Knit Knews

I haven't talked about knitting for a while, but it is not from lack of knitting activity.  This past spring I finally got around to purchasing some blocking wires.  Consequently, I was finally able to block the shawl that I finished a year ago last June.  Even with the blocking wires it was a slow process, but much less so than trying to lay it out with the billion t-pins it would have required otherwise.  Here are some pictures of my latest, fully completed projects.  (Self-portraits with the iPhone aren't the best way to display, but it was the best I could do at the moment.)

The first is the Misty Morning shawl.  The crocheted edging is what would have required all the pins in blocking.  It is a nice, lightweight shawl that can work for any season. 

Secondly, here is a scarf I made from a single skein of worsted yarn that had been hanging around in my stash for a while.  There wasn't enough for a shawl, but the colors didn't seem well suited for a hat.  This scarf pattern was a good fit.  

I am getting close to completing my current shawl.  It is going to be big and very cuddly.  For something new, I thought I would try my hand at socks, but found I just wasn't enjoying the process.  While considering an alternate project, I realized that what I didn't like was dealing with gauge, working with the double-pointed needles, and knitting in such a small circumference.  Not really wanting to do another hat at this point, I decided to use the sock yarn for a cowl.  The pattern calls for a heavier yarn, but I liked the design and decided to experiment a bit.  So far I am pleased with both the process and the results.  There are still new adventures ahead.  My next shawl project will include beads in the design.