Lacy Business - Finished!

I finished this up yesterday morning and blocked it.  I did learn a few things.  I did not maintain the spine when I switched to the lace section, and I think I should have.  It looks fine as it is, but the blocking would have probably been a little easier.  I also did a second repeat of the lace pattern, which I really like.  I think it balances the colors better than a single repeat.  I do love this shawl shape.  I’m going to have to try my hand at designing one.  I also think that cashmere tends to pill.  I noticed fiber coming off on my hands when I was blocking, and I’ve noticed that with other fingering weight yarns that have cashmere in them.

I’ve been on mandatory telework since this past Friday.  I resisted going on telework, but now that I’m doing it I find that I like it.  I am an introvert by nature, and only pretend to be an extrovert at work.  But that pretending is pretty tiring.  Now that I don’t have to pretend any more I find I have more energy and my stress level is down.  It’s going to be hard going back to the office after this is all over.  I’m also getting more knitting done because I can knit while reviewing documents and while on telecons without worrying about anyone taking exception to it.

Pattern:  Lacy Business by Ambah O’Brien

Yarn:  Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere in True to Life and Time Away

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Lacy Business -Take Two

I had started the solid C2 section when I decided that I wanted to switch my colors.  It seemed to me that the lace border would look better in the solid color as opposed to the variegated skein, so I ripped all the way back and started over.  I am almost done with the eyelet section, just 12 more rows to go and then I will be working the lace.  I recharted the lace, keeping the increases the same as established in the main body of the shawl and also flipping the lace chart so that it will be symmetrical around the center spine.

Pattern:  Lacy Business by Ambah O’Brien

Yarn:  Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere in True to Life and Time Away

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Lacy Business - Cast On

I picked this yarn up from The Loopy Ewe last November.  I was cruising the Dream in Color yarns, because I do love color, and spotted them and knew they just had to be knit up into a shawl together.  When Ambah released Lacy Business I knew that they would be perfect for it.  I have had them sitting out since then, and had caked them up a couple of weeks ago, so last weekend I cast on.

I did make some modifications to the pattern, which is one reason why it took me a little while to get started.  The original pattern used knit-front-back stitches for the increases.  I wanted to use yarn overs where ever possible.  The original pattern also has increases on both right and wrong sides on the edges.  I wanted to keep all of my increases on the right side only.  I decided to start and end my rows with k2, (k, yo, k) into next stitch, reversing that at the end.  I also worked the center increase as k1, yo, k1.  In order to make this work from the beginning I cast on nine stitches and knit one row before beginning the pattern.  With the exception of the eyelet rows, by wrong side rows are knit.  For the eyelet rows I work k3, (yo, ask) to center stitch, k1, (k2tog, yo) to last three stitches, k3.  My modifications mean that I end up with two more stitches than the pattern calls for at each of the check points, but I’m not concerned about that.  I’ll be making modifications to the lace pattern as well, when I get there.

Pattern:  Lacy Business by Ambah O’Brien

Yarn:  Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere in True to Life and Time Away

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)