I Got Bored

I got bored making the same old garter stitch shawl for our K4 project, so I started this one from the neck down.



I started with 5 stitches and then used YOs 1 stitch in from either edge and 1 one either side of the center stitch for 4 increases each row. It's worked in stockinette stitch with the even rows purled, so it was still pretty mindless knitting.

Then I decided to get fancy & add a lace border. I was going to use an edging knit on sideways, but trying to do lace while chatting with my DH isn't the best idea. I flubbed up the first repeat so tinked back & put it aside until after he went to bed. Then I realized that I was making this pattern up as I go and I had no idea if the remaining yarn would be enough to work the sideways edging all the way around the shawl and decided to just add a few rows of a simple lace pattern that I could cut short if it looked like I was going to run out.



This is the lace pattern from the inner boarder of the Highland Triangle from Folk Shawls. It's a simple 6 stitch, two row repeat, but I still *MESSED* it up the first row and didn't discover it until half way through the next pattern row where I suddenly had three YOs where I should only have had two. So I tinked back and got it right on the second try, by which time it was about 2 a.m. Once the pattern is set, it's easy to stay on track (thank goodness!!!) I did 4 repeats working the increases into the pattern as I had enough stitches. The photo above is the point on one side - notice how the lace makes it curve more than the body of the shawl. It did the same thing when I made the Highland Triangle but I like the look.



Here's the center point that came out a nice mirror image on each side. I finished off with 8 rows of garter stitch to keep the bottom from curling. All in all, I'm quite happy with the results.