Wendy Knits

All Blocked and Ready to Party

By Wendy on October 5, 2009

When I got up this morning, I noticed that Miss Lucy had placed one of her toys on the Stacy Shawl as it lay blocking.

I’m not sure what the meaning of this is — perhaps Lucy was staking her claim to the shawl?

Anyway, I released the shawl from its bondage today.

Gwendolyn looks very pretty wearing it, I think.

Front:

And a side view:

A close-up of the bottom edge:

Some Q&A . . .

Several of you asked how I came up with the name for my True Love Stole. The name came out of a private joke. And that’s all I have to say about that (I am apparently channeling Forrest Gump here).

Alexandra commented:

Wendy, I am so impressed by how fast you knit. It just took you 5 days, plus you were working on other things! Wow, that is fast knitting. I so wish I could knit that fast. Any secrets to how you get done so fast? Do you like knit night and day! I know that you talk about working so wow! do you work everyday and still get these projects done so fast? What’s the secret!!!

Yes, I have a “real” job — one that takes me away from home at least 11 hours each day. It’s quite the nuisance, let me tell you.

Yes, I knit the Stacy Shawl in 5 days. But 2 of those days were days off from work (I was off Friday for a dentist appointment, so got some good knitting time in then, as well as on Saturday). And it is a very fast knit.

I don’t really have a secret for fast knitting, except to knit every day, even if it’s only for a few minutes. And knit during “stolen moments” — when you waiting in line for something, on hold on the phone, commuting on the subway, etc. On weekdays I knit for a few minutes before I leave for work in the morning, on the subway to and sometimes from work, during my lunch break, and for a couple of hours in the evening. It adds up!

Josie asked:

Could you describe the process you go thru when designing a triangular shawl?

I wouldn’t know where to begin. It’s different every time!

But I will tell you it involves a lot of playing around with charts on an excel spreadsheet.

In other news, I’m knitting something pink.

Lucy sez:

“Mine.”

Posted in Wendy Knits | Tagged dentist appointment, lunch break, miss lucy, private joke, stolen moments

The Stacy Shawl

By Wendy on October 4, 2009

I finished the Stacy Shawl yesterday. Here it is unblocked:

The pre-blocking dimensions (unstretched) are 44″ across the top and 21″ down the center back.

And here it is pinned out and blocking:

After blocking, it is 66″ across the top, and 30″ down the center back.

It’s a more-than-a-triangle shawl — extra increases on the top/front edge make a shape that stays nicely on the shoulders.

It took 2 skeins of Tempted Yarns Luxe Grrl yarn (a total of 500 yards), knit on a US size 7 (4.5mm) needle. I started this on September 29, and finished it yesterday — so it took me 5 days. I was working on other projects at the same time, so as you can see, this is a very quick knit! And fun too — nothing difficult about it. If you can work a k2tog, an ssk, and a yarnover, you can knit this shawl.

The pattern will be available soon — as part of a shawl kit from Tempted Yarns. Stacy asked me if I would do a design for her Luxe Grrl yarn — that’s the yummy cashmere blend — so she could put together shawl kits. This shawl is the result. I think this would be a great item to knit as a holiday gift — it’s a quick and fun knit so you’ll be abe to whip it up in no time.

Stacy is busily dyeing up a bunch of colorways in the Luxe Grrl yarn, so the kit will be available soon. I’ll keep you posted here on its availability, and Stacy will be posting in her Ravelry group as well.

Lucy is worn out from supervising the blocking process.

Posted in Wendy Knits | Tagged colorways, dyeing, skeins, ssk, triangle shawl

Ah, True Love!

By Wendy on October 1, 2009

The True Love Stole has been blocked and is ready for action!

Here it is pinned out.

Do you see something unusual? There is no fluffy kitty reclining on the stole! I have no idea why, but during the whole pinning out process, Lucy sat on the sidelines, watching. This is a first for her.

I don’t think it was the dampness of the shawl deterring her. I mean, it’s not like that has never stopped her in the past.

Here’s a close-up shot.

And unpinned and relaxing on a chair:

Gwendolyn wanted to model the new shawl as well:

And finally:

I used about 1000 yards of Jojoland Cashmere and a 3.25mm needle. Blocked dimensions are approximately 24″ by 66″.

It will be a while before the pattern is ready. I need to re-knit the mitered corners to better document them for the pattern and I need to find time to do that.

Now, back to knitting on the Stacy shawl. I see that a few of your asked questions about this shawl in the comments — I’ll answer ‘em next week!

Lucy sez

“I could lie on the stole, but the color washes me out.”

Posted in Wendy Knits | Tagged 25mm, cashmere, dampness, fluffy kitty, shawl

What Happened to the True Love Stole?

By Wendy on September 30, 2009

In yesterday’s comments, Hannah asked:

What happened to the True Love Stole?

This is what happened to it:

I finished it!

That’s a pic of it unblocked. Even as we speak it is relaxing in a nice bath of woolwash and blocking will commence momentarily.

But meanwhile, I am knitting on my new super-not-so-secret project:

This is the beginning of a shawl being knit from Tempted Luxe Grrl yarn. The colorway is un-named, as Stacy custom-dyed it for me when I requested a blue-green almost-solid. Isn’t it gorgeous?

The yarn is fabulous to knit — it is sport/dk weight and a blend of 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, and 10% Nylon. I’m knitting it on a larger than recommended needle (a US size 7) and getting 4.5 stitches to the inch. I wanted a nice drapey fabric because I’m knitting lace.

The shape is a more-than-triangle — extra increases on the front edges result in the nice shaping that will make the shawl stay put on your shoulders. Because it is a heavier weight yarn, I opted for a stronger non-fussy lace pattern.

Right now I’m calling it the Stacy Shawl and I’m liking the name. The shawl reminds me of Stacy: strong, beautiful, and straightforward!

Now don’t quote me on this, but there is a very strong possibility that this pattern will become available in a very fun way (she said mysteriously).

Lucy sez:

“Please thank Miz Stacy for dyeing pretty yarn for a blankie for me!

In other news, I need to change the name of my Bamboozled socks as a reader pointed out there is already a design by that name. And here I thought I was being so clever . . .

Posted in Wendy Knits | Tagged blankie, colorway, lace pattern, superwash, weight yarn

A Simple Sock

By Wendy on September 29, 2009

Okay, a bunch of you Smartypants immediately identified the yarn I’m using for my simple sock as Wollmeise in the Johannisbeer und Brennessel colorway. Clearly you all are experts in Wollmeise colorway identification.

A quick trip through the Google translator tells me that the colorway name translates into “currant and nettle” in English. Very appropriate, no?

So, Thursday night I was thinking that I needed a simple project to take to Virginia Beach with me for the weekend. “This is a job for Wollmeise!” thought I. I ventured into the stash room and looked through the Wollmeise I have, and decided on this lovely colorway.

I did do a bit of knitting over the weekend, and today I am past the heel on the first sock.

And here is a close-up of the slipstitch heel, just because a slipstitch heel in Wollmeise makes me happy.

The pattern is a simple knit/purl thing, and the results kind of make me think of bamboo.

So I am calling this sock “Bamboozled.” Just try and stop me.

I’ve got another new work-in-progress . . .

And I’m afraid Lucy can’t come to the blog right now . . .

It’s suppertime!

Posted in Wendy Knits | Tagged currant, google, knit purl, quick trip, suppertime

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All Blocked and Ready to Party

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