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Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Wedding Ghan, Scarf round 3, and Easter Cloth

Work in Progress Wed Post (links in sidebar)
This is the start, barely perhaps of the cotton cloth for March (Easter). Several problems right from the get go. The stitch/pattern is called basket rib. Well basket certainly seems appropriate for Easter and the colors sure look like Easter Eggs and Jelly Beans so that part works. However, started this with my Denise Needles which is how I discovered cotton and Denise needles don't play well together. There's no sliding, and do you see a pattern? No sure I do. Sometimes patterns don't show up well with variegated yarns; but perhaps the needle size is to large? Perhaps frogging and starting over with a smaller and metal needle (like I used with the other 6 cloths) is the way to go? This cloth is part of the Cotton Cloth Calendar Challenge for DD.
TaDah! Well yes I know that expression and a drum roll is usually reserved for when a project is completed. However, I feel whew.......finished the knitting the last strip (far right), and am joining using the mattress stitch. Well, this is a scheduled post, so perhaps thats done as you now read this? Anyway...the very last brown square on the last strip gave me fits. I frogged it 4 times. Had issues with right and wrong side, not seeing the brown well etc. So, to actually have the last strip done really thrills me. Once joined will crochet edge/border and laundry and block! Stay tuned. Am thus far pleased, this is the largest knitting project I've done, and I learned several new stitches/patterns in the process so this was a challenge for me.

Anxious to see how much larger it will be after joined, border, and blocked. Currently it measures 43 x 53.
This scarf, started out HERE, as an early start for The Red Scarf Project. For some unknown reason I've gotten bad at not noting what pattern I'm using and or where in the pattern I am when I lay something aside. Needed to put this aside to work on wedding ghan. So, frogged it and started over. Decided I would use the pattern from the faded summer cotton cloth, but after several rows decided it was to open and adjusted. Mentioned here. Well.........as things progressed I could see I wasn't going to have enough yarn. I purchased this red yarn several years ago, and so didn't even attempt to match; but was sick and tired of frogging.......so my new idea....see above. I knitted until I ran out of red and joined purple to do the 2nd half. As you wrap scarf you'll see both colors. Jury's out on how I'll like it or not on completion. I do love the colors together, but no...it's not a gift for a lady in The Red Hat Society. lol The other day I read guidelines for The Red Scarf Project have become more restrictive regarding red, which was not an issue before. I need to read and see if this scarf will work for them or not. If not, will go to another charity.

17 comments:

  1. I think variegated yarns do tend to disguise patterns a little bit, which might be the issue with your dishcloth (though I love the colours for Easter). Congrats on getting the wedding ghan so far, not long now until it'll be fully finished!

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  2. Looks neat and like a lot of work!

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  3. I really like red and purple together - like grape jelly and raspberry jam!

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  4. Yeah, for the almost done afghan!!! I think the scarf will be fine, makes it more interesting.

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  5. Hello again, thought I'd pop back to answer your question about my cardigan - the pattern is Cria, by Ysolda...

    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cria

    The start is a slightly weird construction, that I had to do about 5 times before I could figure it out, but after that it's not too bad!

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  6. thanks pinkundine, appreciate the link, I saved it so I can exam it later.

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  7. Very cute! I've never been able to get my mind around working with yard. My hands just go stupid. :) You have my awe and admiration. Your work is wonderful!

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  8. HI SANDY,
    YOUR PROJECTS ARE REALLY NICE, YOU PUT YOUR HEART AND SOUL INTO THEM, AND YOU LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
    THAT MEANS EVERYTHING.....I LOVE THE EASTER YARN, VERY PRETTY. HAVE A NICE DAY, RIZZI

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  9. Thanks Jerimi and Rizzi appreciate your visits and nice comments.

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  10. Your wedding ghan is spectacular, congratulations on getting it 90% finished. Take a bow!

    I love varigated yarns but I do tend to stick to no pattern stitches as they do get lost in it.

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  11. Cotton yarns don't work well with all needles. I like metal slippery needles with cottons.

    Not all variegated yarns work well with some stitch patterns. The yarn is very pretty and I agree very Easter looking.

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  12. I love the wedding ghan...glad you are at the end of it.

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  13. Hey Sandy! It was great hearing from you again today, it's been a while! I'm excited for you that you're so close to being finished with the wedding ghan! I can't wait to see the finished project.

    I've never knitted a large project like that either, but someday I'd like to figure out how to knit a blanket. I love the feel of knitted fabric but I am too stubborn to teach myself any new knitting techniques. In some cases I don't even have the supplies I need to try new things (like cables, you need cable needles to do them, right?) I just knit anything square or anything round like a hat, and I only really use stockinette stitch or garter stitch.

    Someday when I have time, money, and patience, I will teach myself some new things. I knitted a stuffed snowman the other day for the baby, although I haven't yet made the snowman's scarf and hat or put his facial features on. It's not really that impressive of a project, it was basically just a knitted tube with 2 closed ends and stuffing in the middle. =P I wish I knew how to knit something really cool like an animal that has arms and legs and a body shape that is more complex than a tube.

    And about the package... Let me know if/when you send one, and when I should expect to receive it. Then I can keep an eye out for it. =)

    One final thing, I agree with you about the cotton yarn. A LOT of needles just don't work well with cotton yarn. My favorite bamboo needles are absolutely horrible with cotton yarn because cotton is dry and absorbent and bamboo is dry, there is too much friction between those two materials to knit easily. Cotton always works best on metal needles in my experience.

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  14. Rugby, Denise, Marsha, and Anna, thanks so much for sharing my excitement with my wedding ghan. It's really been quite a project for me.

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  15. What wonderful projects! I like the colors you chose! Your work is so pretty!

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  16. Sorry you are having so much troubles with the cloth. I hope your next attempt works out better. Congrats on finishing the knitting on your blanket. Hopefully you'll get through the seaming and edging quickly. The scarf looks great. I'm sure someone will love it.

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  17. I love the wedding ghan, the colours are great! Must be a relief to be so close to the end of such a large project :) Can't wait to see it fully finished!

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