Baltic Sea stole WIP

Here's the Baltic Sea stole WIP from Fiber Trends. I'm using Rowan Yarns Rowanspun 4 ply, which is a fingering weight yarn, and the colourway is Midnight. I'm using a size 5 (US) 32" Addi Turbo circular needle and it's working up sooooo slowly! Granted I didn't work on it for a couple weeks, but this fine yarn and smallish needles are getting to me! I'm on my 4th ball of yarn and I'll probably use 4 more to complete the stole. The pattern is easy once you get going. It requires increases and decreases on both the front and back of the stole, but the look is great. We are going on holiday for the first two weeks in June (without my knitting!), so I'm not sure when it will get done, but I'll keep knitting away!

I must put in a plug for Cucumber Patch on eBay, which is where I found this wonderful yarn. At only US$20 for 10 skeins and free shipping from the UK, you can't do better. There's a reason this seller has 100% positive feedback. My yarn arrived in perfect condition in just a week. I'll buy from her again (and again!).

Flower Basket Shawl in Silky Wool

Another edition of the Fiber Trends Flower Basket Shawl, this time done in Elsbeth Lavold's Silky Wool in Vertigris. I used a US 8 32" Addi Turbo needle and about 4.5 skeins of yarn. I always tell myself if I had eliminated one repeat and made the shawl a couple inches smaller, I could have used only 4 skeins. The finished size is 43" long (down the center) and 82" wide (across the top edge). That's just a bit smaller than the pattern states for DK yarn, but I also used a smaller needle than the pattern suggested for DK yarn with 14 pattern repeats. The edge didn't block up as crisply as 100% wool, but I still think the finished look is wonderful. The yarn was very nice to work with and the hand is beautiful.



Unlike all the others I made for patients at the cancer centre, since this shawl needs hand washing, it's going to my MIL for Mother's Day!