by a lot of great stuff. My first purchase was, naturally, sock yarn–what I identified as a good deal, from a small company that looked nice.

That’s 440 yds of The Flock Bransonas for $15! This whetted my appetite and got the juices flowing, as it were. Because then I unleashed the hounds. To totally mix my metaphors.

Koigu and Louet Gems in complementary colors; I’m thinking a short pair of entrelac socks or some other colorwork project, maybe.

Black Louet Gems sock yarn–I need some good dark colored socks for everyday wear, rather than the colorful ones I hide under boots or wear on the weekends.

Laceweight wool in bright orange! I left the skeins in MD (the ‘rents will bring the yarn up this weekend, when they come to visit), and I didn’t write down the details. Anyway, I’m eyeing the Swallowtail Shawl (check out two different knitalongs! here’s the IK page) despite those p5tog nupps, and I’m considering taking a look at Victorian Lace Today. For no reason other than that I want to knit some lace.

Brooks Farm Yarn Macero (Mas-Acero) in a steely gray. I’m not sure what I’ll use this for, but there’s something like 800 yards of it, and it’s a worsted weight 60/20/20 wool/silk/viscose blend that feels super yummy.

Brooks Farm Acero, the DK version, in this tweedy green. This is going to be the Cabled Bandeau (Ravelry link, for those who can use it) from Winter 05 Interweave (IK link for others; scroll down). Not many have made this pattern, not many speak very highly of it, but I think I can make it work. This is another thing, like the Shocking! Skirt (also by Veronik Avery!) that I’m skeptical of in theory, but which I think I can make work in reality.

and then, the piece de resistance . . .

Tess Designer Yarns Silk & Ivory in baby pink. This yarn is 50% wool, 50% silk. It’s going to be Sahara. I’m going to buy beads (eventually) to string onto the sparkly section. But for now I’m just going to pet the yarn.

That’s it! It’s actually feeling like a ton of yarn for me. And you know what? I just noticed this: It’s all for ME!! I ‘m so eager to cast on for these projects, I suspect I’ll burn through it in no time flat. I think first up is the Cabled Bandeau. I’m on a Veronik kick, what can I say?

It is the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival, right? So I’ll start with the sheep.

Like, the herds of us all converging on the fairgrounds Saturday morning. I’d driven down with a friend and her husband, and we got in so late Friday night that we didn’t rush out the door Saturday morning. When we got off the highway, around 11am, we were in a long line of cars waiting to get in.

As we were slowly making our way to an available row of parking, I saw Jessica walking out from the fair–on her way to drop more fiber into her already overflowing car. I definitely shrieked and rushed to roll down a window, but eventually just opened the door to shout hi. My friend (not a blogger) muttered, “60,000 people, and within 2 minutes you run into someone you know . . .”

The three of us made our way into the fair and were completely overwhelmed within the first 5 minutes. Probably because we started out in the Tess booth. I’d already planned, before arriving, that I was going to leave with Tess yarn, so I was feeling pressure to pick something right away. Confused and looking for some help, a woman next to me asked if I was Minty–it was Kelp! I fear I wasn’t very coherent at the time. We left Tess empty handed, resolved to return.

And then we just went up and down and back and forth, bleating along with the sheep and exclaiming at the cuteness and the noisiness and the bags and bags of fleece. My friend was desperate to buy some, but I still have no desire to spin.

My mom joined us at the sheep shearing, and then we did lunch. Is it just us, or is it slightly weird to be walking around watching sheep get primped, buying their fleece, and then, um, eating them? But eat them we did, going straight to the “Pit Lamb” booth and then standing in a long line for a Lime Fizz (a Maryland/DC fair staple; I’ve loved Lime Fizz forever).

I ran into more bloggers–the Columbia crew of Coleen, Jen, and Diane said hi. Mom and I wandered to where the blogger meetup was supposed to happen, but I didn’t see too many people. Nova came over, though, so I got to meet her, Special K, and Lil Sir. I called Liz–love that she answered her phone with “where are you?!” Turned out she and most of the other blogger folk were back on the lawn near the sheep shearing, so we went back over there, and met Ann (also of Crossroad Knits), and Trillian, and Turtlegirl, and saw Jessica again, and Kristy (who I’d run into earlier, too), and plenty more that I didn’t get a chance to talk to. Jess, the brilliant founder of Ravelry, came by with pins and to chitchat.

Aside: Liz is so much more petite than I’d expected–we stood on the steep hill so that we appear to be the same height.

Later in the afternoon Lolly and I met up and cruised the Main Exhibition Hall together, but for the most part my mom, my friend, and I shopped together. Yes, shopped. For yarn.

Next up, Minty builds an actual stash!!

I’m either updating my knitting life on Ravelry . . .

Attempting home improvement . . .

Or heading down to Maryland Sheep and Wool! I’ll be at the grassy area near the Pavilion at 1pm on Saturday for the blogger meetup, of course. If you see me gorging myself on yarn elsewhere during the festival, say hi!