Finished PI Shawl

Yea! I finally finished the PI shawl from Elizabeth Zimmermans book, "Knitters Almanac". This is the July project but I am not a fast knitter and this took me a while longer. I knitted it with light blue wool that I had in my stash. It didn't come out as big as I wanted it to wear as a shawl, but it will make a nice tablecloth. The next one I make with be bigger and with finer wool or alpaca.

The next project I will be starting will be the nether garments for September's Knitter's Almanac project. Nether garment are more like leggings. I've always wanted to learn how to make pants of any kind. This will be an interesting and looks rather easy.

The question I struggled with was who was to be my guinea pig. I needed some measurements to figure out the number of stitches. With my body, I don't think leggings would be very flattering. So I asked my pencil thin son if he would mind if I knit him some pants for sleepwear. He said yes and then I asked him what style he want for the legs....1) Ankle and leg snug, as the pattern is written, 2) knee snug and ankle loose, or 3) thigh snug and knee and ankle loose (aka sweatpants). Of course, he chose the sweatpants. I found a cotton yarn in my stash which I can knit and dye later if he wants. The only thing is I hope I have enough. I have about 1200 yds. I'm not sure how much yarn this project will take. I'm kind of going on faith. I do have a plan B. I could always pick up some cotton "Sugar and Cream" worsted from Walmart. It's close enough to the cotton yarn I have to substitute and then hoping the dyeing will hide everything.

Vacation Work

We are back from a wonderful vacation. The Grand Canyon was beautiful. It was amazing! We had beautiful weather in the high 80's. We decided to take an extra day to rest from our all day Bus Tour. The tour was great: great narrator/bus driver, great sites along the way, i.e. Hoover Dam and a great buffet lunch in Williams, AZ. Best of all, I got to knit for 8 hours.

Once home, I have continued to knit on the Pi shawl border and the Forest Canopy Shawl. I am not too pleased with the way the border edging is coming out. It seems to be pulling. I am thinking perhaps this edging was better designed for a square or rectangle. I am hoping it will lay flat when I block it. I am half way done and I am struggling with the decision to take it out or plug ahead. It was alot of hard work to get this far.

The Forest Canopy Shawl is almost done. I have a few more motifs to add and then the border.

I've been looking through all my new knitting books for my next challenge. It is so difficult to decide. I have to order the yarn soon. I'm looking for the perfect varigated shawl weight yarn in fall colors. I'm thinking perhaps I should buy some plain superwash wool from Knitpicks and dye it myself.

Pi Shawl

Wow! Three days past the deadline and I'm still working on the Pi Shawl. Some knitters in my Knit along group including our moderator, are still working of theirs so I don't feel so lonely.

Today, I finally finished the body, and I think I'm ready to add a lace border. I've been looking online for a nice pattern and I think I've found one: Berna's Torchon Lace . Now, all I have to do is find out how to attach the border as I go. I know there is a way. Back to search the Internet!

I'm afraid I won't have it for my granddaughter's birthday party tomorrow, but at least I feel I'm on the home stretch in this race to finish. Here's my progress so far....

I went with my son to his optometrist appointment today and while I was waiting, I was knitting on the shawl. The receptionist asked me very politely what I was knitting and I told her. She said she thought it was a backpack or bag. She liked the design so much she offered to pay me to make her one. I politely declined. Knitting for pay is so different than knitting for pleasure. I hated to disapoint her but if I start selling my stuff, it won't be fun anymore. It would be WORK! Isn't that why I took up knitting?....to relax from the stress of work?