Sick Of Swatching
For the last few weeks, the majority of my knitting has been comprised of working up swatches, blocking said swatches, and then reknitting them. On Friday I decided I needed a project that could not only be finished in a weekend, but would also result in something usable.
Enter, Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer’s Flared Lace Smoke Ring.
Cast on: Friday night
Cast off: Monday morning
Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss in the burgundy colorway
Ravelry: click here for my project page on Ravelry
Notes: This pattern is awesome and the yarn is a perfect match for it. The yarn was left over from a sock project and weighed only 42 grams. So I cast on 28 fewer stitches (2 pattern repeats) and just knit until I almost ran out. Each repeat of Chart D took 4 grams of yarn and I had 3 grams left so I guess I stopped at just the right point. The finished smoke ring is small and it clearly isn’t long enough to pull up over your head. So it’s more of a cowl, but still cute and functional.
Modifications: In addition to casting on fewer stitches, I also worked a purl row after the cast on (I used a double-start cast on) and before the cast off. I cast off in purl, not knit.
Recipient: This cowl is destined for the assistant principal at my daughter’s middle school. Lord knows she deserves it after shepherding my daughter for the last 3 years. In fact, she probably deserves a month-long European vacation, but this is the best I can do.
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Susan | knitting, lace, scarves
Gorgeous! Can’t decide which I like better - this cowl or the MIL mitts you posted a bit ago.
I had wondered about Gloss, and now I can see that I’m gonna have to try it. Didn’t realize it came in fingering weight as well as lace - that’s exciting!
What a wonderful gift! I love the color.
Beautiful! You have a great eye for pattern + yarn combinations.
Jackie has great patterns — her Beaded Smoke Ring has just enough beads that you don’t get sick of stringing them, but still instant gratification.
Beautiful!
leave it to you to knit a beautiful functional instructional swatch with a purpose. your work shows us how to try a little sumpin sumpin, and you show us that usually these trials work. i’m proud of ya!
You are so thoughtful. Wonderful present!
Very pretty. The color and yarn really suit the pattern.
Maybe it will make her *feel* European?
very cute!
That is a stunning knit. (It would take me two weeks, not two days.) The lace pattern is organic and unusual.
Beautiful project, beautiful gift!
It’s beautiful! I’ve been admiring that smoke ring for a while and now I think I need to add it to my project queue. Nice job!
Lovely! What’s a double start cast-on?
It turned out great, I think. Good teacher gift.
It’s beautiful!!
That’s just exquisite.
That’s been on my to-knit list for ages. And what an inspired yarn choice! Great color too.
What a lovely thoughtful gift. You knitting is beautiful and the stitch definition for this pattern in that yarn is great!
i like that stitch. very nice.
Beautiful all around. Makes me want to knit it too!
I love that you squeezed this lovely project out of leftovers! I always feel particularly clever when I manage to turn leftovers into something useful.
So pretty! I’m trying to catch up on some blog reading, and am reading quickly, so I thought your first sentence said “for the past few minutes” and I thought holy crap she knits fast! Maybe it’s the second glass of wine… oops!