My Shawl Matches My Light Fixture

What a surprise when I finished blocking my shawl yesterday and realized it matches the Fortuny shade over our dining room table! Not only are the colors identical, the swirling segments echo each other. So although it's a shawl, it is temporarily a tablecloth.


Here is the light fixture viewed from underneath.




And here is the shawl. Another coincidence is that it blocked to 66", perfectly fitting our 60" table with the 3" border hanging down. I wish my sweaters fit me as well.

About the Shawl
More about the shawl. It was designed by Meg Swansen and is from the book, A Gathering of Lace.

I saw one in Amano, knit by Heather. Instead of using the recommended yarn, she had substituted Lorna's Laces Shepard Worsted in this color, called Vera
I chose this color, Aslan

She changed the needles to Size 11. I just loved how soft the yarn felt. I also loved the feel of the shawl on my shoulders as the store was frigidly air conditioned that day.
It was very easy to knit, once I got past the double-pointed needles in the center. The pattern was a snap to memorize and it only took me about 5 days to finish it. I stopped after there were 54 sts between each marker. (432 sts)
Usually I block my knitting with my industrial steam iron, but because of the shape, that wasn't going to work, so I bought a steamer. I used my 20% off coupon at Bed, Bath and Beyond and got a Conair steamer for about $61. including tax.
I covered the largest blank area of floor in the house with beach towels and used T-pins, starting at the center of the shawl. With a yard stick, I measured 33" from the center and pinned out each point, a few at a time, moving from side to side so everything stretched evenly. It took over an hour to pin it all out.
The steamer worked great. I was afraid it would drip, since the instructions said to hold the head upward or condensation would build up in the hose, but it worked out fine. I just stopped after a bit and held it upward in case there was condensation, so it could drain back.
I liked the steamer so much, I steamed some of Reese's t-shirts when I finished with the shawl.
I had never made a circular shawl before, but I plan on making more, plus I have an idea for an adaptation of this pattern for a skirt.

Willa's Famous Dump Cake

The following is the 'recipe' for Willa's famous dump cake, a dessert that couldn't be easier to make and has become quite popular with my Knitter's Night Out group.

Spread your fruit-filling of choice on the bottom of a baking pan. You can use pie filling, fruit cocktail, fresh fruit (need to add liquid) or whatever. This month's choice was Trader Joe's peach sauce.
Dump and spread the contents of one box of cake mix on top of the filling. Just the dry cake mix - do not prepare it in any way. This month's choice was Duncan Hines Yellow cake. Willa is particularly fond of French Vanilla. I just buy whatever is on sale and keep a few boxes on hand.
Melt one stick of butter. Drizzle it all over the cake mix. (You didn't think this was low calorie, did you?)
Bake at 350˚ for about an hour.

Sexy Knitters Club

Sexy Knitters Club

This is a picture of my yarn and swatch (actually, I just started knitting) for the Knit Along with Sexy Knitters Club. I wish I could figure out how to link text in this blog with other pages. Although I thought I copied the directions, it didn't work. Can anyone explain it to me?

Baby Bootie Pattern

Here is a free pattern for the pink baby booties in the previous picture. If you want to make them larger, use a bigger hook, thicker yarn, etc. If made in sport weight yarn, and a G hook, they will fit a new baby. The sole measures 3 1/4" long.

Baby Booties
©2006, Ellene Warren

Hook: G
Yarn: Art Yarns Handpaint Merino, sport weight
1 yd 1/2" ribbon

Sole
Rnd 1: Ch 15, 2dc in 3rd ch from hook, 11dc, 4dc in last ch, dc in bot of each ch, 2dc in bot of first ch, join. (30 sts) Rnd 2: Ch3, 2dc in next st, 12dc, 2dc in each of next 3 sts, 12dc, 2dc in each of next 2 sts, dc in base of ch 3, join. (39 sts)
Sides
Rnd 3: Ch1, sc in each st, join. (39 sts) Rnd 4: Ch1, sc dec, 13sc, (sc dec, 2sc) 2 times, sc dec, 13sc, sc dec, join. (36 sts) Rnd 5: Ch1, sc, sc dec, 11sc, sc dc, 4sc, sc dec, 11sc, sc dec, sc, join. (32 sts) Rnd 6: Ch1, 11sc, sc dec, (2sc, sc dec) twice, 11sc, join. (29 sts) Rnd 7: Ch1, 11sc, sc dec, 3sc, sc dec, 11sc, join. (27 sts) Rnd 8: Ch4, *sk next sc, dc, ch1. Rep from *, join with sl st to 3rd ch of ch 4. Rnd 9: Ch3, *dc in ch1 sp below, dc. Rep from *, end with dc in last ch 1 sp, join. Rnd 10: *Ch5, skip next st, sc. Rep from *, join, end off.

Beginning at center front, thread ribbon through ch 1 sps from Rnd 8. Tie in bow.

Four Sets of Foot Coverings

This week has been foot covering week. Starting with a couple of pairs of booties for Stitches From the Heart, which I will bring to Knitter's Night Out tonight.


I liked this yarn so much I made myself a pair of slippers with the remainder.


And a pair of socks for my friend, Naomi, from Cascade Fixation. I used a pattern from knitty.com called Broadripple Socks, which I would link to for anyone interested if I could figure out how.