Half Granny Wrappy Shawl

Jeanette and I have known each other for a few years. Our sons used to play basketball together. And even though they no longer do (they’re in different clubs now),  we still manage to see each other every now and then.

Last year she told me that while surfing the net she had discovered a cake-yarn made from 100% cotton, had fallen head over heels in love with it and bought it. Her goal had been to crochet a half granny shawl. However, for weeks to come 😉 for a while the blue twirl (love the word) sat on her sofa untouched. From time to time she would admire it, getting ready to finally start crocheting the shawl, but it never worked out. Because she had no pattern, no time, no patience – nothing at all.

And this is when she decided to give it to me. After all, she knew that I was knitting or crocheting day in and out. Hence, I might as well make something beautiful out of that cake-yarn. She didn’t even care what I might make, as long as the twirl would not longer sit on her sofa making her miserable …

Seriously: did I have a choice?!

I really wanted Jeanette to have that shawl and before I knew it, I had something new on my crochet hook …

At first, I was disappointed with the colour gradient, but once the greyish-blue turned into bright blue it was actually quite nice, I have to admit. However, I struggled with the yarn until the end. Those four very thin and untwined cotton strands were not at all easy to work with.

Eventually, that 200 gram ball with a meterage of approximately 800 metres turned into a medium-size triangle. Not as big as I would have wanted it to be (180 cm on the longest side), but still nice.

The most important thing: Jeanette didn’t know I was working on the shawl and  was really happy when I gave it to her.

Mission completed, I guess 😬.

 

ZigZag

„There is a new spirit of optimism,“ my boss wrote this morning from Chicago, „with the majority of the US population.“ A new spirit of optimism?! – Hard to believe.

He attached a paper headlined „Germany in free fall.“ Free fall – that’s more of how I feel. Not even knitting works for me right now.

Is it a coincidence that I am working on the ZigZag scarf? Zigzag is what my thoughts have been all of last week. Zigzag. I am confused, in shambles, wondering how I (and most of the world) missed the story. Is it that we did not want to see it? Was it there at all? Zigzag. It was definitly a wake-up call. Wake-up to what?

It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness,“ Eleanor Roosevelt said. Hence, I started to look out for candles: there is definitly light on the Cozy Knits blog, with the #knitterspayitback intiative on Ravelry and all of Mairlynd’s encouraging post on Instagram.

How have you been? Is there a light where you are? Would you be willing to share?

The Russian Join

No matter how long I knit and hook – new tricks and techniques never fail to amaze me! Here comes today’s enlightenment when looking for a way to invisibly join yarn (and felting was not an option). Of course, there are several videos on the net but – proud as I am – I prefer to post pictures instead:

Work a pointed needle through your yarn ...
Work a pointed needle through your yarn …
... and pull it through ...
… and pull it through …
... make sure to leave a loop ...
… make sure to leave a loop …
... pull the new yarn through ...
… pull the new yarn through …
... repeat what you did before ...
… repeat what you did before …
... admire the 2 loops ...
… admire the 2 loops …
... now pull those two strands und smooth them (firm but careful) ...
… now pull those 2 strands und smooth them (firmly but carefully) …
... and finally trim the ends.
… and finally trim the ends.

That’s it! Okay, you knew that all along but I didn’t. And I am so happy with it!

Look at the scarf I am working on: can you tell where one strand ends and the new one starts?

Russian Join häkelmonster.com

Well, I can’t – that’s for sure. And I was wondering whether you have tricks and techniques that saved you more than once and that you’d be willing to share?

Peter and his blanket

Remember I made a blanket for Peter? Finally last week we met and I must say: he is adorable. I don’t think I have ever seen such a pretty little boy (other than J of course) with so cute little feet.

His parents loved the vintage look of my „circles in granny squares“ blanket and I sure hope so does he – one day …

Here is the picture I received this morning:

Crochet Blanket haekelmonster.com