This blog is the place to see what we are working on and what’s coming up soon. So far, this is the to do list for me.

• finish dyeing raw fleece tutorial
• finish blending with hand cards tutorial
• finish how to use hand-cards tutorial

Beau is working on a few things too…

• different ways to build spindles with everyday objects
• needle felting appliqué
• needle felting sculpture

Even our 13 year old Son Dominic AKA The Robot Dr is working on an electronic spindle that will automatically wind the yarn on. He’s thrilled, finally something about spinning that involves robots. LOL

Finally, I am working on a pattern for the site. It is a half circle shawl. I wanted to make a Chapel veil for myself, and I like the look of a half circle. So I am going to post the beginnings of the pattern here. It has only been tested once by me, and I don’t knit that well, so there may still be some corrections made. You are more than welcome to knit along with me, and any solutions or problems would be received gladly.

It is designed to be a chapel veil, but can be a shawl. If you increase more rapidly the ends will make a scoop that would drape around the neck quite nicely for a scarf. I used a yarn 50% wool 50% angora, and it was done in two ply at 16 18 wpi. I used size 11 needles, but really needed 12 s.   A little over an ounce of yarn of this size will get you this far, I got about 65 - 72 yards per ounce.  I estimate it will require about 2 ounces for the large chapel veil and three for a shawl.

Half Circle Chapel Veil or Shawl.

Phase One:

To begin cast on 27 stitches. This is to get a number of 21 stitches for the pattern, and three border stitches on either side.

Row 1 Slip one, and knit to the last stitch, turn (without knitting the last stitch. Knit 1 and place a marker.

Row 2 Knit to the last stitch, turn, knit one, place marker.

Row 3 to end of short rows… Knit to the marker, (remove marker) turn, knit one, replace marker.

Continue short rowing until you have three stitches between the markers. Break yarn. 27 stitches, and a nice half circle base to begin on.

With Right side facing, begining with the first stich - Please note that I started back with row one again.

Row 1 - sl 1, knit across.

Row 2 - sl 1, k2, purl to last 3, k3. 27 stitches (repeat this for purl rows until otherwise indicated.)

Row 3 - sl 1, knit to end..

Row 5 - sl1, k2, yo, k1 to last three stitches, k3. 48 stitches (21 stitches were doubled = 42, +6 border sts)

Row 7 - sl 1. k2, p 7, place marker (5 times), p7, k3.

Phase two ( Note that I have restarted the row numbers.)

these are the written out instructions, charts will follow… I have bolded the pattern repeat section for clarity.

All purl rows, unless noted are slip 1, knit 2, purl to last 3, knit 3

skpo is slip one purlwise, knit one, pass slipped stitch over.

Row 1- sl 1, k2, yo ,k1 ,k2 tog, skpo, k1, yo, k1, - repeat this pattern 5 more times, k3

Row 3 - sl 1, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2 tog, skpo, yo, k1, yo, k1, - repeat 5 times, k3. 60 sts, (9 per repeat)54 sts + 6

Row 5 - sl 1, k2, yo, k1, yo, k1, k2 tog, skpo, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1- repeat 5 times, k3 72 sts, (11 per repeat) 66 +6

Row 7 - sl 1, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, k2 tog, skpo, k2, yo, k1, yo, k1 - repeat 5 times, k3 84 sts (13 per repeat) 78 + 6

Row 9 sl 1, k2, yo, k1, yo, k1, k2 tog, k2 tog, skpo,skpo, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1 - repeat 5 times, k3

That’s all I have finished so far, I have more charts, for the pattern repeat, but I don’t know how many holding rows to put between the pattern / increase rows yet. I am increasing each row by 12, so I think from here on out it will be, increase row, two holding rows, increase row, but I really don’t know to be honest. It is already quite large, and I don’t think it will take long at all to complete. It is already big enough to cover most of my head, and come down to my jaw, with just what I have written thus far. I think for the chapel veil it will need another 9 - 15 patterned rows, but it will be big enough after about 5 more I think. I just like big ones.

Here are the charts for the patterned rows, I don’t think the set up section needs charts, I would appreciate any thoughts on this matter. I also don’t have the above in proper notation, so it’s a little goofy with stuff like yo,k1,yo,k1 instead of yo, k1 twice. I want to keep these the same as the charts for now, so that if I find an error, it will be more apparent to fix in the written section.

So begin the chart when you have completed phase one. Remember to s1, k2, at the beginning, and k3 at the end for the border.

A key, sort of lol

O is yarn over,  the right leaning upside down V  is knit 2 tog, and the other is slip one knitwise, knit one, pass slipped stitch over.  Plain squares are knitted.