2017.04.13

Wound the first skein with help from my sister, got out my needles, realized I didn’t have the right size even though I know I have two pairs in US7/4.50mm; considered removing the pair I’m using for Celtic Quilt, discarded that idea, briefly attached US8 instead.
Hit by inspiration I went to Shleeves instead, and found the US7 in its notions bag, there in the event that I decided to go up a needle size for the lace edge.

So, all is right with the world - mostly.

• Yarn wound: check
• US7 needles: check
• Pattern bought and the first parts set up in kC: check
• Notions: Most of them - will probably change the pouch for something slightly larger so I can carry the gauge gadget, unless I decide to bead.
• Project bag: undecided. Not that I lack for choices.

Horrible cell phone picture in weak incandescent light.

2017.04.14

Cast on this morning - standard Kunststricken cast on with crochet hook (aka Emily Ocker c/o) - and as soon as the pattern began, I was struck by a dilemma.

The pattern says to knit the even rounds (with some caveats for processing multiple yos). On the odd rounds however, inside the flowers, stitches are purled.
Knitting those on even rounds would mean the insides of the petals are garter stitch.

I looked for notes and mods and couldn’t find any.
I did however find some close up pictures of the flowers, some with garter, some with all purls/reverse stockinette.

I like the latter better, so on the even rounds I will purl the stitches that were purled on the odd rounds.**

:: ::

Aaand then of course I ran into a snag on round seven, the one where you establish a pattern over the huge yarnovers. Given the nature of the ‘stitches’ below, there was no way out but to frog.

So, I got a second chance at the very special experience of making ten stitches out of three yarn overs. In DK on US7.

Cast on pic on the second try, at round 8.

Ended after round 16, just as the shaping is about to start.

2017.04.15

At the time of the cast on picture, eight rounds in and having just worked the awkward make 10 from 3 yarn overs a second time, I was not so sure about this ‘knit a lace pattern from DK on big needles’ thing. It looked clunky and unpromising.

By the time I set it down for the night, I felt much better about it though. The petals didn’t look much like petals yet, but there was a really nice rib with proud ridges, and it started to look interesting.

Today the pattern continued to unfold, and apart from the awkwardness where the petals come to a point (which blocks out nicely, looking at FOs) it presented no real trouble. Come to think of it, reducing 5 to 1 would not count as my favorite stitch.

After 26 rounds I went up a cable size. The petals can be clearly seen at that stage.

I finished the night at the end of chart A1, at 38 rounds. Already it cannot be spread out properly on this cable, so the last clear picture for a while, I think.

38rnds, 55g (163g remaining)

2017.04.16

A slower day, interrupted by teaching my niece the secret family lasagne recipe, along with the stories of how it came to be, and how it became the extended family and friends’ favorite.

The rows are getting longer, and in the end I stopped after round 50.

The latter part of knitting was interrupted multiple times by a strong need to just drop off for 40 winks. Of course, as soon as I caved and put down the knitting, I was wide awake again. Repeat another three times.

2017.04.17

Worked late. Managed to finish round 54.

2017.04.18

Started round 60.

Decided to stop; will be car pooling tomorrow, so should be able to knit this round during the gloomy morning commute since it is a resting round.

2017.04.20

Completed round 64.

2017.04.22

70 rnds, 150g (68g remaining)

Stitch count suddenly jumped up by 50 stitches per repeat, 200 per round.

Completed 74 rounds.

2017.04.23

76 rnds, 180g (38g remaining)

Too many stitches on the needle to spread them out for a picture now.

80 rnds, 200g (18g remaining) - 27.7%

Completed 82 rounds.

2017.04.24

I ran out of yarn.

Well, not quite as sensational as all that. Just the end of my first skein of DK.

I had only wound the first one, because I wasn’t sure how this Niebling and DK mix would work.

It is too late in the evening to wind another skein and finish the row (I have to get up at 4.30 am), but tomorrow I will wind two skeins so I won’t experience such an abrupt break again.

I am almost done with round 84, which is also the last round of chart A2.

Doilyhead has a Chart B for the border, and Chart A for the body, split into five sections. I will likely be replacing the first few rounds of chart B as I try to create a seamless flow into the border like they did for the shawl version.

2017.04.25

Joined in second skein. Loose knot for now, but I will have to figure out how to deal with the ends later, after blocking. As a blanket, both sides will see use.

Pain and fatigue, not to mention feeling lazy, so only finished out the round and one more, the first of chart A3.

Completed 85 rounds.

2017.04.26

Completed 88 rounds.

2017.04.29

93 rnds, 218 + 44 = 262g (174g remaining)

Finished Chart A3 and started on A4.

100 rnds, 218 + 74 = 292g (144g remaining)

Completed 100 rounds.

2017.04.30

Completed 107 rounds.

2017.05.05

A couple of days each with a little bit of KIP.

Yesterday at the hospital while my husband had his MRI, and today at Starbucks while my niece slogged through a part of her Math homework.

Completed 111 rounds.

2017.05.06

114 rnds, 218 + 147 = 365g (71g remaining)

4 rounds remaining of the body before the border.

Completed chart A4.
Completed 114 rounds.

2017.05.07

118 rnds, 218 + 173 = 391g (45g remaining)

Completed the body, chart A5, 118 rounds.

2017.05.12

Worked the two recharted pattern rounds. Ready to return to the pattern as written.

122 rnds, 218 + 196 = 414g (22g remaining)

Completed 122 rounds, 4 rounds of chart B.

2017.05.13

Picture at 124 rounds overall, 6 rounds of chart B.

66.55% done

Joined in the third skein on round 9 of chart B, round 127 overall. Passed the 1,000 yard mark as well:
2 skeins @ 218g each = 436 g, 1,020 yards

Completed 127 rounds, 9 rounds of chart B.

2017.05.14

Ugh!

I’m 3/4 of the way through the most hated round in the entire thing, round 14 of chart B.

It would normally be a rest row, but on this one I need to make ten stitches out of three yarnovers in the previous round - 96 times!

My wrists and all my finger joints ache, and I just cannot do any more tonight.

Completed 131 rounds, 13 rounds of chart B.

2017.05.27

Completed 138 rounds, 20 rounds of chart B.

138 rnds, 436 + 131 = 567g (76g remaining) - 82.4%

The percentage doesn’t mean too much though, since the stitch count more than tripled eight rounds ago.

139 rnds, 436 + 143 = 579g (64g remaining)
140 rnds, 436 + 156 = 592g (51g remaining)

2017.05.28

Completed 144 rounds, 26 rounds of chart B.

Joined in the fourth skein about 25 stitches before the end of round 26.

643g, 1504 yards.

The new skein is also a plump one - 3 out of the 4 skeins are 218g, the other 207g.

2017.05.29

Used most of the day to bind off and do some of t finishing on their WIP - almost a FO.

Completed 146 rounds, 28 rounds of chart B.

2017.06.11

Knitting complete - just the bind off to go.

I’ve decided on doing a picot bind off with crochet hook:

• slip stitch two stitches,
• chain 3, slip stitch into same starting stitch

Knitting took 759g, with 102g remaining out of four overweight skeins. 1,776 yards

2017.06.12

Bind off started, using the time waiting between consultations.

It is a relief to find that the picot bind off looks organic to the work in DK.

2017.06.14

Bind off complete, with 59g remaining.

Bind off consumed 43g.

I am beyond pleased with the result. Just blocking to go now, and then darning away the starting end and the finishing end.

All the rest have already been darned, and will be clipped after blocking.

Unblocked pictures tomorrow in daylight.