Easy Peasy Knitting

Finally one of my "secret" knitting projects can be shown.   This is the shawl I whipped up for a friend who lost her mother.   The minute I heard, I knew that I would knit her a shawl.   This friend is a knitter from New England.   She understands the healing power of wool.   

A quick trip to the Sew & Quilt [and yarn] Shop, a couple of hanks of  Ella Rae Lace Merino Chunky  and I was good to go.   The first time I finished it, it was too small.   I ripped it out and re-knit it on bigger needles.   The new size was good but boring.   Another trip to S&Q  some knitting, some ripping,  more knitting & a little crochet and I had a border I liked.   She loved it.   I am so glad.

The pattern itself was so simple as to not merit a "real" pattern.   

So here it is, easy peasy:

I used three hanks of Ella Rae Lace Merino Chunky & US11 needles, but this pattern would work with any yarn.   Just remember to change your needle size to match your yarn.

Cast on 7 stitches

Row 1:   Knit front & back, knit to the last stitch, knit front & back.

Repeat row 1 (increasing in the first and last stitch) until you are happy with the size.   Remember to leave yourself enough yarn to cast off. 

Cast off using Judny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-off

PIck-up stitches along sides and bottom

Now, you have two choices, 

knit two rows and end with a picot bind-off

or you can do what I did:

using a corresponding crochet hook, crochet two rows and end with a picot edging.

Weave your ends & you are done.   I did not block it, but if the bottom curls, you may want to.

I started the first one at dinner on Thursday and finished it at dinner that Saturday.   The second took longer, but mostly because I had less attention to give it.   Even then, it only took a week.

I told myself I wouldn't, but then I did....

I told myself I would not knit/crochet the requested throw for our caring committee.    Before I got involved in this Comfort Shawl group, I kept one prayer/comfort shawl on the needles at a time.   I only worked on it at church, and the movies.   Once finished, washed, blocked, and donated, I would start another to continue the process.   Lately, however, I feel like the knitting for this group is taking up a lot more of my time than I have to give.

I have a pattern waiting for edits, one finished and waiting photos, and another one swirling around in my brain.   If I am going to make a business of my designs than I have to behave as though it is a business (At least, that is what I tell myself).   With that in mind, when asked if we could produce a throw, I said that I would ask around (I did not immediately say "Sure, I will get right on that").   I did find a volunteer.  Another blogger's color sense provided a stripe sequence.  A combination of shopping and stash diving produced the yarn (read more about all of that here).   I even put it all in a pretty basket.  That is about when I found out that I had misunderstood my volunteer.   She would rather sew the blanket.   Then, her life went crazy (as does happen), and I have not had the heart to remind her that she owes me a blanket.  Poop!

You can probably guess what happened next.   Last night, while watching Downton Abby (Did you see it?  Holy Moly!  Who saw that coming?), I started a giant granny square blanket.    Hopefully, it will go fast.