Craftvent 2016 - Day 24

On Christmas Eve we drove down to Florida to spend Christmas with Bruce's family and I completely forgot to look in the final drawer of my Craftvent Calendar.  I realized that I had forgotten yesterday on the drive back, so this morning I opened it.  The final drawer held blocking pins, another useful item that one can never have too many of.  And here are pictures of the final shawl.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Color 3 - Lorna’s Laces Solemate in Pewter
Color 4 - Sweet Georgia Touch Love Sock in Ultraviolet
Color 5 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Jakey
Color 6 - Koigu KPM in 2405
Color 7 - Anzula Squishy in Aqua
Color 8 - madelinetosh BFL Sock in Fathom
Color 9 - Swans Island Fingering - Ikat Collection in Firefly Stonewall
Color 10 - Mrs. Crosby Satchel in Sunset Regatta
Color 11 - Dream in Color Smooshy in Tranquil
Color 12 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Moon Purple
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 - Day 23

Today there was a sample of the wool wash soak.  I use this for my knitted items.  This one is fig scented.  I usually get unscented soaps, and they would be smart to offer an unscented option on these sorts of things.  There were several comments on the forum thread regarding the scented hand balm.

My shawl is already finished and blocked.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Color 3 - Lorna’s Laces Solemate in Pewter
Color 4 - Sweet Georgia Touch Love Sock in Ultraviolet
Color 5 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Jakey
Color 6 - Koigu KPM in 2405
Color 7 - Anzula Squishy in Aqua
Color 8 - madelinetosh BFL Sock in Fathom
Color 9 - Swans Island Fingering - Ikat Collection in Firefly Stonewall
Color 10 - Mrs. Crosby Satchel in Sunset Regatta
Color 11 - Dream in Color Smooshy in Tranquil
Color 12 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Moon Purple
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 - Day 21

The drawer contained Color 12 today.  It is Manos Del Uruguay Fino in Amethyst Earring.  It is a single ply.  I really don't like working with single ply yarns - they are underspun and weak.  They already had one single ply in the collection, Color 10, which I did use, but I really didn't want to be binding off with and placing beads with a tiny steel crochet hook on a single ply.  I also did not want to be playing yarn chicken.  So I substituted some Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Moon Purple.

This allowed me to finish the wrong side row, where I joined the Serenity 20 to Color 11, work another repeat of the lattice pattern, as called for, and the picot bind-off.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Color 3 - Lorna’s Laces Solemate in Pewter
Color 4 - Sweet Georgia Touch Love Sock in Ultraviolet
Color 5 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Jakey
Color 6 - Koigu KPM in 2405
Color 7 - Anzula Squishy in Aqua
Color 8 - madelinetosh BFL Sock in Fathom
Color 9 - Swans Island Fingering - Ikat Collection in Firefly Stonewall
Color 10 - Mrs. Crosby Satchel in Sunset Regatta
Color 11 - Dream in Color Smooshy in Tranquil
Color 12 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Moon Purple
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 - Day 19

Color 11 was in the drawer today.  This color is used for Section 3/Clue 4, which is a lattice pattern.  I liked the instructions for this color - repeat the 2 rows until color 11 runs out.

This section went quickly.  I still have 0.7 grams of this color left.  I'll join Color 12 to it and work a wrong side row and then probably begin the bind off.  The instructions call for repeating the 2 rows once more with Color 12 and then working the bind off, but I've made my shawl larger by using up all of my yarn, and I don't want to run out during the bind off.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Color 3 - Lorna’s Laces Solemate in Pewter
Color 4 - Sweet Georgia Touch Love Sock in Ultraviolet
Color 5 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Jakey
Color 6 - Koigu KPM in 2405
Color 7 - Anzula Squishy in Aqua
Color 8 - madelinetosh BFL Sock in Fathom
Color 9 - Swans Island Fingering - Ikat Collection in Firefly Stonewall
Color 10 - Mrs. Crosby Satchel in Sunset Regatta
Color 11 - Dream in Color Smooshy in Tranquil
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 - Day 18

No yarn in the drawer today - hot chocolate mix instead.  I will admit to being a hot chocolate snob.  I guy Godiva Hot Chocolate powder and of course use milk.  I also dose my hot chocolate with Godiva Chocolate Liquor.  I also dose my milk shakes with Godiva Chocolate Liquor.  Yum.  These packets do have a purpose in my life though. Say you are out somewhere, at a meeting, or staying in a hotel, and you just can't get the boiling water you need to brew a proper cup of tea (Maggie Smith has a wonderful tirade on the need for boiling water to brew a proper cup of tea in the Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel that I completely identify with) - mix a packet of hot chocolate mix with coffee.  It turns even an indifferent coffee into something palatable.

I did finish knitting Section 2/Clue 3, using up all of the first 10 skeins.

I just had enough of skein 10 to work the 4 rows called for because I had added an extra repeat of Section 1/Clue 2 using colors 9 and 10.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Color 3 - Lorna’s Laces Solemate in Pewter
Color 4 - Sweet Georgia Touch Love Sock in Ultraviolet
Color 5 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Jakey
Color 6 - Koigu KPM in 2405
Color 7 - Anzula Squishy in Aqua
Color 8 - madelinetosh BFL Sock in Fathom
Color 9 - Swans Island Fingering - Ikat Collection in Firefly Stonewall
Color 10 - Mrs. Crosby Satchel in Sunset Regatta
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 - Day 17

The drawer contained Color 10 today, so I was able to finish up Section 1/Clue 2 and move on to Section 2/Clue 3.  I did add an extra repeat of Section 1/Clue 2 using colors 9 and 10.

I then carried 9 up the side while I worked the first repeat of Section 2/Clue 3 so I wouldn't have to weave that end in.  I worked the 4 rows in Color 10 and cut that yarn and then worked them in Color 9.  I used up all of Color 9 and Color 8, which wasn't really hard.  When I got to Color 7 I realized that I would be able to work several extra rows in order to use up all of the yarn.  At first I thought about just working extra garter stitch rows after the eyelet row, but after some experimentation I decided that it looked better if I centered the eyelet row in the extra rows.  In order to do that I weighed the remains of the yarn at the beginning and end of a row to determine how many rows I could work.  I figure the yarn usage per row is not going to change very much over the relatively few number of rows that I'll be working in any one color.  I then tried to put the eyelet row in the middle.  Here I've worked through Color 6 - well almost.  I have a little bit more of Color 6 to go, but you get the idea.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Color 3 - Lorna’s Laces Solemate in Pewter
Color 4 - Sweet Georgia Touch Love Sock in Ultraviolet
Color 5 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Jakey
Color 6 - Koigu KPM in 2405
Color 7 - Anzula Squishy in Aqua
Color 8 - madelinetosh BFL Sock in Fathom
Color 9 - Swans Island Fingering - Ikat Collection in Firefly Stonewall
Color 10 - Mrs. Crosby Satchel in Sunset Regatta
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 - Day 16

Color 9 was in the drawer today.  I was a little worried when I pulled out the mini skein, it was smaller than the other ones I have received, but the yarn is also thinner than the other ones I have worked with, so the yardage is close.

I finished up the knitting last night, but just didn't feel like taking a picture and blogging.  This finishes up Section 1/Clue 2 per the pattern.  At this point the pattern calls for starting Section 2/Clue 3 with Color 10.  This is a section of eyelet rows.  I'm going to work one more repeat of Section 1/Clue 2 with Color 10 and then start the eyelet section.  I will then work my way back through all of the skeins, including Color 9, which is currently not used in Section 2/Clue 3, using up each of the colors as I go by working plain rows between the eyelet sections.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Color 3 - Lorna’s Laces Solemate in Pewter
Color 4 - Sweet Georgia Touch Love Sock in Ultraviolet
Color 5 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Jakey
Color 6 - Koigu KPM in 2405
Color 7 - Anzula Squishy in Aqua
Color 8 - madelinetosh BFL Sock in Fathom
Color 9 - Swans Island Fingering - Ikat Collection in Firefly Stonewall
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 - Day 14

I didn't post yesterday, but there was yarn in the drawer, madelinetosh BFL Sock in Fathom.  I didn't knit the color up yesterday either.  I was distracted by other yarn and another project.  I did knit it up this morning though.

Here is the latest progress shot.  And a close up to show the colors.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Color 3 - Lorna’s Laces Solemate in Pewter
Color 4 - Sweet Georgia Touch Love Sock in Ultraviolet
Color 5 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Jakey
Color 6 - Koigu KPM in 2405
Color 7 - Anzula Squishy in Aqua
Color 8 - madelinetosh BFL Sock in Fathom
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 - Day 13

There was yarn today - some very yummy Anzula Squishy in Aqua.  One of the fun things about this project is the chance to try out yarns that I've never used before - as if I need more favorites to tempt me.  I think I will modify the pattern just a little to use up all of the skeins when I start the next section.  It will probably mean that my color changes won't be at the ends of the rows, but that is okay with me.

I'm all caught up with the knitting.  There are three more colors to go before I start the next section.  I had to use the flash to take the picture, so it isn't the greatest, but you can see the way the colors are progressing.

I ended up falling asleep on my daybed last night, and when I got up to go to bed for real I decided to go ahead and block my Dragon Tooth Shawlette.  I did take a blocking photo, again with the flash, but I'll wait to post until I can get some beauty shots.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Color 3 - Lorna’s Laces Solemate in Pewter
Color 4 - Sweet Georgia Touch Love Sock in Ultraviolet
Color 5 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Jakey
Color 6 - Koigu KPM in 2405
Color 7 - Anzula Squishy in Aqua
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 - Day 11

There was yarn in the drawer today - color 6 - so I was able to complete another repeat of Section 1.  I was disappointed to find a knot in my mini skein of Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20.  I didn't feel like dealing with it, so I didn't.  I left it in.  I don't usually leave knots in my knitting, but with the texture of this one I figured it wouldn't be noticeable.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Color 3 - Lorna’s Laces Solemate in Pewter
Color 4 - Sweet Georgia Touch Love Sock in Ultraviolet
Color 5 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Jakey
Color 6 - Koigu KPM in 2405
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 - Day 10

Today there was yarn in the drawer so I was able to get back to knitting, as well as a card with some good advice - 'tis the season for giving.  Each section consists of 10 rows of 2 colors alternating every 2 rows, so each new color allows me to work one more section, as well as the first 2 rows of the next section.  Once I get to color 10 I'll start using the colors in the reverse order.  Colors 11 and 12 are reserved for the end.

The yarn today is one of my favorites, Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20.  I have at least 60 skeins in my stash. A lot of those skeins are singletons, but I also have a handful or two of  2 or 3 skeins of the same color.

I did try the Spiced Apple Cider mix this morning, and it was actually pretty good.  I am always dubious of powdered drink mixes like these, but I was pleasantly surprised.  I think it has a lot of sugar in it though - it had 80 calories for one little cup.

On another note, my camera is working again.  Turns out the battery died.  It uses a lithium-ion rechargeable battery and when I pulled it out I could see that it had popped.  The case did not rupture, but it was bulging slightly.  Pretty good battery design.  Lithium-ion batteries can be very dangerous, as we've seen in the news.  In my business we actually have a battery safety program that all of our batteries have to go through - a series of safety and lifecycle tests to qualify them for use in our applications.  I ordered a replacement and once it was charged up I installed it and the camera started working again.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Color 3 - Lorna’s Laces Solemate in Pewter
Color 4 - Sweet Georgia Touch Love Sock in Ultraviolet
Color 5 - Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in Jakey
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 Day 7

Day 7 brought color 4, Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock in Ultraviolet, and a card with a suggestion I would have liked to have followed, but I had to work 11 hours today instead.  I still managed to get the knitting done, though

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Color 3 - Lorna’s Laces Solemate in Pewter
Color 4 - Sweet Georgia Touch Love Sock in Ultraviolet
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 Day 6

Color 3 was in the drawer today, along with a card with a few more rows of the pattern instruction.  The yarn is Lorna's Laces Solemate in Pewter.  And here is the progress thus far.

With all of the color changes, there are lots of ends to weave in, and the pattern suggests weaving them in as you go.  I took that advice to heart.  All my ends are woven in.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Color 3 - Lorna’s Laces Solemate in Pewter
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 Day 4

I almost forgot to open the drawer this morning, but when I did, there was the second ball of yarn, and a card with useful knitting definitions on it.  I also noticed a slip of paper peaking out of the center of the ball.  I gave it a little tug and low and behold, there was the yarn information!  Sweet!  Not having that information was really bothering me.  How was I supposed to set up a project page on Ravelry?  I pulled the first ball out of the project bag, poked a finger into the center of the ball and fished out the slip of paper that was hiding in there.  It looks to be printed on that thermal paper sometimes used for credit card receipts.

And here is the shawl knitted as far as I can go without color 3.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight
Color 2 - Baah La Jolla in Maldives
Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Craftvent 2016 - Day 3

Yay!  Today there was yarn in the drawer, and a card with the gauge.  I didn't bother with a gauge swatch.  Unfortunately, there is no information on what the yarn is, other than that it is fingering.

This is as far as I can go today, though, without the second color.  Hopefully that will be in the drawer for tomorrow.

Pattern:  2016 Craftvent Shawl by Rachel Roden of Unraveled Designs and Yarn
Yarn:
Color 1 - MJ Yarns Sophistisock in Cerulean Twilight

Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)