Undertow Shawlette Part Three: Section B

On Ravelry, in the notes section for this project, I have been posting the dates each part of the pattern is released here on the blog. Please use this as a reference if you are having trouble finding a part. Please, if you are enjoying this pattern, take time to go click the favorite button on Ravelry — there’s nothing like a little click love to make a designer smile.

Welcome, to those of you who are new to this blog! Knitwear design is my passion and my Art. A recent adventure taught that how I make my whole life is my Art as well, so you will have to sift through the random stories, videos and photos as part of the experience of this blog. If you need a funny story just look back in the archives under posts entitled: Confessions…I have a tendency to get into the most baffling and embarrassing situations. However, I can also laugh at myself so I share.

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UNDERTOW SHAWLETTE — NEXT CLUE:
Section B: (consider: this could be done in a contrasting color!)
Row 1: k3, yo, kfb, k3, yo, k1, yo, ssk X 2, slm, *[k2tog X 2, (yo, k1) X 3, yo, ssk X 2]; repeat from * X 19, sl m, k2tog X 2, yo, k1, yo, k2, kfb, k1, yo, k3.

Row 2: k3, p to last three sts, k3.
Row 3: k3, yo, kfb, k to last five sts, kfb, k1, yo, k 3.
Row 4: k3, p to last three sts, k3.

Row 5: k3, yo, kfb, k1, pm, *[k2tog X 2, (yo, k1) X 3, yo, ssk X 2]; repeat from * X 21,
Kfb, k1, yo, k3.

Row 6: k3, p to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 7: k3, yo, kfb, k to last five sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.
Row 8: k3, p to last 3 sts, k3.

Row 9: k3, yo, kfb, yo, k1, yo, ssk X 2, slm, *[k2tog X 2, (yo, k1) X 3, yo, ssk X 2]; repeat from *
X 21, sl m, k2tog X 2, yo, k1, yo, kfb, yo, k3.

Row 10: k3, p to last three sts, k3.
Row 11: k3, yo, kfb, k to last five sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.
Row 12: k3, p to last three sts, k3.

Row 13: k3, yo, kfb, k4, yo, k1, yo, ssk X 2, sl m, *[k2tog X 2, (yo, k1) X 3, yo, ssk X 2]; repeat from * X 21, sl m, k2tog X 2, yo, k1, yo, k3, kfb, k1, yo, k3.

Row 14: KNIT.
Row 15: k3, yo, kfb, k to last five sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.
Row 16: KNIT.
Row 17: k3, yo, kfb, k to last five sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.
Row 18: KNIT.

Please let me know of any errors. I sat quietly at the studio, but we all know stuff happens. Here’s hoping you all have a happy knit and a great weekend. The Studio will be closed Sunday and Monday (my 24th wedding anniversary AND my husband has the day off!). I will continue to blog and will reopen the studio on Tuesday of next week! It looks like the next and final installment will appear here next Wednesday….I have to give some thought to the wording. Sometimes it is easier to see concepts silently inside my head than to write or speak them. I thank you for your patience in advance!

Oh, in celebration of our anniversary we gave each other a new fridge and a new mattress. The cats think–no, believe, the mattress is some fabulous new cat tree and are loving it while it is propped in the hall. This is only the second refrigerator we have ever purchased, and in fact my father-in-law bought us our first which was just taken away today. Where does TIME get to anyway?

xx M.E. and Summit Yarn



 

A New Llama Ratty for Nikkers

Jamie was a super friend and knit a bunch of new ratty toys for Nikkers as George has eaten all the old hand knit toys except one which is brought only once George has been put in my sons room for the night. Nikkers is enthralled–eyes fully dilated.

I finished the Undertow Shawlette with one skein. It measures 40″ wide and 13.5″ deep. It is pinned and drying at the studio. Can hardly wait until it is dry! Here are some photos:

 

Undertow Shawlette Part Three: Section A

The next part of the pattern is my own variation on an antique Shetland Lace stitch called: Crest of the Wave (a close relative of Old Shale aka Feather and Fan/a Victorian renaming of Old Shale). If you read about these old Shetland stitches, the stories are amazing and the stitches were very much inspired by the world around these past knitting relatives of ours — as we all of course, belong to each other in one big family of Knitters and Fiber Artists. Old Shale mimicked the waves of the ocean on a beach of shale, spider lace looks just like little wee spiders that must have been up in the ceiling corners of the cottages they lived and knit within. There’s so much more to this heritage. Sharon Miller is the best source I can think of. Martha probably will put other citations/authors in the comment section so take a look in a day or so.

Getting back to the business at hand, the next part of the shawl will draw down all those eyelets you just made in the garter section into a ripple that looks like the bubbles at the top of a wave; just as the undertow in the flow of the ocean would draw a swimmer down into its own natural movement. The technique uses what are called delayed decreases…all the increases are together in one place and all the decreases that balance out the increases (keeping the stitch count the same) come later all in one separate section. Depending on how you use delayed decreases you can bend a fabric in many ways; creating a bias (slanted) fabric, or zig zags, or wavy ripples as we are in this lively shawlette. (Thanks to Maggie Boga for the illustrative photograph!)

SECTION A:
Undertow–
Row 1: k3, yo, kfb, k1, pm, *[k2tog X 2, (yo, k1) X 3, yo, ssk X 2]; repeat from * X 17, (consider placing a marker between each 11 stitch repeat because the number of pattern repeats will increase as the shawl enlarges), pm, kfb, k1, yo, k3.

Row 2: k3, p to last three sts, k3.
Row 3: k3, yo, kfb, k to last 5 sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.
Row 4: k3, p to last three sts, k3.

Row 5: k3, yo, kfb, k to first m, sl m, *[k2tog X 2, (yo, k1) X 3, yo, ssk X 2]; repeat from * X 17, sl m, k to last 5 sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.

Row 6: k3, p to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 7: k3, yo, kfb, k to last 5 sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.
Row 8: k3, p to last 3 sts, k3.

Row 9: k3, yo, kfb, k4, yo, k1, yo, ssk X 2, sl m, *[k2tog X 2, (yo, k1) X 3, yo, ssk X2]; repeat from * X 17, sl m, k2tog X 2, yo, k1, yo, k3, kfb, k1, yo, k3.

Row 10: k3, p to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 11: k3, yo, kfb, k to last 5 sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.
Row 12: k3, p to last 3 sts, k3.

Wave Crest–
Row 13: k3, yo, kfb, k2, pm, *[k2tog X 2, (yo, k1) X 3, yo, ssk X 2]; repeat from * X 19, pm, k1, kfb, k1, yo, k3.

Row 14: KNIT
Row 15: k3, yo, kfb, k to last 5 sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.
Row 16: KNIT
Row 17: k3, yo, kfb, k to last 5 sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.
Row 18: KNIT

end of Section A.

You will begin with a piece of fabric that looks like this:

And end with a much wider piece of fabric that looks like this:

I think I might have been interested in physics and engineering if someone had only pointed out how the basic principles work in knitting! Instead, now it will always be some Higher Form of Magic.
And maybe that’s not such a bad thing either…

xx M.E. and Summit Yarn

 

Undertow Shawlette Part Two

Undertow Shawlette Part Two
Next RS row: k3, yo, kfb, k to last five sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.
Next WS row: knit

Repeat these two row twice more for a total of six rows (you will have three garter ridges, 97 stitches total).

Next RS row: k3, *(yo, k1); repeat from * to last three sts, yo, k3.
Next WS row: knit (189 sts).
Next RS row: k3, yo, kfb, k to last 5 sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.
Next WS row: knit (193 sts).
Next RS row: k3, yo, kfb, k to last 5 sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.
Next WS row: knit (197 sts).

The next part of the pattern is where the UNDERTOW magic happens. I am working on a lace weight yarn from Araucania called: Nuble on US4 needles. You, of course can choose your own yarn weight with appropriate needles. If you work in lace to sock weight, budget 400-600 yards of yarn, or more for a larger shawl. This will be crescent shaped, but the shaping is a new idea which will keep the shawl on your shoulders nicely. If you find any math errors, please let me know. More tomorrow! ;-D

xx M.E. and Summit Yarn

 

Shawlette KAL UPDATED

UNDERTOW SHAWLETTE

Cast on 3 sts and knit six rows.

Turn the garter tab you have just knit 90 degrees and pick up/knit 3 sts along this long edge, the pick up/knit 3 sts along the cast on edge.
You will have 9 stitches.

Row 1: k3, p to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 2: k3, yo, kfb, k to last 5 sts, kfb, k1, yo, k3.

Repeat these two rows until you have 3 edge sts, 79 body sts, and 3 edge sts (85 sts total).

 

Juneberry Triangle Shawl Continues and Happy Mother’s Day

Had a lovely busy day at the studio today. Everybody is very busy with their latest projects and Jamie is mostly busy with kittens — everybody send her blessings because without her those little sweet souls would have perished.

Nikkers and I spent the afternoon having a lovefest…at least until the thunder and lightning gave the dogs the idea that maybe they could fit in my lap as well — everyone all at the same time. That didn’t work so well.

Finished the final shawl chart this evening for Juneberry. Would suggest doing a combination of right and left hand knitting for the bobbles so the whole shawl doesn’t have to be flipped over and over for each bobble. My gauge would never be even for regular knitting this way but its good enough for bobbles. I love this shawl — in this green it looks like curly lettuce and pea pods!

Wishing Everyone a very Happy and Serene Mother’s Day!
xx M.E. and Summit Yarn

 

When All Else Fails,,,

Have made it through 525 yards of a green yarn that turns my hands blue. Finally, I took a look at the label: indigo based dye. Ooooooooooh! I am really enjoying Juneberry and love the first lace…probably enough to design a cardigan in the future. Sat down with graph paper today and matched charts b to c to d and have completed the first 5 rows of chart d. I may have to go sit in my closet at home to get through the rest of the rows; it takes a bit of concentration but worth it.

Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Mothers Day to any human being who nurtures others!
Much Love, M.E. and Summit Yarn

 

Current Customer Projects

I don’t have photos of everything but let’s go for a summary: Suzy working on sweater but very busy at work. Jamie working on Tickle Me sweater test knit and Cable Brannigan (half way) AND nursing four abandoned kittens every four hours. Kate is working on Juneberry; just finished chart A. Chris has finished her red sweater, Shadow and it is amazing. She has multiple socks and the shawl, Multnomah on needles. Pat S. has socks on needles and I’m waiting for our next lesson. Kelly has the Sunny Days shawl on needles. Cheryl is immersed in Jade Sapphire Maju Silk. And I am waiting to see what Brenda, Tola and Martha brought back from MSW. Jan began Cable Brannigan and is working at some baby pods. Rachel is finishing a crocheted blanket for her father. I think Robin is still on a sock but also loving her garden — and who doesn’t? Photos below.

 

Spring in NEPA, USA and YARN-TASTING AT SUMMIT YARN

Please accept this invitation to an open house and yarn tasting at Summit Yarn Studio on Friday, May 17th beginning at 5 pm until closing. Joining us will be a new fabulous yarn rep from Euro Yarns to answer all our questions about the lines she carries and show us what will be new and exciting this coming Fall. Knitting Fever has kindly donated yarn samples and I will be making kits for each of you so please let me know if you plan to attend if you can, ahead of time. Please bring a pair of needles — something midrange (US 8-10) or a crochet hook. We look forward to the pleasure of your company that night!

Finished the Sunny Days Shawlette tonight. Will bury ends and block it tomorrow. Photo below…I love how it is neither striped nor variegated. It is very soft and tucks into my purse nicely for when I need just a little something. The pattern is free on Ravelry and there is a video tutorial on Carle’s blog for how to do the cast on. Back to the edging on a Hap shawl I began ages ago. Trying to kill off a few old projects.

Below is also a photo of our dogwood tree at home. The petals are intensely colored this year and I am loving seeing them out the window every morning.

We saw the latest Ironman movie — AWESOME. 😎
Have a great week!
xx M.E. and Summit Yarn

 

This Just In: Pebbles by Great Adirondack Yarn and a free pattern

This is a soft cotton yarn perfect for dressing up a plain outfit or just for a little something around your neck on a cool evening. The pattern is a one skein project, cost $12.

Using US8 (5mm) needles, cast on 10-20 sts (scarf shown has 13 sts) and do the following Two Rows for 18 inches:

Row 1- kfb, k to last 2 sts, k2tog
Row 2- knit

After 18 inches, work the next two rows until there is just enough yarn remaining to bind off loosely (2 feet).

Row 1- k2tog, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, k1
Row 2- knit

xx M.E. and Summit Yarn