What it is March 1, 2017 already! Boy time does fly when one is having fun, and by fun I mean applying for Canadian Pension Plan and Social Security (arrrgh) plus preparing for my 2016 taxes for two countries (double arrrgh). Then there was a trip to Los Angeles and a cruise from there to three ports of call along the Pacific coast of Mexico (yeah). Finally those kittens, Mike and Mara aka M&M, fill up tons of time. (photos of them later, they are growing) But that's not to say knitting hasn't been taking place while I have been away.
For example, I have been working on a shawl designed by Sylvia McFadden called Waiting for Rain. There is a personal story behind this selection, with three related segments.
When I returned from Minneapolis in December my friend, Jami, had purchased a shawl pattern book for me, Shawl Joy. The book includes patterns to make six different shaped shawls, including triangular, circular and square. Some use worsted and aran weight yarn, some use lace and fingering yarn so there was plenty of opportunity to clear my stash, one of my goals for 2017. It was the perfect gift, thanks again Jami.
Jami teaches writing among other things and the introduction to the book was so well written I suspected the author, Sylvia McFadden, had been a student of Jami's. On that count I was wrong; Jami selected it because Sylvia is a local designer and the shawls were pretty. She was right on both counts.
At the end of 2016, Ravelry, the online community for knitters mentioned here often, announced the most sold pattern for year. That pattern was Waiting for Rain! Here's what the designer said about the design.
To date nearly 2,500 projects using this pattern have been posted on Ravelry, leaving those of us who are more voyeuristic out of the count. Once I put that information together with Shawl Joy I knew Waiting for Rain would be the first in the book for me to make.
In January the itch to take a class at my LYS needed to be scratched. Lo and behold they were holding a class lead by Sylvia McFadden helping us knit Waiting for Rain. It would be fun to take the class from the designer who sold the most patterns on Ravelry last year. Questions about what that was like could be answered. I signed up and scoured the stash for just the right combination. Oh, I forgot to mention, I intended to make the short-rows of lace in a different colour, something like this:
For clarification the pinkish colours are the short rows done all the way across the shawl. There was a pattern, a plan and a yarn idea. I was ready for the class. More in Part II.
For example, I have been working on a shawl designed by Sylvia McFadden called Waiting for Rain. There is a personal story behind this selection, with three related segments.
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| Photo by Softsweater Knit |
When I returned from Minneapolis in December my friend, Jami, had purchased a shawl pattern book for me, Shawl Joy. The book includes patterns to make six different shaped shawls, including triangular, circular and square. Some use worsted and aran weight yarn, some use lace and fingering yarn so there was plenty of opportunity to clear my stash, one of my goals for 2017. It was the perfect gift, thanks again Jami.
Jami teaches writing among other things and the introduction to the book was so well written I suspected the author, Sylvia McFadden, had been a student of Jami's. On that count I was wrong; Jami selected it because Sylvia is a local designer and the shawls were pretty. She was right on both counts.
At the end of 2016, Ravelry, the online community for knitters mentioned here often, announced the most sold pattern for year. That pattern was Waiting for Rain! Here's what the designer said about the design.
This striking shawl features a unique short row/lace combination that hadn't ever been seen on Ravelry before. The outpouring of love and support for that pattern has been the most heartwarming response to my creative work, and I am forever grateful.
To date nearly 2,500 projects using this pattern have been posted on Ravelry, leaving those of us who are more voyeuristic out of the count. Once I put that information together with Shawl Joy I knew Waiting for Rain would be the first in the book for me to make.
In January the itch to take a class at my LYS needed to be scratched. Lo and behold they were holding a class lead by Sylvia McFadden helping us knit Waiting for Rain. It would be fun to take the class from the designer who sold the most patterns on Ravelry last year. Questions about what that was like could be answered. I signed up and scoured the stash for just the right combination. Oh, I forgot to mention, I intended to make the short-rows of lace in a different colour, something like this:
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| Photo by rishnna on Ravelry |
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