| Archive for The Potting Shed A forum to discuss Crafts, Cooking, Gardening, Countryside, Livestock and Pets |
| Libby |
Forest Canopy ShawlI know Jacky reckons I can do this but....................
this is as far as I've got, I've already undone it once and counting the stitches I need to undo again as I keep losing one or two  the thing is I don't know where! 
so heaven help me if it gets any bigger |
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| Jacky |
You are going to knit 2 knit stitches either side of a middle stitch (goes down the centre of the shawl) these k2 x 2 makes the top straight edge. With a yarn over (middle) knit stitch and then another yarn over (k2 edge again), the pattern will build up in between/either side of the middle yo k1 yo, so that you get something like this (if you read the pattern and my gobbledegoop instructions it should make sense):
k2 ***** yo k1 (middle stitch) yo ***** k2 the star bits get bigger and bigger the alternate row is k2 purl k2 (from memory) Keep going you will be fine or ring me 
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| Cabbagepatch |
Libby, it looks to me as though you are making excellent progress.....
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| nanny-now and forever |
looks good so far
nearly what? 5 stitches better than i could do |
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| Kathy |
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| Libby |
groan, I am going to swap back to some sock yarn and see if thats any better. I think I need some lace weight knitting needles to knit the lace yarn!
I had decided to knit the shawl in the daylight and the socks at night. I started to knit the socks last night and went wrong with that too. So they all got shoved in my bag
Stupid knitting 
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| Jacky |
Sorry to laugh at your expense but this did make me giggle. However on a more helpful note, are you passing the end of my road this afternoon (T college)? If you would like how about popping in and I help you out. Or I could cast on and take pictures of the rows as I do them, would that help? I cast on the socks last night and have done a few rows of the rib.
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| Libby |
No I'm not picking up today!
I will go up to the sock yarn, its a bit thicker and I think I may get on better with it, I will keep you posted!! Got to do boring housework first 
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| Libby |
Stopped boring housework now!!
Wound a skein of wool, needles at the ready, tongue in cheek and......... wer'e off again
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| Libby |
oh yes
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| Libby |
Having taken this
I am now doing this 
and I can see where I was going wrong. First of all I need some decent needles to knit lace weight yarn and secondly, its easier with 4ply
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| polgara |
I have to ask, but is there a pattern for this shawl please. 
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| Libby |
Sorry about not getting back earlier. You can get the pattern here:-
http://ma2ut.blogspot.com/2006/09/forest-canopy-shoulder-shawl.html |
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| polgara |
That is really pretty, thanks. may get to it at some time as I have a list of things to knit before the end of the year celebrations 
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| Libby |
Have done no more to this at the weekend too busy with family and in the garden!
I found it alot easier with the sock wool, but it is totally wrong colour for T to wear with her dress. Whereas the lace wool is perfect. Does anyone know if there is such a thing as lace knitting needles, with better points? |
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| Jacky |
This is maybe what you are looking for ...
http://www.getknitted.com/acatalog/Addi_Lace_Needles.html I may be going tomorrow, and if you would like a set and I do pop in, would you like me to pick you up One? Size? (Length and mm's). In Bristol for P's singing exam. Poppy picked this stole from the list I had choose. As I said in a previous thread, I already had the yarn, just needed a quick visit to Hobbycraft for the beads to match. I have made a start and knitted 9 rows and already used approximately 138 beads I really needed size 6/0 but could only buy 8/0's so sometimes the crochet hook dosen't fit in all the holes, so I may have to buy another packet or two.
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| Libby |
The stole is beautiful Jacky!
Yes please if you do pop in for the needles. What ever I need for the FCS
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| Libby |
I hate this pattern!!!
Don't get me wrong it is actually an easy pattern, knit, purl, yarn over, psso etc. I just can't seem to hold the pattern in my head. I can't do anything else whilst I do this, I usually watch TV or chat to peeps! Currently I knit two correct rows then after that I always seem to go wrong and have to undo a complete row and possibly one of the successful ones as well!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRR I will not be beaten
meanwhile over at the socks............................ |
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| Libby |
I had a passing visitor yesterday, who came armed with lace knitting needles (thank you Jacky and P) I shall be trying them this weekend
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| Jacky |
You are very welcome, it was lovely to meet you all - you have a lovely family, home, area
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| Libby |
These are the needles Jacky got for me in Bristol. I have never knitted with this type before so it has been interesting.
Click to see full size image Using my lace weight yarn I cast on and did the pattern set up bit. It is easy with these needles, they are so pointy. I then proceeded onto the main part of the pattern row 1: fine and dandy, row 2: also fine row 3: I appear to have gained some stiches, so undid back to the beginning of the row and tried again, nope still not right, so undid back to row 1 and started again
anyway I love the needles and ended up getting so angry I undid the lot 
I will not be beaten on this, I shall try again, maybe later!!!!! |
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| Libby |
 mutter, mutter, mutter
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| Kathy |
You can do it Libby!
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| Libby |
shhhhhh! don't tell anyone, I have done one complete pattern rows 1 - 8 with no extra stitches
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| Jacky |
A very big well done
Which set of needles (ends) are the best? Have you still got one of each, or have you changed to the same now?
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| Libby |
I'm on the silver pair although I prefer the coloured pair, but I can see the stitches better on the silver ones!!!
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| Kathy |
 Well done Libby!
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| Libby |
I was supposed to be doing some more yesterday and didn't
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| Libby |
Just so you can see I am actually knitting something!
Click to see full size image I have now done 3 full pattern repeats 
Click to see full size image
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| Lizzie |
Good grief - I'm not surprised you've been having a spot of bother with it - that looks really tricky (but beautiful). | ||
| Kathy |
That looks beautiful Libby, well done you for sticking with it. 
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| Cabbagepatch |
It looks ok, don't really understand what all the fuss is about.......
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| Libby |
you will when I've finished
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| Libby |
disaster i went wrong and tried to undo but it wouldn't and the wool broke and I couldn't work out where I was, so it all came off and I start again tomorrow
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| Cabbagepatch |
Libby, you have my complete admiration. I would have had a tantrum and chucked the whole lot on the woodburner by now!!! | ||
| Libby |
I really want to do this, I have always wanted to do lace knitting and I am quite determined. As I am so tired it is something I can do sitting down, so no excuses. | ||
| Kathy |
I'm like that Libby, once I decide on something I HAVE to keep going till it's done! You'll find that the more you keep doing it the easier it'll get, till eventually you'll be a super duper lace knitter.
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| Libby |
RIGHT!!!!
I have done the base pattern and two pattern repeats! I am saying no more in case I jinx myself!!
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| Jacky |
How about putting in a 'life line', scroll down a bit and there is a little video on how to do it.
It just means the more stitches you have on the needle and hopefully you won't go wrong but if you do, you can go back to the 'life line' and not all the way back to the beginning. You are a star for carrying on
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| Libby |
Oh brilliant, I am going to potter outside for a bit, then come back in and knit some more so will do it then as I am at the end of a patterrn repeat
See you learn something new everyday!
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| Libby |
I put in the lifeline and used it and it works another 2 pattern repeats done
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| Kathy |
well done Libby, I'm looking forward to having time for my knitting again! | ||
| Libby |
I haven't done any for 2 days, but I will today, once I've got my choores out of the way!
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| Libby |
I haven't picked this up for awhile but am inspired after seeing Jacy's yesterday! She is doing one of these with beads in and it is beautiful!!! Have to see if we can get her to post pics as I forgot to take some yesterday!
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| Jacky |
I will but the light is dipping now so I will do it over the next couple of days
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| Jacky |
My FCS - up to 215 stitches on the needle, the yarn is unnamed, but is very very soft, so I am sure it has either baby Alpaca or cashmere in
A little blurry close up of beads, I have used Toho Beads No. 6 Bronze and I use the crochet method of attaching the beads on: 
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| Libby |
beautiful, beautiful. The top pic is closest to the colour.
I haven't picked mine up for ages
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| Jacky |
You are right about the colour, and the yarn is called Pillar Box Red or for my purpose very Poppy coloured
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| Libby |
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| Libby |
I did quite a bit at mums, I also undid quite a bit too, so I think its about even. If I'm tired I make silly mistakes or if someone is with me I lose count
I was using this as something to do sitting down in the afternoon, but I am being naughty and pushing myself in the garden as it looks a right mess so not alot of knitting going on currently. Rain is forecast so if I get the greenhouse jobs done today I can knit tomorrow
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| Libby |
Over the last month I have knitted quite a bit. I always take it up to mums with me (showing off ) But when I looked at it I realised I had made a major mistake, now me being me would have left it, but Jacky has eagle eyes and would have spotted it at 100 paces so I had to undo it, beyond my lifeline, and ended undoing(frogging) 16+ rows!!
So I shall pick it up and get going again and will do pics shortly. Just thought I ought to let you know I am still trying to do this!!!!!!!! |
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| Kathy |
Well done Libby, my Gran was a great believer in that old chestnut, "If at first you don't succeed"..........................
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| Libby |
It has gone  taken off the needles by Jacky to be honest she found a fault another 10 rows or so earlier, I had already undone 16 so we decided enough was enough!
but I do not give up, I am going to give this pattern another go in a slightly heavier weight wool until I can get the hang of the pattern, I still have to read the pattern Jacky just looks at it and knows where she is 
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| Libby |
its going well and if I had a camera, I would take a photo!
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| Kathy |
Still going well Libby? | ||
| Libby |
yes and I will dig out the camera to show you how well
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