Announcing project Rockefeller
Jun. 22nd, 2016 09:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
janestarzThis week I joined in a KAL -- a knit-along -- and since it's been a year since I did a proper knitting dressdiary, I might as well start with this one.
The wool for this project was in part a graduation gift for myself, so this will be the "Graduation Rockefeller", as a present to myself for finishing my education and getting my diploma. I'll keep the project name neutral though. Rockefeller is a large scarf designed by knitwear designer Stephen West, featuring short row wedges, large tracts of stockinette stitch, and cheeky stripes. It looks a bit like a piano....
The Yarn
The Malabrigo (left) was bought in February when I visited the Brei-and-Haakdagen with Anemoona. I had originally intended it for a scarf called "Green the Whole Year round", which was on display at the booth. But the person who knitted it has a tighter gauge than my own knitting hand, so I doubt I could have finished the shawl with the single skein I bought. The yarn is a beautiful hand-painted merino with subtle colour changes, and the shine in the picture is as pretty in real life. There's teal, blue and some green and purple floating in it, which makes the colour of each wedge a surprise.
I paired it up with Filcolana Anina from Colorways.nl, also a merino that is perfect for baby blankets and difficult skin. I've petted this yarn often in the past, and since I only needed three skeins for this shawl it was an affordable purchase. Since I wasn't sure about the navy blue or the natural white as my colour A, I bought three skeins of each.
The Malabrigo is just 60 meters too short for this shawl, so I will have to find some suitable solutions. The navy blue Anina does work, especially when separated from the Malabrigo by the natural white, so I will have fun deciding which colour to make each wedge.
Clue 1, Day 1
This was originally a Mystery KAL, and Clue One are the piano key wedges at the neckline. It involves short rows with wrap & turns like a sock heel and an I-cord edge on both sides. You guide both working yarns up alongside the I-cord on the long edge.
I cast on this afternoon and this is where I am currently:
Things I learned
- Knitting the outer I-cord (around the left bend in the picture) is tricky, because you need to really loosen your gauge. You can see the left edge at the top of the picture is far straighter than lower down towards the bottom. This is because my I-cord was too tight at first, and it kept the wedge from lying perfectly flat. I think I've got the trick now.
- People in the KAL are worried about which short-row technique they like best, and here I am, following the pattern blindly. But it's a familiar technique, so I'm comfortable with this wrap & turn.
- Sometimes you just stumble upon a wonderful skein of yarn. And even if you don't know exactly what to make of it... you'll have it on hand when someone shouts "KAL time! Great idea! Join in!" and you'll be happy you bought it. So hurrah! for impulse purchases.
Next up:
- Deciding which of the piano-key wedges need to be navy, and which ones to do in the lighter blue.
- Knitting 31 wedges.
The wool for this project was in part a graduation gift for myself, so this will be the "Graduation Rockefeller", as a present to myself for finishing my education and getting my diploma. I'll keep the project name neutral though. Rockefeller is a large scarf designed by knitwear designer Stephen West, featuring short row wedges, large tracts of stockinette stitch, and cheeky stripes. It looks a bit like a piano....
The Yarn
The Malabrigo (left) was bought in February when I visited the Brei-and-Haakdagen with Anemoona. I had originally intended it for a scarf called "Green the Whole Year round", which was on display at the booth. But the person who knitted it has a tighter gauge than my own knitting hand, so I doubt I could have finished the shawl with the single skein I bought. The yarn is a beautiful hand-painted merino with subtle colour changes, and the shine in the picture is as pretty in real life. There's teal, blue and some green and purple floating in it, which makes the colour of each wedge a surprise.
I paired it up with Filcolana Anina from Colorways.nl, also a merino that is perfect for baby blankets and difficult skin. I've petted this yarn often in the past, and since I only needed three skeins for this shawl it was an affordable purchase. Since I wasn't sure about the navy blue or the natural white as my colour A, I bought three skeins of each.
The Malabrigo is just 60 meters too short for this shawl, so I will have to find some suitable solutions. The navy blue Anina does work, especially when separated from the Malabrigo by the natural white, so I will have fun deciding which colour to make each wedge.
Clue 1, Day 1
This was originally a Mystery KAL, and Clue One are the piano key wedges at the neckline. It involves short rows with wrap & turns like a sock heel and an I-cord edge on both sides. You guide both working yarns up alongside the I-cord on the long edge.
I cast on this afternoon and this is where I am currently:
Things I learned
- Knitting the outer I-cord (around the left bend in the picture) is tricky, because you need to really loosen your gauge. You can see the left edge at the top of the picture is far straighter than lower down towards the bottom. This is because my I-cord was too tight at first, and it kept the wedge from lying perfectly flat. I think I've got the trick now.
- People in the KAL are worried about which short-row technique they like best, and here I am, following the pattern blindly. But it's a familiar technique, so I'm comfortable with this wrap & turn.
- Sometimes you just stumble upon a wonderful skein of yarn. And even if you don't know exactly what to make of it... you'll have it on hand when someone shouts "KAL time! Great idea! Join in!" and you'll be happy you bought it. So hurrah! for impulse purchases.
Next up:
- Deciding which of the piano-key wedges need to be navy, and which ones to do in the lighter blue.
- Knitting 31 wedges.
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Date: 2016-06-23 06:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-06-23 10:09 am (UTC)