may be even better than birthday cake. No calories!
It’s my birthday later this week, and I wanted to have this shawl finished to wear. Done! I’ve decided I’m not a fan of knitting with laceweight yarn, but the result is so lovely. The pattern is the EZ 100th Anniversary Gull Wings half circle (Rav link). I knit this on Hiya Hiya sharps, size 4. Loved the pointiness. Didn’t like the slipperiness; not enough control for this loose knitter. But I was afraid to change needles in the middle of the project, for fear of changing gauge. When I went to bind off, I used a larger needle anyway, so I went back to my Lantern Moon ebony in a size 6. Just enough texture to keep the slipperiness at bay.
I did most of the binding off at Waterfront Park the other night, which is like Portland’s living room. (Some would say that Pioneer Courthouse Square is Portland’s living room, but I like the view from this one better.) The Portland Symphony plays a free concert to open the symphony season, and it always ends with the 1812 Overture and fireworks. A lovely evening.
It’s a party!
But I digress. Here’s the shawl, just off the needles. Kind of scrunchy and unimpressive.
I wet blocked it on my ancient cardboard cutting board in the back yard. The radius is 26 inches, so the diameter is 52. Heh, math.
It was so warm out, the shawl kept drying out before I was done. I couldn’t find a spray bottle, and the sprayer on my iron doesn’t work. So I turned the hose on it after I finished pinning it out. Gently. With the spray nozzle. Pointed up in the air.
It dried really quickly! I gave the rest of the yarn (47 grams out of 100) to my friend Claudia; she doesn’t mind knitting with laceweight and the color is great for her. Now I’m finishing my 3 year sock.
I took that picture yesterday, and now I’m down to the end. Do I graft the toe, or do I finish with my usual “run the yarn through the needles and pull tight because I’m too lazy to look up kitchener stitch”? If I kitchener, I’d have to undo the first one and do that, too; I want them to match. It might be a good exercise, though. What do you think?
PDXKnitterati 
Your new shawl is beautiful. Wishing you a happy birthday ( a little early ).
Love the picture with the moon.
Thank you! The moon picture is from Thursday, the day before the full moon, but it was really bright and was part of the fireworks display.
kitchner,or grafting,isn’t that hard to do.it just requires lots of concentration when you do it,so you don’t lose your place and forget what you just did–so that the whole thing comes out looking right.drawing up the toe is easier,but i always have to make sure that i put in a couple of extra decrease rows,so that i’m only drawing up 6 or 8 stitches.if you don’t do that,then the drawing up produces a fat little donut at the end of your sock.you’re right–the most important thing is that your socks match.if you want to rip out the first one and kitchner,then go for it.but i’d highly recommend watching a youtube video or looking in a good knitting book first,so you can get that kind of tricky move down pat first before you commit to it.good luck and your socks look great,by the way…
No, it’s not hard; it’s just that I don’t knit socks often enough to remember how to do it, so I have to look it up every time!
I will always vote for Kitchener. Buck up, Birthday Girl!!!
The 1812 Overture at Waterfront Park with fireworks!!! OMG I miss Portland! The picture is so beautiful. And Happy Birthday–almost.
It was a super nice evening, not hot, just a little chill in the air. Autumn is coming! Knitting weather…
Will everyone hate me if I say that I don’t understand why Kitchener stitch freaks so many people out so much? It’s not really all that complicated, and even finding your place if you get distracted isn’t impossible — just look to see where the yarn tail is coming out, and that will tell you which part you did last.
In other words, you can do it! (And I think you should. It looks nicer.)
I agree completely!
I’m a lazy knitter so I’d just run the yarn through to avoid having to undo the first one but maybe that’s just me!
Your shawl is absolutely beautiful.
I decided to buck up and do it! I’ve done it before; I just have to look it up every time.
I’m partial to kitchener. I like the rhythm of it. Knit off, purl. Purl off, knit.
I wish I would have known about the concert. My kids might have even enjoyed it!
I like your very short reminder. Because I can definitely remember that the knits come off the front. Set up must be the opposite, and away we go!
Happy birthday — and I love the Kai-Meis!
Thank you, and thank you!
LOVE your Pi shawl! Happy Birthday!
I just noticed the shadow of my hands and the camera in that first picture. Too funny!
Happy Birthday anniversary! Love the shawl, it’s a beautiful color.
Nice shawl! I made one of those last year…out of some vintage English fuzzy black angora sport-weight…but I probably look like a muppet with it on.
Yours looks great!
Thank you! Muppets are good. So cute!