BAAB, B&A

What a delightful MKAL! The pattern is well-thought-out and well-written, the knitting is fun and interesting, and the finished product--regardless of which options you choose--is delightful! Sadly, I’ve decided to frog mine, because it just isn’t big enough to wear the way I want. I’m using worsted weight, so it needs to be big and blanket-y, and this design makes a smallish shawl. A delightful shawl, but not functional enough to devote this much of my precious Codex to it. I’m not a bit upset, because I thoroughly enjoyed the process. And now I get to knit this beautiful yarn again!

Progress Notes

Third time’s the charm for Clue 1B! First time I knit it as written, using the two-row technique for the M1 increases, but didn’t like the sloppy increase edge (see photo). Then, I knit it with an extra stitch between the increase and the border, still doing the two-row M1, but it still looked sloppy. So I ripped it out and did it a third time, this time knitting loosely round the edges and doing regular M1 increases. Now I like it better. But even if I didn’t like it, three times is more than enough!

Clue 2A also had to be knitted twice, due to my inexplicable inability to read instructions! But it is finally completed, and I love the way the two clues look together. Put in a lifeline at the end of Clue 2, just in case my pattern-reading difficulties continue.

Clue 3A is SO ADORABLE! It took forever to knit and I fell behind, but it was worth it. I just adore smocking.

Clue 4 fits into 3A so perfectly! I loved both A and B and struggled to decide, but went with B because of the flowery motifs. I adore anything suggestive of flowers (even when they’re supposed to suggest arrows).

Ran out of yarn about 2/3 of the way through Clue 4. I’ve been scouring Ravelry looking for Codex in a shade to complement my lovely main color, to no avail. So I went with the sort-of-okay iSkein…and close up, the transition looks weird. From a distance, though it looks fine; maybe even fabulous! We’ll see how it all hangs together when done. I may end up adding yet another color.

But although my shawl is eating yarn at a tremendous pace, it really isn’t big enough. Here’s hoping Clue 5 has an extension factor or some sort.

And it does! But oh, the agony of indecision. I looooove Clue 5A, with its honeybee lace incorporated into a knitted-on border (I ♥ knitted-on borders), BUT it isn’t very big. 5B is not only a bigger clue but includes the all-important extension factor. How to decide? How to decide?

Instead of choosing, I decided to knit both! I’m using the dark blue contrast color I’ve been carrying along the edge. Yes, the knitted-on border does go on forever and ever, but it is SO worth it! The chunky texture looks fantastic in my plump shiny yarn.