I'm Back!

Okay, I didn't leave. I'm still not excited about the surprise sweater, but I am diligently working on it. We've been having trouble downloading photos off the memory card again. I don't understand how it suddenly changes all on it's own. When we first got this computer---just over a year ago?--it was pretty easy; the computer automatically downloaded all new pictures off the card. Then suddenly, it started downloading ALL pictures on the card. Now, we use the card as backup of 'special' pictures (to some degree; there are a LOT more on the computer) as we've never gotten around to getting a memory stick and I'm petrified somehow our pictures will disappear. So, we'd put the card in, and it'd start downloading over 250 pictures that had already been downloaded!! Then we tried the software that came with our printer/scanner/copier. It wasn't great, but it worked. Then that suddenly went weird. It would download the pictures, but we couldn't find them! I just sat down and figured it out in less than 5 minutes. Me. Why couldn't Rob figure it out instead of having a hissy fit that I had 'done something' to the computer?!

So, let's play catch up a little.

Back in the fall, I showed a shot of a pink lace blob. When we left for our 'vacation' in August, I started knitting Evelyn Clark's (non-Rav. link) "Heartland Lace Shawl (Ravelry link)". I spent a lot of time searching for a shawl pattern. I was going to use pink Jaggerspun Laceweight Zephyr, 50% wool/50% silk. I had bought this when I made Nya's blanket, but decided not to edge it with pink; it was beautiful in the creamy white. (Go over to my archives, on the right, and click on 2006. It'll be the first two posts to come up).

I had only one skein, and was NOT buying more. I wanted something not too frou-frou as the pink is really girly already. I wanted something with not big sections of stockinette as I have some more colourful yarns waiting for those types of shawls. When I found Heartland Lace through searching Ravelry, I knew it would be great, even though it's written for DK (I think).

I used 3.7mm needles.

I had a few problems with reading the chart---the line numbers don't look like they're in the right spots. But it's a fairly easy knit (except--if you use markers, there are two places in each chart repeat that the stitch repeat falls in the middle of a slip 2 as if to knit, k1, pass sl. sts over). There are a few rows that you can easily memorize too. It was not a good idea to start this shawl as we were driving to Niagara Falls; navigating and chart reading do not go well together.

I did have to modify the chart for the edging. I should probably not have done the last body repeat; that would have been easier than modifying the edging chart because I was really short on the yarn!

I got it finished and blocked in time for the cruise, and I used it a lot. You can see pictures on my other blog. These pictures are from washing it after Christmas. I think I might have blocked it a bit harder this time as it seems 'crisper'. Or maybe the Caribbean humidity caused it to relax a little. I don't know the size, but it's a nice shoulder shawl. I can't wrap up in it, but it's enough to ease a slight chill.

I'll be adding it to Ravelry later. I've finally started adding projects there. Fun. I'm "TracyKM" on Ravelry. Yes, I know. Not too original, but easy to remember!!