Mystic Earth - Clue 1

Clue 3 of the Mystic Earth KAL came out this week. I, being on the slow side, have just finished Clue 1. The shawl is what I would call sampler style, meaning that there are panels of different stitch patterns, each within a box of eyelets. Although that's not my favourite type of design, it does mean that just when you start to get a bit bored, you start doing something altogether different. For someone like me whose attention tends to wander with bigger projects, this is probably a good thing.

The shawl theme was also revealed this week. There are four panels, with each one representing a season. Clue 1 is Spring, with a waving leaf motif, meant to symbolize the emergence of budding growth.

The construction has been fun. You first knit the bottom border, and then turn it on its side and pick up stitches along the straight edges for the body of the shawl. I admit that I was a bit scared of that at first. Even though at times it seemed like I was doing it more by feel than by sight, I think it came out alright.

The edging on the sides is then knit along with the main pattern.

It's an interesting pattern, with just enough wrong side row action to keep you awake. The waves are created by K2togs and SSKs and YOs, but you then purl into the back of the YOs on the return rows to close them up. The only YOs that remain are those within the leaves.

I apologize for the crappy photos -- it appears that my camera will have trouble with this colour. The top photo is the most accurate, but it's more vibrant in real life.

Clue 2 is Summer and looks to be more complicated than Clue 1 -- don't expect to see it soon. :-)

In the Other News Department, spindling continues. I finally managed to create a three-ply sock weight with the last little bit of the practice roving that came with my learn to spin kit. It knits up nicely at 10 sts/in on 2.0 mm needles.

That means it's time to try to maintain it long enough to make enough for some actual socks.

I love my new spindle. It's made of mesquite, walnut and maple, and the inset is jasper - a Ledbetter from Ball and Skein. The roving is from All Spun Up. Again, this is taking a while, so don't expect to see finished socks any time soon.

Yes, I'm practising patience. I think it's a good thing. Probably.

Fall line-up

Anna Dalvi, the talented designer of the Mystic series of shawls, has another one starting soon, this one called Mystic Earth. I thought I'd give it a try.

Here's sort of what the swatch looks like.

I say "sort of" because I've made three of them on different size needles and just can't get mine to come out the same size as hers. I've decided to go with one needle size up from what's shown above and call it good. I'm using a 50/50 wool/silk blend (probably Zephyr) dyed by Yarn Ahoy in a colourway called Spicy Pumpkin. (That's a sunbeam across the upper right, not a colourway thing.)

The KAL starts on September 30, so there's still time to join up, if you wish.

I've also been playing with my spindle. It's lots of fun. :-) I've tried Navajo plying and Andean plying, both of which satisfy the frugal Scot in me, and have just generally been enjoying it.

I did end up going for a lesson at one of the LYSs, which helped tremendously with my drafting. Here are the two ends of my latest endeavour, plied together, showing how much thinner and consistently I've been able to draft since the lesson.

And here's where I'm at now.


It's about 16 wpi, which is where I want to be, but I want to get from a two-ply down to a three-ply while keeping the same thickness. Must practice more.