wollmeise Archives - my so-called [knitting] life

The Shusui Shrug by Susanne Sommer, I am seriously obsessed with this pattern! I have done Brioche just enough to understand the concept. I by no means am an expert. This shawl/shrug is changing that rapidly.

I first heard of this pattern on the Wool Work Shop youtube podcast. The construction is very unique, it has a combination of brioche and garter stitch. Susanne has also provided a youtube video for the set up. That was a huge benefit for me. I started this shrug several times. Not because it was so hard but rather I had color combo issues. I strongly advise totally different color choices for your light and dark. Really, like colors that you don’t even think match.

Wollmeise PinBall Wizard and PotzBlitz

This was my first choice. I ordered this yarn specifically for this project. I was thinking summer trees turning into fall trees. The tone of the colors is much too similar. also having the color variations it’s too jumbled to see the design of the pattern.

Knit Picks Hawthorn Speckle
Cosmic and Italian Ice

This was the second combo.
The colors are again too similar once knit up in the pattern, too much the same tone. You couldn’t really see the pattern.

Knitpicks Hawthorne Kettle Dyed and Speckle
BLackBird and Cosmic

This is the winning combo. I decided to knit this for my daughter, Hanna. It reminds me a bit of a skeleton in this color combo. A win for this girl, I’m quite sure. Find my project on Ravelry to follow up dates.

Loving this combo!!!!I

I’m working away, ticking off all the repeats in the first section. I am using the Knit Companion app, I like to for any pattern that has multiple charts or instructions. I have the paid version and it is well worth it. I like that I can create new pages with my chosen parts of the pattern, really letting me focus on the immediate instructions. As an example I pulled the repeat of rows R3-6 out of the section on Page 2 to of the pattern, originally this section has rows R1-6. Then I added in colored highlights to make it very clear which were light colored rows and which were dark.

A snippet of the pattern, in the app, so you can see what I mean.

The app enables so many other things. A row counter, a highlighter with many color choices, a pop-up legend and notes section, row bars you can move along as you go, so many I couldn’t possibly cover them all. Check out the Knit Companion app. It’s so good.

Until next time, Happy Knitting, Happy Life.

I’m working my way through a serious case of starter-itis with my knitting. There are so many great patterns. I’m spending far too much time scouring the inter-webs for new ones, not to mention all the ones I already had in my queue. Every time I finish a really big knitted thing I start this ~~panicked~~ ~~need~~ interest to have another big project on the needles. and a searching I will go. The starter-iris is not calmed by having new yarns to admire, and pet, and sniff, and cuddle, and KNIT! I added knew skeins last week and this week I’ve placed another order as well as a preorder. I really need to reign it in, I’m a bit out of control.

And, I ~~blam~~e think having used 7 skeins of my hoarded Wollmeise for the Find Your Fade shawl by Andrea Mowry that everyone (including myself and several of my friends) seems to making right now, created a definite shortage that had to be rectified! So….I’ve picked up several skeins of Wollmeise from The Loopy Ewe and a few more not pictured. DON’T TELL!

Lace-Orient, Die Autser, Pure- Allegria, Pithaya, & NO whales in CO

I started making the Shusui Shrug bySusanne Sommer. I like the challenge of the pattern. It’s far from
my usual style. But this yarn was completely wrong!! This stayed in thought process for less than 24 hours. I knew I hated the combo. So, I frogged it, and restarted another project with the yarn and ordered different yarn from Knitpicks to try this pattern again.

Shusui Shrug worked through set up and first repeat section

For the new project I started the Match & Move by Martina Behm. I made a slight adjustment using a yarn over for the increase instead of Knit into the Front and Back. I debated about adding a lace section similar to the Free your Fade by Andrea Mowry. In the end I decided to just stick with the garter stitch. It will be good Game of Thrones knitting!!!

Match & Move in Wollmeise Pure-Pinball Wizard & Potzblitz

I like so many of Martina’s patterns. The Nevum is one of the most worn shawls that I’ve knit. I knit it with a teal color Wollmeise Lace quite awhile ago and plan to knit it again with the Orient I just purchased. I love the way the Nuvem sits on the shoulders, the unusual shape is like a rectangle with corners tucked into the short ends. The ruffled edge is charming and feminine while not being fussy.

Nuvem Schematic from Martina Behm’s Pattern pictures on Ravelry

I have several other projects going now, too. I have two pairs of socks, and a scarf that I’m working on in conjunction with my classes. Usually I like to have 3 projects. Socks for on the go, a complex pattern to challenge my mind and a interesting but simple TV watching project.

The run down on my other current projects;

I volunteer at the local Senior Circle. It is organized and ran by the hospital, Mountainview Regional, here in Las Cruces. I have a class twice a week, it is an independent study style class. Everyone is welcome to work on any project and if they run into trouble or simply don’t know how to find and fix their mistakes, I help. I try to teach not only how to locate the mistake but how to fix it as well, not to just fix it for them.

I have seen much growth from this style class and think it is really special. In addition to working on whatever they like we have a sampler scarf going. I have written out different stitch patterns with a mind to learning new techniques and stitches. Each section is bordered with garter stitch, this enables the adjustment of stitch counts for the patterns to be made without showing. The garter stitches also act as a frame, giving a nice cohesive look.

My Sampler Circle Scarf using a Quillin Fiber Arts bamboo-wool blend
I can’t remember the actual yarn, the label is long gone.

For my current On the Go Sock I’m using my Basic Sock Pattern. I added a few things for some flare. I will add more info on a future post about that flare! Here’s a sneak peek.

Knitpicks Hawthorne Fingering Multi in Happy Valley

The Last project on my needles is also a sock. This one is Kym’s Birthday Socks. I used one of my favorite stitch patterns, rewrote it so it worked in the round and created the sock pattern from there. I really like the results. I find I did have to go up a needle size from my usual #1 to a #1.5.