Ashton Shawlette

So, my new goal for this blog is going to be to post at least once a week now that we are settled into our apartment. I will try to stick with posting every Sunday, but more if I can. This is a project that I finished before we left Pullman and I just haven't had time to show you. The pattern is called Ashton Shawlette and the yarn is Malabrigo lace. I love making these lace shawls and am in fact working on a new one right now. The problem is that I don't ever wear them. I guess I need to start if I'm going to keep making them. Anyway, here are some pictures:

Before blocking:

While blocking:

After blocking:

I know I have said this over and over again, but I just love blocking lace knitting. It completely changes how it looks and makes all that work of knitting it completely worth it. :)

Summer Flies

The latest pattern I have finished is a shawl called Summer Flies. It started as some pink Picco Accaurdi roving from Paradise Fibers. I spun it up then plied it. Unfortunately I forgot to take a before picture of the roving, but there were different shades of pink spread throughout the wool. Once spun it looked like this:

I have been wanting to make this shawl for a long time and I thought this yarn was the perfect color. I ended up adding a few extra pattern repeats to make up for the yarn being a lighter weight than the yarn suggested in the pattern.

As usual, blocking was like magic with this shawl. Before I blocked it, there were lots of curled up edges and it just wasn't very good-looking.

I was kind of excited that it was finally done and forgot to take pictures of the actual blocking process. Anyway, the shawl is done! Since it is called Summer Flies I thought it would be fun to get some pictures out in the sun. I have been waiting for the perfect day to take pictures. Today I  happened to notice that one of the trees in our apartment complex had bloomed. I decided to take advantage of this along with the fact that it is so sunny and warm outside today.

I asked my very kind husband to come outside with me, my camera, and the shawl and take some pictures. I can't decide which pictures to show so I'm just going to show you a bunch of them.

 

We also found a bunny out in the grass, but he wasn't so amused at the idea of having his picture taken...

Haruni

I'm so excited I finally have something finished to show you! I think that this is my favorite knit projects so far, and also the biggest lace project I have completed. It all started with some roving that I showed you earlier.

Then, the roving was spun up into yarn on my handy spinning wheel.

All along I knew that I had the perfect plan for this yarn. It was to become a Haruni Shawl. This is a pattern that I found on Ravelry.com and have been dying to make. Once the yarn was done, washed and dried, the knitting needles came out. Here it is soon after I started:

A little later...

And finally, off the needles:

This is where you have to keep in mind that lace needs to be blocked. So, I took the shawl, soaked it in some cool water and pinned it out to dry on some foam mats. It always amazes me how much blocking really makes a difference. It opens up all of the lace and really makes it pop. Check it out:

Once it was completely dry, I un-pinned it from the foam.

Here you can see the difference. The picture on top is before blocking and the one below is after blocking:

(The real color is darker blue than the top picture but not as dark as the bottom. Lighting wasn't cooperating very well...)

I really don't wear shawls, but this one was so much fun to make that I might have to start wearing them. I am seeing more in my knitting future. :)