Monday, August 25, 2008

Knit one Purl one

You know I've been spending the Olympics binding quilts but I finished the last one Saturday night and decided I needed a project for the Closing Ceremonies and to carry with me on my trip.

Inspired by all the knitting I've seen going on in blogland I decided to start a scarf. It's simple, knit in seed stitch but I'm pretty slow at switching back and forth between knit and purl for each stitch. I wonder how much I'll have done when I get home Saturday??


Speaking of knitting, what's your FAVORITE simple rectangular shawl pattern? I don't like to knit complex patterns especially since I have pretty basic knitting skills and like to let my mind wander when I'm knitting but want something more elegant than garter stitch.


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16 comments:

em's scrapbag said...

Congrats on binding all your quilts. You deserve a gold medal. Can't help you with the knitting. I just do hats on the looms you buy in the craft store.

Unknown said...

I've done some dishcloth patterns and you can prolly translate those to scarves .. hmmm .. I think I googled knitted dishcloths and got a million hits ..

congrats on your finishing and your knitting will pick up speed as you move along :)

have fun on your trip

grace

Anonymous said...

I, too, have recently started knitting ... so many people were into those quick/easy scarves with the fancy yard. I'd love to learn how to knit sock and/or mittens but am focusing on really simple stuff right now. Can't help you with a simple shawl pattern but I would think any stitch on larger needles would give you an open, lacy effect ... you just need to cast on as wide as you want it and make it was long as you want it. You could finish off the edges with a simple crochet stitch or hand-tied tassles ... neither is that difficult. Flatlander (Linda)

Dianne said...

Hi, Mary,

I haven't made one yet, but here's a handsome scarf that's in my queue: http://www.helloyarn.com/irishhikingcarf.htm

Can't wait to see the finished scarf...love that blue yarn!

Sara said...

Here are instructions and a photo of a scarf by YarnHarlot. http://tinyurl.com/263jku
It attracted me because there is a four stitch repeat thatis the same in both directions. It's going to be my next sitting-in-meetings project.

tami said...

A prayer shawl is nice. Easy and airy if you use fine yarn. http://www.shawlministry.com/instructions.html

Susan said...

This is a simple rectangular shawl...knit 3, purl 3 and that's about it!http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/khs-prayerShawl.html

You can also check out this site for lots more shawl patterns... http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/shawls_stoles.php

Sheila said...

I was on a shawl kick (pattern search) this past w/e. The prayer shawl you could basically make any size you want. There don't seem to be many square shawls out there that are not time-intensive or lace-like. I love Eliz. Zimmerman's Stonington Shawl, but it would prob. take me the rest of my life to do it. Also love Cheryl Oberle's book -Folk Shawls- (library).

In the end, if it had to be square, fast, and easy, I'd buy some dynamic yarn and enlarge a diagonally-knitted baby blanket (free at LionBrand).

Wonky Girl said...

Not a big fan of knitted items but remember one I liked. When Martha Stewart was in prison one of her "mates" gave her a knit shawl. That was a pretty one! Did Martha ever post the pattern?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7119356/

GailM. said...

I love to knit, but I'm not a fan of changing colors. So I usually knit aran style of sweaters. I bought this pattern, The Great American Aran Afgan pattern, which will be my project for next winter. I just love it. I also have the other one called the Great American Afgan from the same website. http://www.stitchesmarket.com/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=6462&cat=214&page=2

GailM. said...

I think I have that Martha shawl pattern. I think it was a free pattern by lionbrand or some other yarn manufacturer. If you want it let me know and I'll look for it.

Anonymous said...

I have never made it but a lovely easy shawl - like Tasha Tudor wore is at this link.
http://www.woolywest.com/notebook_shawl.html

Love Leanne

Evelyn aka Starfishy said...

That seed stitch IS very slow! I knit LB an entire baby blanket before he was born - he still uses it - beautiful, but time consuming for sure. Keep at it - the results are well worth it.
Cheers!
Evelyn

Anonymous said...

Here is another link to some free shawl patterns (and other free knitting patterns too). I especially like the first shawl in the list, and plan to make one.

http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns-shawls.htm

Michele in TN

Anonymous said...

At the link below you can see tons of pictures of feather and fan shawls (see my comment above for pattern source) made by folks using the free pattern. Beautiful!

http://flickr.com/groups/feathernfan/pool/

Michele in TN

Carol E. said...

I love that beautiful, blue yarn. For a shawl I'd suggest looking up prayer shawls (easy google search). They're easy and beautiful.