On Leaving Your Comfort Zone

Blocking Multnomah

Most of the folks around me are well aware that I’m not a pattern knitter.  I prefer to come up with my own interpretation of a given garment.  There are several reasons, really.  I’m not all that easy to fit, I have firm opinions regarding what styles and textures look good on me, and I love the challenge of making up my own patterns.  Check my Ravelry profile at pjkite – you’ll see that most of the projects listed are original designs.  However, once in a while I see something that I want to make.  Multnomah, a shawl by Kate Ray, was one of those. 

Some of you may realize that it’s quite similar to a square shawl I made back in 2004 – a handspun Merino-Clun Forest-cross garter-stitch square knitted on the diagonal with a Feather and Fan edging.  That one was a baby shawl for my first grandson.  I love F&F laces – I’ve made that shawl, a couple pair of socks, trim for a sweater or two, another shawl in a Beugler variation of F&F…you get the idea.  I needed a lightweight shawl for occasional wear, I’d seen several versions of this made during a LYS KAL last year during which I was making baby shawls and I’d liked it.  This yarn was a souvenir from a trip to North Carolina.  So I left my comfort zone of self-design behind and printed out the pattern.  Now that the finished shawl is blocking on the spare room bed, I must admit I’m quite happy with it.  If you’re familiar with the pattern, you realize that I extended the lace a bit.  Two reasons, actually – I wanted to use all of the yarn and I thought the pattern as written was a bit shorter than I wanted.  So there are 13 lace repeats instead of 10.

Close-up of lace edging

 

Of course, after finishing this project this morning, I’ve cast on a baby sweater for charity based on a pattern of my own…I’m unlikely to stray from my comfort zone too often, after all!

Other things on the burner include lace-weight locally-raised Shetland for another grandchild.  Probably not a shawl this time, though (I think I’ve burned out on complicated shawls for a while).  I’m leaning more in the direction of a christening gown.  But a final decision will depend on the ultrasound next week and what it shows about the sex of this newest family addition.  Another little boy may send me in the direction of a bunting or a sweater, cap and leggings!  In whichever case, the laceweight yarn will be needed – so I’ve started spinning and have the first 100 yards of 2-ply drying.

Let’s see…a Rigid Heddle loom class is scheduled for later this month at my LYS, so I’m working on a sample project (a scarf from sock yarns) and writing up the class material.  I’m really looking forward to this one – it’s been too long since I taught a weaving class, and no matter how much I love spinning, knitting, tatting and all the rest, weaving will always be my first love.  I hope to finish up the weaving itself tomorrow or Tuesday, the finishing the next day, and have it complete.  Then it will be on to the next warp!