When the Scale Is Your Friend

This summer I've been working on a new sample of my Streusel scarf pattern. It's one of those triangular scarves/shawls worked end-to-end, where the shape results from increases during the first half of the scarf and decreases during the second half. It's a simple construction and—since much of the knitting is garter stitch—you really only have to pay close attention when you're working the lace section of each row. That makes scarves like Streusel or shawls like Hop Brook very nice summer/travel knitting.

But there's a danger with this type of scarf or shawl: If you use up more than half your yarn during the increase section, you will run out of yarn before you get to the end of the decrease section. You'll have to rip back a long way. And that's pretty frustrating!

So here's where a scale is truly your friend: weigh your yarn at the outset. As you approach the midpoint of the scarf, start checking the weight of the remaining yarn. Be sure to start the decrease section before you've used up more than half your yarn.

For example, my skein of Periwinkle Sheep Delirium weighed 100 grams. I'd like to make my Streusel as long as possible, so I will knit the increase section until I have at least 52 or 53 grams left (I like to play it safe). Then I'll start the decrease section. That way, I won't run out at the other end of the scarf.

For these types of scarves/shawls, it's also a good idea to swatch—and to block your swatch—before you start the project. If your stitch and/or row gauge is significantly looser than the gauge the pattern states, you'll use more yarn and you might run out (because bigger stitches = more yarn).

Knitters sometimes think gauge doesn't matter in items where fit isn't crucial, but I think gauge matters pretty much always. It affects both your yardage as well as the finished look and feel of the blocked piece. If your gauge is much looser than the designer intended, your finished piece will not only be larger but the stitches may look sloppy, with little definition. The fabric might have so much drape that the scarf or cowl becomes limp and lifeless. If you like the appearance of the designer's sample but you need or want to substitute a different yarn, choose a yarn with a similar fiber content and be sure to swatch. If needed, change your needle size to get the same gauge.

I'm knitting Streusel with Delirium, a new yarn coming out soon from Periwinkle Sheep (I was lucky enough to get a skein in advance). Delirium seems pretty perfect for lace—my swatches with this merino/yak/nylon fingering weight yarn knit up and blocked beautifully. It's going to make its debut at Stitches Midwest, where Karin and her yarns will be at the Yarn Culture booth. If you're going to Stitches Midwest, stop by and tell her I said hello!

Giveaway Winners

Thanks to all who left a comment on my giveaway post about which you prefer for stitch patterns—charts or line-by-line written instructions. I was curious because, as a knitter, I prefer working from charts—and if a pattern doesn't provide one, I will get out graph paper and draw my own chart. But, as a designer, I nearly always include both, even though that adds to production time and is one extra thing the tech editor has to check for errors.

The majority of those who left a comment prefer charts. But quite a few knitters either work only from written instructions and/or prefer to have them as a reference along with the chart. That's helpful to know. Again, thanks to all of you who took the time to share your preferences.

On to the winners! The Random Number Generator selected Gini/birbinia and Caitlin/thinkTAnkgirl.

Congrats! I'll contact you both on Ravelry—or feel free to message me there.

The Yarn Over KAL is off to a great start, with Hop Brook, Erste, Bluet, and other lace patterns in progress. My own Streusel is going well—I'm loving this new Periwinkle Sheep Delirium yarn more and more (it's fingering weight merino/yak/nylon).

The KAL continues through May 29. Projects finished and posted by then are eligible for several lovely prizes, including Quince & Co. Chickadee yarn. I hope you'll join us!

Triple Happiness: Yarn Over KAL, Lace Sale, and Giveaway

The Yarn Over KAL starts today! Will you join us? We've got some great prizes, including pretty yarns and an eye pillow from my Etsy shop (the winner gets to choose which design they'd like). It continues through May 29, so there's plenty of time to knit something large or small. You can cast on anytime between now and then.

For this KAL, I'm working on two different projects. One is a new design, an asymmetrical lace shawl that I'm knitting in Louet Gems fingering:

It's coming along nicely and, fingers crossed, the pattern should be available before the KAL ends. The other project is a new sample of my Streusel scarf, which I just cast on this morning. The Periwinkle Sheep merino/silk that I first designed Streusel with has been discontinued, so this time around I'm using a brand-new yarn. It's a fingering weight merino/yak/nylon blend from Periwinkle Sheep that's wonderfully soft and seems perfectly suited for lace—it blocks out beautifully and has a lovely drape. This new yarn isn't in her Etsy shop yet, but Karin has announced on Facebook that some of it will be available at her open house next weekend.

I'm excited to be going back to an older pattern and knitting it again. I love that Streusel is completely reversible—there's no right or wrong side to worry about when you're wearing it. And the gentle shaping really appeals to me. The increases and decreases are spaced so that it grows in width (and then narrows again after the center point) very gradually. The end result is a light scarf rather than a bulky shawl—just right for spring and summer.

Streusel and my other lace patterns—not just scarves and shawls but socks, sweaters, hats, and mitts, too—are on sale through midnight tonight in my Ravelry pattern store. Save 20% on individual patterns with the coupon code YARNOVER (you can use the code as many times as you like).

Now . . .  on to the giveaway promised in the title of this post! This is an old-fashioned blog giveaway where all you have to do is leave a comment on this post (no liking or sharing or tagging on other social media required). Just answer the question: When you knit lace (or any kind of stitch pattern), which do you prefer to work from—charts or line-by-line written instructions? What makes you like one option better than the other?

Two winners will each receive a hand-embroidered lavender-chamomile sachet and a couple of cute owl stitch markers from Lavender Hill Knits. Lavender is a natural moth repellant—I keep sachets all over the house, in every closet, drawer, basket, or bin that contains wool. I've added a vintage lace ribbon so you can hang the sachet in a closet or anywhere you'd like a fresh herbal scent.

Leave your comment by Friday, April 29. I'll announce the winners next weekend. Please include your Ravelry username or email in your comment so I can get in touch with you if you are a winner. 

Good luck and happy knitting!

Beautiful Beginnings

The Blue Peninsula Neckwear KAL is off to a a great start—lots of beautiful projects are on the needles. Everyone's making good progress, especially on Hop Brook, which is probably the most popular pattern in the KAL. 

I'm really enjoying seeing the range of colors being used—and the yarns, too. It's always instructive and inspiring to see how a design works with different yarns. Today I thought I'd share just a few of the KAL project photos, with links to the knitters' project pages. 

Jenny's using a tonal sock yarn, Knit Picks Stroll, which is working really well for her Hop Brook (shown against a backdrop of her own beautiful weaving):

Another Missouri knitter, Elisabeth, is also using sock yarn (Classic Elite's Alpaca Sox) for her Hop Brook:

Connie's Hop Brook is knit in Twin Canyon Fingering from Lost City Knits:

And Brennee's Hop Brook is knit in her own hand-dyed yarn (End of the Row Yarns), a blend of alpaca, silk, and linen:

Other patterns are seeing some love, too, among them Streusel, Shallows, and Conklaree.

For her Streusel, Ruth has chosen Handmaiden Fine Yarn Sea Silk in the orchid colorway:

Susan is using the Periwinkle Sheep yarn she won in the Hulst KAL this summer for her Shallows cowl:

(I have a soft spot in my heart for this beautiful Atlantic colorway. It's the same one I used for my Hulst socks.)

And for her Conklaree, Dana is aiming for a bigger, cozier wrap by using a worsted weight yarn—Cascade 220 Heathers in the Crushed Grape colorway:

This "Gallery of Beautiful Beginnings" is just a peek at the KAL projects—see more using the hashtag #bpnk2015 on Instagram or Ravelry.

Friday, October 2 will be "Free Pattern Friday." Throughout the day I'll randomly award free patterns to posts in the KAL discussion thread. All you have to do is post (as often as you wish). 

The Blue Peninsula Neckwear KAL continues through October 15, and you can join anytime. At the end, yarn and other great prizes will be awarded to finished projects in the FO thread. Hope to see you!