Knitting Update

Finished a couple of items last week that I've been working on for months ... a prayer shawl for a friend whose husband has been going through some scary health issues ...

... and Mom's Mother's Day gift, the Lion Brand Soft Rib Cardigan. This thing is so heavy - it is double-stranded worsted weight with over two pounds of yarn in it. It's cozy and warm, but I was pretty sure after seeing it completed, that it would swamp her. I literally finished it at midnight on the Monday before Mother's Day and had to box and ship it out.

The reason it took so long to finish was I had trouble with the last little bit which ended up taking another week. You have to use a gigantic circular needle to pick up stitches all the way around it (408 stitches on this one), then knit a rib pattern for 4", then begin short rows to make the shawl collar (which was actually pretty cool). I didn't have a circular that long, so I used my interchangeable needle set and screwed together 4 sections to get the length. This photo shows the circular needle with the 408 picked up stitches ...

However, I had been working this on my lap and apparently every time I flipped it over to go a different direction on the short rows, I was unscrewing the connection on one of the cables. So about the same time I noticed there was a weird hole in the collar from a dropped stitch, one of the cable sections had come apart and I had to fish the stitches back onto the cable and try to reconnect it, as well as unknit a bunch of rows to fix the dropped stitch.

Worked for a while, but in the end the cable came apart two more times and I was having trouble twisting the cable to screw it back together. Since this was a section I wasn't knitting on, opposite the collar, I finally just left it apart, slapped some masking tape on each end to keep the stitches on the cables, and kept working the collar. I had to complete it while sitting at the table so I could just slide it around to do the short rows instead of flipping it over in my lap. When it was time to bind off, I was able to reconnect the cable and work over it.

Here it is finished ...

So Mom ... Happy Mother's Day ... I love you. (She's already received and opened it, so I can show it.) I should probably get you one of those Medical Alert Buttons to wear in case the weight of it takes you down and you need to call for help!  =O

I've started the triangular shawl I've been wanting to make for myself. It's such a simple pattern ... just keeps growing in garter stitch as you increase on each end of each row. I'm using Vanna's Glamour in Onyx - it's a #2 Fine Weight yarn and I'm using size 8 needles to make it a little lacy.

It's hard to see in the photo, but there is a sparkle to the yarn that's really pretty ...

And I have a May birthday girl that I wanted to make some Funky Footsies for. They're navy blue yarn with white fun fur and a thread of sparkle yarn in the cuff ...

Next on the list ... I need to focus on Christmas gift knitting and start making my lists of people, items to knit and yarn needed. If I start now, I'm hoping I'll be able to "wrap it up" early this year. Pun intended!

Receiving a Prayer Shawl

My sweetie pie brother-in-law has knitted me a beautiful prayer shawl. I think one of the nicest things a knitter can do is make something for another knitter. Seems most of us make things to give away first and foremost and only occasionally keep them for ourselves.

He picked up knitting just a little over a year ago and has made some wonderful prayer shawls and scarves. He's now taking classes at his local yarn shop and I'm planning to take a few with him for the learning, the getting out of the house and, mostly, the camaraderie and FUN!

This shawl is a gorgeous green variegated bouclé that is light as a feather but incredibly warm and cozy. I love it and will wear it often. Thanks, BIL!

On the Needles - Soft Rib Cardigan

With our months of home improvements and making the horsie blanket for the baby shower, I actually only knit one gift for Christmas -- a prayer shawl for my Middle Sister. It's made of Bernat Soft Bouclé yarn (#26958 - Carnival Shades) that is so light and soft and cushy, it feels like you're knitting air. MS emailed me ... It is already in place on the back of my prayer/reading rocker in the living room (reading + rocking = exercise!). Maybe I should get rid of my treadmill and get a rocking chair instead. It would certainly get a lot more use!!!

I enjoyed making this prayer shawl so much, I bought yarn to start another (#22927 Misty Shades). While I didn't know at that time who it would be for, I spoke with someone last week whose husband has been through cancer treatments. Things were looking good; then he was just retested and they found another spot. I can't even imagine how scary that must be. They are young with three boys. She told me she puts on a confident face for her husband, but cries in the shower -- this one will be for her.

I receive a weekly email from Lion Brand and last week's newsletter included a pattern that was so cute, I decided I had to start it right away. Check out the Soft Rib Cardigan. I am not using the Fishermen's Wool yarn they show it in, but their pastel blue Pound of Love that is easy care and can be machine washed and dried.

I started the sweater yesterday and got the lovely rounded bottom of the back done while we watched the Cardinals football game. I'm not a big sports fan, but it was quite the exciting game, tied 38 even and going into overtime. Fortunately, the Cards beat the Packers by 7 points so we're still in the play offs. I must say, it's a lot more fun to watch sports (and everything else) on the big screen. I can actually tell what's going on ... sometimes.

Anyway, this sweater is knit holding two strands of the yarn together so it is thick and cozy. And the slip rib stitch is an easy repeat that I can just knit on without referring back to the pattern every few minutes. I think I'm going to like this one a lot.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

Another prayer shawl is completed and I will be sending it to someone who recently lost her husband in an auto accident. She was injured as well and I'm sure the physical and emotional healing will require much strength and support.

I include a card with each shawl given that is appropriate to their particular situation whether it be illness, a new baby, a birthday, bereavement, etc. Following is a sample of the card given to someone who was going through chemotherapy:

This shawl was made just for you

To bring comfort

To know you are loved

To share in your joy

This shawl is to wrap you up

When you're cold

When you're hurting

When you need to snuggle

This shawl was knitted

With Blessings

With Love

With Prayers

 Another verse I like to use:

This is a prayer shawl

but it’s also a hug

Thousands of stitches

each made with love

 So wrap it around you

and let yourself feel

the love of your friends

every day of the year!

This prayer shawl is a combination of lace rib and stockinette stitch stripes on the knitting machine and the border was crocheted by hand.

If you are interested in a prayer shawl ministry or how it came about, click here. Many churches and charitable organizations are now embracing the prayer shawl ministry. It's a beautiful thing!

Knit Naked

Lace Rib Panel on my Knitting Machine

While I love to hand-knit, a few years ago my husband got me a knitting machine for Christmas. So far, it has been great for large panels of stockinette stitch but I decided recently to learn a new stitch. I wanted to make a prayer shawl for a friend and settled on the Lace Rib Stitch.

Everything was going very smoothly -- I had the stitch down and probably had 100 rows finished. Now let me set the stage. I have my machine set up on my kitchen counter, which is bar stool height rather than table height. I prefer to stand while I run the carriage back and forth. Then I sit when I'm working the stitches, which puts me at eye level with the needles.

I had on a terry cloth swimsuit cover up that I wear around the house as a robe. As I ran the carriage across the needles, it crunched to a stop. Oh yes, I had caught the front of my robe in the needles! Because I was leaning over the knitting machine, it was impossible to unhook the robe from the needles while in it. So I had to wriggle out of the robe, pulling it over my head. (Here is the TMI part -- send the children out of the room.) I was completely naked underneath the robe so I am standing in my kitchen, pulling it off over my head while attached to the knitting machine.

Had to run to the bedroom, put on another robe, then go take that thing apart and save the knitting I had done. Fortunately, after laughing, crying and a few 4-letter words, I was able to get back on track and resume knitting.

When I told my mom about this, she said the knitting machine company should probably put a warning on the product that suggests you not wear loose clothing or just knit naked!

The prayer shawl is beautiful. I single crocheted, then double crocheted around it for edge stability. Will gift it to my friend on August 1st. There was a lot of praying done during the making of this prayer shawl!