Saturday, April 14, 2007

The Snot Has Left the Building...

Too much info?

Ah well, my elation is such that I felt the need to share.

After two weeks of sneezing, blowing, sniffling, coughing and yes, sometimes weeping, I'm back to my relative healthy self and back to knitting on my Dragone shawl.


See, much better.


Even though it was a lot of work, I'm very happy that I ripped back to correct my error. It looks much neater and more defined.


Here are some tips if you decide to make this shawl.

1] The floating twist [blue symbols] are worked like a cable would be. You can either twist those stitches as you come to them on your working row, or what I have found easier to do is, because those stitches need to be slipped while working the wrong side row, I slipped them onto one of those plastic safety pin like stitch markers. Then, as I worked my right side row, all I would have to do is slip a stitch [or not, depending on the chart] from my left hand needle to the right, slip the two twisted stitches held on a marker to my left hand needle, slip the first stitch back to the left hand needle and proceed. It sounds complicated, but once you wrap your head around it, you'll say, "Oh yeaaaaaaaah!" and have no problems at all.

2] The chart is tricky when you begin working the floating stitches on row 149. Pay close attention. You'll be making two floating stitches out of one using the first stitch of the previous floating stitch for one, and the second stitch of the previous floating stitches to make the other. You'll always be reading the previous right side row while working your current right side row. You need to know where those previous floating stitches were made to see which direction they will be travelling when you make the current ones.

3] Pray like you've never prayed before...and if you don't pray, it doesn't hurt to take it up. Heck, make up a knitting Goddess or God to pray to. You'll be glad you did.

4] Don't shoot the messenger. [this means me] I'm trying to explain this the best way I know how...if you don't comprehend it, I'm sorry.

In other news, I have managed to finish all the pairs of socks I had lingering on my needles. [insert high-five here] I am doing really well in keeping with my new year's resolutions.

Since I was bed-ridden and snotty, I started on another couple of pairs to make for friends.

These are for G. He seems to love my socks, so I cast on another pair for him.


He also reads my blog now, hence the need to tamper with the photo. I don't want him to know what they look like until he can see them in person. That, and I just love being a total brat.

The other pair are for another friend, M, whom requested a pair. Gosh, they seem to be coming out of the woodwork, don't they? She doesn't read my blog, so it's safe to post the real beginnings to these socks.


Next, I hope to finally cast on for my first pair socks using hand-dyed sock yarn...perhaps STR, or Lorna's...hmmmm, decisions, decisions.

Have a good one.

Keep On Knitting...

5 comments:

Marlene said...

Thanks for the detailed "help file" for the Dragone shawl Michelle. I hope I remember it is here, and how to find it, if I ever get around to actually making it.

I'm having a rather interesting weekend "Beta Testing" the newest edition of Sock Wizard to find gliches before it hits the market. Today's "test" is to knit a heel from the program. My assignment is a "Next Step heel" on dpns. Should be fun.

dragon knitter said...

i will most definitely be keeping this post in mind when i DO buy the dragone shawl pattern. you know i gotta have it, lol

Lisa said...

Glad to hear you are on track with the shawl. Man, you have so much patience!

Michelle said...

Marlene: You're welcome. I just hope that I don't confuse more than I help [wink] I'll put a link in my sidebar with the tips so it'll be easily found.

Minnie: I'm surprised you haven't started knitting it yet, but you're always so busy, I'm surprised you find the time to sleep! [g]

Lisa: I unfortunately have the patience of a gnat. LOL I'm just tenacious.

Anonymous said...

I'm waiting for you to finish your Dragone before I start mine I think, so I can take full advantage of all these tips ;)
Well that and the fact that I have two yarn choice, one 1200yds and one about 1700yds, so I'm waiting to see how much yarn you use!