Sunday, October 23, 2005

Cathedral Window Shawl Complete!




Here's the completed Cathedral Window Shawl from St. Seraphina Knits. St. Seraphina is the patron saint of spinners, which is why the designer, Kristine Franklin, choose that name for her company. This was so easy to make, but I did make one modification to the pattern. Because you wouldn't want the cathedral windows upside down on half of the scarf, the pattern calls for knitting it half way with one pattern, then knitting a reverse design on the other half. Instead of doing that, I knit two separate halves, both using the same design, then I used a 3-needle bind-off to graft them together. You can't see where the shawl comes together and the patter matches exactly on both ends of the shawl. Another bonus is that I didn't have to flip a long shawl around from row to row! I also made the shawl a bit longer than the pattern states. I made each half with 11 pattern repeats instead of 9. I used a size 8 32" Addi Turbo needle, which was just right. My finished shawl is 20" wide and 72" long. I used about 4 1/2 skeins of Cascade 220 Superwash; had I made it with 9 repeats, it would have taken only 4 skeins. I could easily have made it wider by adding more "windows" as well.

I will undoubtably make this shawl again. The design is very nice and the finished project is beautiful! Like all my other shawls, this one will be given to the local cancer centre, which it will warm and comfort someone undergoing cancer treatment.

Friday, October 14, 2005

Vogue Fall '05 Lace Shawl (#15) complete!



I loved the look of this shawl in Vogue Knitting Fall '05, pattern #15, designed by Deborah Newton. The sample in the magazine was made from cashmere...and 1500 yards of worsted weight cashmere! I could not imagine this shawl taking that much yarn, so I made it using Lamb's Pride Superwash wool in Midnight Pine. I ordered 7 skeins (1400 yards) and used 6 full skeins (1200 yards). The pattern called for size 8 needles and somehow, I worked mine with a 32" size 9 Addi Turbo circular needle. That was an accident! I think a tighter knit would have been better and if I make this again, I'd use a size 8. The borders are especially loose and would be better on a smaller needle. The final size is 25" x 72", which is just right. This shawl took me two weeks to complete.

Would I make it again? Maybe, but I would not use the lace border included in the pattern. It was not to my liking, but that's a personal choice.

Like my other shawls, this will be given to the local cancer centre to warm and comfort a patient undergoing cancer treatment.