Facets - Finished!

 

I had finished up the body while down in Florida, so after I finished up my test knit and had that shawl blocking I pulled this out and began working on the border.  Two days and about 20000 stitches later I did my I-cord bind off and finished up the neck edge.

There are several options for how to wear this one.

I really like the blocking photo because it shows off the lace so well.  The only place that I pinned it was across the opening.  I just patted and smoothed it into place.

Even though this was taken in mixed natural/artificial light and used the flash I think it actually captures the colors quite well.

Pattern:  TBD
Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Kiri in Monarchy
Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

 

Facets - Body Done

I also took this project along to work on while visiting family.  My sister-in-law and my step-daughter both knit, so the three of us spend most of the visit knitting.  I got my step-daughter into knitting several years ago and still provide technical advice when she needs it, but mostly she figures things out on her own.  We did do a little cable surgery while I was there - she had a miss-crossed cable that needed fixing - so I did a demonstration for the two of them.

Now that I've finished up my test knit I can start the border on this one.  Coincidentally it turns out that the stitches I will pick up on the sides is almost exactly the same number as the live stitches on the bottom of the front and back.  That was not planned, at all.


Pattern:  TBD
Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Kiri in Monarchy
Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Facets - Skein 1 of Side 2 Done

For the past couple of days I've been focused exclusively on my Ambah Advent wrap, trying to get all caught up, which I am.  I had gotten through most of the first skein of the second side of Facets last week, and finished it up this evening.

I really need to get back to my test knit though, and I can't keep up with my other Advent calendars, so I'm thinking of saving them for the new year.

Pattern:  TBD
Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Kiri in Monarchy
Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Facets - One Side Done

I finished up one side last night and picked up the stitches to start the other side, after placing my live stitches from the first side onto a stitch holder.  I did a crochet cast on, which provides a nice edge for picking up stitches in.  I picked up 66 stitches, cast on 65 stitches (skipping 65 stitches) and then picked up another 66 stitches to get my 197 stitches.

This is a picture of the crochet cast on I did for the second side.  You can see all the loops that look very similar to the loops you get when you slip stitches.  I picked up my stitches just under those two loops.  It guaranteed that my stitches, and more importantly my lace pattern, will line up exactly across the two sides - no half-stitch offset you will get with provisional cast ons.  You can't quite see it in the picture below, but trust me, they line up perfectly.

I also like the back side of this pick up.  It lays very flat and does not add much bulk.

In fact it is hard to see in this picture.

I'm also really loving this pink speckle.  It is just so scrumptious.

Pattern:  TBD
Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Kiri in Monarchy
Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Facets - One Skein Done

I was playing around with one of my other 12 skein sets and decided to cast on another design.  Technically, I suppose this could be called a poncho, but that just is not elegant enough, so I will have to come up with another name.  Maybe Tabard.

This is the set.  I'm using the same lace pattern as the Easy Bias Lace shawl, because it is an easy lace pattern, and I like the way it looks.  I had started out with another lace pattern, but it just wasn't right, so this weekend I ripped back and started over and I've already knit up one skein and a fair bit of another.

One side will be the purple speckle plus the three purple skeins.  The other side will be the pink speckle and three of the four red skeins.  I'll use the three yellow skeins as a border around the whole thing, going from darkest to lightest, ending with the yellow speckle.  The darkest red skein will be used for an I-cord bind off.  I'll also pick up stitches around the neck-line and work an I-cord there as well.

Pattern:  TBD
Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Kiri in Monarchy
Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)