Metalouse Shawl from Knit Nirvana - Day 4

A week filled with knitting...

Now that I've settled into the rhythm of this section, it's humming along nicely.  I was worried about the difference in thickness of the two yarns, but that doesn't seem to be a problem at all.  I keep looking at this piece and thinking about Easter--that's what this colorway reminds me of more than anything else

It's been a hectic week for me, but one filled with knitting.  I turned in a book to my publisher that  has a lovely knitting element in the plot--the sequel to my WWI sock knitting novel HOMEFRONT HERO. 

The following day, the fourth book my Gordon Falls series A HEART TO HEAL was released.  This book, like most of my Gordon Falls series, has the prayer shawl knitting ministry interwoven into its story.  I love how many readers have written to tell me of the prayer shawls they knit or have asked me how to start a prayer shawl ministry where they live.  Knitters are a caring bunch of people!

Then, next week, I get to do a book signing and give-away of A HEART TO HEAL at STITCHES MIDWEST and meet even more knitting readers!  If you are in the Chicago area and planning to come to this massive, marvelous yarn event, stop by the Mia Bella booth at 12:30 Saturday August 9, say hello, and get a free novel!  But be prompt--we have a limited supply and last year they were gone in fifteen minutes!

How wonderful and gratifying that my passion for knitting touches so many areas of my life.  And I get to share the triumphs, the travels--and the mistakes--all with you!

Cabled Feather Cowl from The Studio - Day 4

Chart or List?  And a PRIZE for choosing!

Knitting patterns come in two varieties—the chart or the list.  If you’re very lucky, like we are the Cindy Craig’s Cabled Feather Cowl, you get both.  Each format has advantages and drawbacks, and most people have a preference.  Here’s my take:


Charts
Charts can convey a lot of information in a small space.  That’s handy if you’re traveling or if, like me, you take your knitting with you everywhere you go.  Charts also help you visualize the stitches—this purl sits atop that yarn-over from the row below, etc.—which can be handy to catch and fix errors, especially with repeats.  I find it much easier to get an overall view of a piece from a chart than from a list of instructions.  But there have been charts where the map key is so long I keep having to refer back to it to see what that little triangle means or whether that slashing line means make left or make right.  In this case, you’ve only got four simple stitch icons to know and the cable symbol—which in this case is visually helpful.

Lists
In most cases, they are just plain easier to follow.  Some of the “repeat from *” directions can get complicated, but there is an inherent clarity in having words walk you through the steps of each row.  I find lists easier to mark off, keeping track of what row I’m on.  Unless their are highly complicated abbreviations (not true in this case, but I’ve had some doozies that I had to write translations in the margins), there isn’t a lot of referring back to keys or glossaries.  I like written directions for cables because I’m forever forgetting which stitches go in the back and which go in the front.

I suspect if you are a highly visual person, you will gravitate to charts.  If you are a detail maven, lists might suit your taste.  Wise is the designer, however, who gives you both so that you can choose what you like.  I have often found, however, that sometimes I keep foot in both camps—conferring with charts and lists to give me the clearest picture of the pattern I’m working.

What about you, DestiKNITters?  Chart or List?  Chime in and you can win a free copy of my historical knitting novel, HOMEFRONT HERO. I’ll choose a winner from the comments next week.

Detour: Shamelessly smitten self promotion

HOMEFRONT HERO

I’m sorry, but I simply can’t stop myself from crowing about this one:  I got to write a knitting novel!

You probably have an idea of how deliriously happy that makes me.  Honestly, to write a  book where the hero falls for the heroine over KNITTING--it was like a convergence of wonderfulness for every creative cell in my body.

  

Of course, because this is a romance novel, WWI Army Captain John Gallows is devastatingly handsome, arrogant, and silver-tongued.  What’s better is that he is a complete oaf at knitting even though the Army has forced him to learn--in the public eye, no less--to convince boys to join the Red Cross “Knit Your Bit” socks for soldiers campaign. 

He describes his first encounter with dpn’s as “wrestling a porcupine.”

He muffs entire rows of ribbing.

He never makes it to the second sock (but I’m not telling why...).

He is slack-jawed with astonishment when he turns the heel.

Don’t you just love him?

Now, no fab-u-lous guy like that can have just any heroine.  Nurse Leanne Sample is that master-knitter we all love to pal around with.  The kind who can pick up that mess you made and untangle it right in front of your eyes.  The kind who teaches everyone and anyone who is willing to learn.  The kind of woman who can be won with a hank of decadent yellow (and totally contraband) cashmere. 

Ah, but she’s no pushover, our gal Leanne.  She stands up to our cocky hero with a spine all her own, thank you very much.  She sees through the bravado to his very real pain--and we’re not just talking about his wounded leg.

They’re perfect together.  There’s loads of knitting in the book.  It’s so romantic I can barely keep myself from swooning--and I know how it ends!

Okay, shameless self-promotion over.  But really, I couldn’t help myself.  Not to you, destiKNITters, because you understand why I’m flat-out over the moon with this one.  

Thanks for indulging me.  Gotta have it?  Click here.