Arachno Shawl Update

Saturday Night:

    Here it is, Saturday night. I finally got through the cobweb border, I did eight pattern repeats. I am now almost finished with the transition ribbing rows, just one row left. In between the rows, I'm unraveling the dropped stitches. This one is going a lot faster than the wool one. Maybe because I am using acrylic this time, Simply Soft.


    I really wanted a shawl I could just throw in the washer and dryer, and not have to worry about blocking it. I am probably the worlds worst blocker, I haven't blocked anything since my brown Lena sweater over a year ago. I simply don't have any good space in which to lay out my wooly goodness. Although I am mentally preparing myself to try the empty bedroom, someday to be my craft room. There's no air conditioning in there, and lots of floor space. I have those blocking foam pad things, and tons of old blankets.


    I think I'm giving up for tonight, I'm getting sleepy.


Sunday:

    Before I went to bed, I decided to finish the transition ribbing rows, and do the first row of the second color. I also unraveled about 1/3 of the dropped stitches.


    After I got up this morning and got a cuppa coffee in me, I unraveled some more, and at this time, I have done a few more rows of the shawl body. I plan on taking some photos later on today, if the sun ever comes out. I got woken up at 6 a.m. We shall just have to wait and see.

Knitting Update / What I Had For Dinner

    Ok. So the freaking cobweb border is coming along. I knitted through the storm, I knitted through a wicked dizzy spell, but only managed one single row. Last night, I knitted through Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I am currently into the 7th pattern repeat. I feel at this point like it will never end.


    The good news is that I had a rare flash of brilliance last night. I was putting together one of my favorite giant salads. I was bemoaning the fact that I had no left over meat to add to it, and I still haven't managed to remember to buy more frozen peas. I did add the last of that great Taboule salad into the mix. Then I remembered the huge bag of cooked shrimp in the freezer. I opened it, took out half a dozen or so, and thawed them in the microwave.


   Then I cut them into three pieces each, and voila! I had my meat for my giant salad. Then I remembered the pineapple spears I bought the other day, and made my good salad even better! This time I used Ken's Sweet Vidalia Onion Dressing on it.


    I was so hungry, I didn't even take a photo of this one. I just ate it all up.

Change of Plans Due to Epic Fail

    Well, I tried. I really did. I cast on all those 301 stitches, really loosely so it wouldn't be too tight when it was done. I was about halfway through the second row when I realized I was beyond my skill level. So right in the middle of the row,  > gasp < , I put it down.


    You see, it's kind of dark in my house. I figure if only I could knit outside, where it's nice and bright, I might be able to do this project as planned. The dark makes it very hard to see the black yarn stitches, and the fact that the stitches are so small doesn't help matters.


    After thinking about it the rest of the evening, and then again this morning, I have decided on an alternate plan. First, I will wind up the (possibly) Tip it Ewe Lush, and try that for the cob web border. It might be easier to see, and the black can still be used for the body, as it's all stockinette with decreases.
   
    If that doesn't pan out, I do have a plan C. I will forget about the black all together, and use some beautiful natural that I have somewhere, in one of my stashes. I am pretty sure I have more than 1000 yards of it, so it will do.


    A wiser knitter than myself pointed out to me that it was brave to try and use black for this project, it turns out I wasn't brave, but foolish. I remember when I bought it, I was planning on making black socks. I doubt that will ever get done either. I will probably crochet something with it, if this plan B doesn't work out.


   The stitches are still sitting there, glaring at me on the needles. I can't bring myself to frog them yet.

  

Shawl Progress!

    The shawl I've been working on, Arachno Shawl, is coming along nicely! The border is done, and so is the transition section. I started working on the main body of the shawl last night. It has taken me such a long time to unravel the dropped stitches in the border! Almost as long to unravel them as to knit them in the first place!

Here is a photo of the border, before I started unraveling:

    And here is a close up shot of the shawl, with the border unraveled:

    I think I had trouble because the yarn I'm using is Malabrigo, and it's notoriously sticky. The colorway is 616 Plena. I thought it would look pretty for this shawl, it looks like I was right! I will be able to wear this shawl with my everyday jeans.


    It took nearly a full skein for the border alone. But I have four, so I will not run out. While searching through my stash, I found some really pretty yarns that I forgot I had! I love when that happens, it's like Festivus in July!


    I tried to take better photos of the shawl, but after I take a couple of shots, I start shaking, and all I get is blurry photos. Hopefully the ones I have are good enough for you to get the idea!


    Today, I've been sitting by the pool, with Hubs, knitting in the 90+ degree heat. The water temp is about 80, so it's nice and cool. I'm sure that if anyone driving by were to see me, I'd get the puzzled look!