Hybrid

Here is an arty picture of my Gossamer Ruffle Shawl.

ruffle

Quite frankly, I think it looks like a badly planned cross between a turquoise octopus and some discarded Christmas tinsel. But that's okay. I like it. It makes me feel all silly and fun, like some medieval princess, when I wear it.

ruffle back

ruffle on

Not that I really know when I'm going to wear it.... but that's okay.

This was a project I had always wanted to do, ever since I saw the pattern come out in magazine advertisements. So I did it. I was kind of disappointed that I ran out of yarn, especially when I discovered it took me almost 150 yards of the metallic fluffy stuff -- almost as much as an additional, third, ball of the Gossamer -- to do the last 2 rows. I don't think I could have finished the shawl in the two balls the pattern called for.

And the bind off... 1,700+ stitches... honestly took me over 2 hours. Unbelievable. Today's unsolicited advice? Don't make anything with a giant ruffle. It feels like it never ends.

Anyhow, you know I can't go without being busy for more than three minutes, so here's what else I've been plugging away on.

Besides that little blue alpaca lace wrap, which I have 4 or 5 repeats done on, and my second Jaywalker sock, which is slowly growing in between other projects, I have done some other stuff.

little snowflakes

Some little bitty crocheted snowflakes, for one of my sister's quilting projects. I'm not a pro crocheter, but these new patterns are easier for me to read than the 30- or 40-year old ones my mom has. So I think I can do some more, maybe even some of the bigger, more complex ones, if I can concentrate.

new coaster

Some more coasters, now with a brownish background to help disguise the inevitable tea stains.

tote unfelted

And last but not least, a bag from Fiber Trends, knit but yet to be felted. I don't know of any top-loading washers nearby that don't lock -- don't have my own laundry machines. So I'll have to wait until I can find one, and then I can shrink this one down! And then I will have a new purse. This was knit in Wool Pak 14 ply and Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky, with Trendsetter Flora for the trim. I'm excited about how the trim is going to look when it gets felted in. I'm not sure how I'm going to decorate it, or not.

What's next? Maybe another Baby Surprise sweater, or I should probably finish some of the other things I've started!

Comments

Sarah said…
I like your shawl, especially how it sparkles - it definately seems fun. It almost seems like some fabulous superhero cape :) Oh, I hate binding off more than anything, so I can't believe you spent two hours doing it! You ARE a knitting superhero.
10:23 AM
Anonymous said…
Super-cool snowflakes, Ver! I love them! Can't wait to see them when you come. They'll add some fun to the stockings. Thanks for working on them.
12:47 PM
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