Holden Shawlette from The Artful Yarn - Day 1

Holden on...

  

Yes, the knitting universe—or in this case the nice people at The Artful Yarn—has handed me another top-down shawl. Sometimes you just have to keep going back to the same lesson until you learn it, yes?

This pattern helps me, however, by getting a big chunk of the work out of the way in a stockinette base.  Stockinette makes good television knitting—I barely have to look down anymore.  I’ve gotten quite fast on the knit side, thanks to my continental skills, but I have yet to master a decent continental purl.  No matter how I try, I just can’t get the hang of it.  Some knitters counsel me to come down over the top of the picked yarn, but that twists the stitches and makes for problems for me.  Others champion the “finger down approach” (for lack of a better name), but my index finger always cramps up after a certain number of stitches.  I have another friend who pulls the yarn down with her thumb, but I’ve never been able to master that at all.  And so I chug along, speedily knitting my way through the right side and not-so-speedily purling my way through the wrong side.  There are worse fates.  But I do worry my speed here will only make those growing final rows feel that much longer.

Don’t get me wrong—there are definite plus sides here.  Malabrigo Sock truly is a delightful fiber, with wondrous colors and the perfect amount of elasticity.  This isn’t the first shawl I’ve made from Sock and I doubt it will be the last.  The weight is marvelously seasonless—light enough for summer but with enough heft to allow it winter appearances as well.

Kudos to designer Mindy Wilkes for giving both written and chart instructions for the lace section.  I often prefer the chart, but in this case I think I’ll start out with the written directions.  And I’m no idiot—I’ll be using stitch markers and safety lines to ensure I don’t meet with disaster.  Or, more precisely, that I can save myself when I do.

Leftie Shawl from Knot Just Knits - Day 1

Leftie colors...

Every year there seems to be a shawl that is "this year's darling."  It shows up all over Facebook, assorted knitting blogs, and Ravelry.  You pull it out of your knitting bag someplace public and everyone goes "Oh, I'm working on one of those."

Leftie is just such a project--rather like the Color Affection shawl was for me last year and Barb's Koigu Ruffle Scarf before that.  In my opinion, projects gain popularity like this for three reasons:  1) they are endlessly clever, 2) they are distinctive and 3) they're technically simple.  This means a wide variety of knitters with a wide variety of skill sets still get a big artistic bang for their buck.

Leftie, aptly named, I assume, for its ability to eat up all the small balls of leftover yarn in your stash, is just such a project.  You could easily plan this shawl based on what's in your remnant drawer.  That'd be hard for someone like me who can't combine colors well.  If I tried this unsupervised, I don't think any of us would welcome the result.  As it was, I was given a skein of Malabrigo Sock in Terracota and a nifty little multi-pack of Wonderland Yarns' Cheshire Cat.

That didn't get me completely off the color-plotting hook.  I still had to decide the order of the leafy little stripes that give this shawl its sense of panache.  Not being particularly artsy, I went for the obvious:  dark to light.

Another note about color here:  I love it when the knitting juju lines up nicely.  Without any foreknowledge, Elizabeth happened to hand me the base color of "Terracota"--or as I will come to know and love it, "Burnt Orange."  I will come to love this color, so they tell me, because my offspring now is a Longhorn, attending University of Texas at Austin.  Longhorns, so they say, “bleed burnt orange” (excuse the eye candy image, but I couldn't resist). 

Now, being a "winter" in complexion, such warm colors are not my thing.  Before this, I did not own  single piece of clothing in this hue.  How lovely that my knitting adventures have brought me into the Longhorn universe! I think I may like it here. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again:  the yarn knows.

Hiawassee Handwarmers from The Needle Nook - Day 1

There’s something about fingerless mitts that strikes at the very heart of why I knit.  They feel artistic and just a bit funky--especially in a soft, undulating color like this Malabrigo Arroyo provides.  

Thick and chunky mitts are warm and cozy, but the more delicate ones like these have a vintage, almost steampunk feel to them that makes me feel so very cool for wearing them.  Even my slightly pudgy, suburban mom self can manage a bit of panache with these tipping my sleeves.  For once, just once, I can feel as if I might out-cool the barista pulling my latest late.  Might.  No matter how winsome my wristwear, I doubt my sensible shoes will ever out-cool anyone at the coffee bar. (But hey, I bet my feet hurt less than theirs!)

Knowing my propensity for second sock syndrome--that paralyzing response that prevents knitters from crafting the second sock of any given pair--I opted to modify Arlene’s instructions and cast these on with the two on one circ method.  Tricky at first, but definitely worth it.  Because cables are involved, I read the pattern completely through (always a good idea but a step I too often skip), did a few calculations, and divided my circs with needle 1 on one side and needles 2 & 3 on the other.   The stretchy nature of the ribbing handles this unequal distribution beautifully.

I love the color and the texture. It’s a great start to a lovely accessory.

ATLANTA, GA - Day 3

A little bit of everywhere...

On our final day, we’re zipping to several different places to catch up on some tips and squeeze in a last adventure.

I love to go out for breakfast.  Your dollars always go far this early in the day, and I feel so productive for being up and out and on the move.  My local contact took me to:

OK Cafe

1284 West Paces Ferry Rd NW  

Atlanta, GA 30327

404-233-2888

www.okcafe.com

The atmosphere is a fun mix of southern hospitality and power breakfast.  Not surprisingly, the food is good, not especially healthy (although there were healthy options if you want to make your companions feel guilty), and plentiful.  Great coffee--refilled nearly instantly--rounds out the experience.  Dig in--we’re going all over the place today and you’ll need your energy.

Every yarn store is different.  I can visit six in the same city and each will have its own character, its own focus.  Some are sparse and sleek, others are cluttered and cozy.  The fun is that I learn something new from each one.  I learned some amazing things from our next fiber find on the far edge of the city:

Yarning for Ewe
3220 Cobb Parkway  
Suite 102
Atlanta, GA  30359
678-909-4963

www.yarningforewe.com

The star of this store is the exclusively imported silks from India.  Vijay Fibers was born of owner Betty Shah’s passion to bring the rich world of Indian silk to American knitters.  Betty and her daughter Maansi run the store straight from their own crafting hearts.  “I only sell what I use and what I like,” Betty says.  It’s a nice touch that each fiber has a musical name.

The woman knows her silk.  I got a fascinating, full-hour lesson on the different kind of silk worms and how the harvest of each species’ cocoon yields a fiber with distinct qualities.  Equally fascination was how the Shah’s Jain faith impacts their knitting.  The Jain faith values all living things--even silk worms--so Betty won’t knit with or wear silks created from harvesting methods that might harm the worm.  So often we only think of sheep or goats in knitting--I enjoyed expanding my knowledge of fiber sources.

You’d be hard pressed to find a more enthusiastic Addi needle advocate.  The store’s selection is massive.  When Betty likes something, she makes sure you know!

If you respond to a firm but patient teacher, this store is for you.  Betty will let customers start on anything they want, no matter how many tries it may take to master the project.  “It’s just knitting.  Nothing is hard, it just takes longer.  Rip it out and start over.”  That requires a whopping load of patience!  Somehow, though, Betty’s brisk approach makes you believe--I get the feeling nobody fails on her watch!

Here are some projects to catch your eye at this store:

Pebble Beach Tee

A great beginner project that goes beyond the standard scarf or hat, this design shines in the color and texture of Classic Elite Sprout.  You’ll not only master yards of stockinette, but a few other skills as well.  The ribbon trim ads a spiffy touch, don’t you think?

Malabrigo Uroboro Cowl
From the Malabrigo Book 4, this Stephen West pattern takes one skein of Malabrigo Rasta to create a truly distinct accessory.  Make sure you ask for the helpful pattern tweaks to make your knitting easier.

Molly’s Scarf
One of the store’s most popular patterns, this ruffly scarf uses Classic Elite Liberty Wool to craft something beyond the basic rectangle.  If you’re looking to learn short rows, this is a perfect project for you.

AK Traditions Dolls
I found these knit-able, dress-able dolls from Australia absolutely charming.  You won’t find these anywhere else in the area, and can’t you just see one hugged in the arms of some little girl you love?

Darjeeling Shawl
You may have seen this in the Interweave Knits Spring issue.  While I don’t have a picture to show off yet (don’t worry, it’s coming), this lacy shawl is a stunner, and the perfect way to show off Vijay’s Serenade yarn.  The drape promises to be fantastic.  I chose to knit mine up In a beautiful, slightly shiny china blue.  I’m certainly looking forward to this as our Knit Along.

Fiber finds in hand, it’s time for a treat.  Luckly, Maansi knew just where to send me:

Paolo’s Gelato
1025 Virginia Avenue NE
Atlanta, GA  30306
404-607-0055

www.paolosgelato.com

My 2011 trip to Italy sold me on the virtues of gelato (it wasn’t a hard sell, believe me).  With 1/3 the fat of ice cream and yummy flavors, this authentic Italian treat is the perfect segue from yarn-shoping to boutique-shopping here in the snazzy “Virginia Highlands” neighborhood.  Of course, I had the chocolate with a very nice cup of coffee to match.  You can also get crepes here, too.  Sounds like lunch to me!

Other Highlands stores I liked:

• Urban Cottage for creative, trendy housewares, accessories and gifts
• Moxy a small boutique with chic clothing and some nifty handbags
• Daokta J’s for a energetic mix of clothes
• Festivity chock full of loads of accessories

There’s a whole neighborhood of interesting, trendy places along Highland Avenue just perfect for an afternoon of browsing and window shopping.  Pick any of the area’s many restaurants to round out your day, and you’re all set.

There’s a lot more to the Atlanta fiber scene that I could manage in my short visit.  I’m already planning to come back as soon as possible so I can introduce you to more of the city’s yarn delights.

Stay tuned next as I cast on our first Knit Along--the Mapes Shawl from Lovin’ Knit.

Arroyo Shawl from Yarn Shop and More - Day 1

Scaling down the fun...

After the large-scale outrageousness of the Udderly Divine Bag, this delicate and elegant Arroyo shawl feels like a refreshing change.    The project tucks perfectly in my handbag, despite the 241 stitches in width.  

Yeah, about those 241 stitches.  Why is it that, even with all my experience, I never seem to give myself enough yarn to do a high-volume long-tail cast on with projects like these?  At least this time I only had to re-do it once.  I think when I did the Peony Scarf it took three attempts--and that was 400 stitches per row!  With lots of stitches like this, I’m always happy when designers give me a cable cast on instead.  Still, I do understand that different cast-ons have different qualities, so I’m willing to trust the designer and eat a little humble pie on this one.

The pattern is one that scales up or down with the fiber you use.  While the model I saw in Yarn Shop and More (here at the right) was in Malabrigo Rios, they’ve given me Malabrigo’s Sock. This yarn has a lovely drape and a nice sheen without being too slippery.  It moves nicely through my fingers without snagging, and I’m pleased with the rich deep color of Violetta Africana.  Like most purples or blues, the camera has trouble capturing the hue, sorry.

I'm having fun imagining what the finished product will look like--and isn't that one of the entertainments of knitting?