Finishing stuff
Monday, November 20, 2006 at 3:17PM 
With December looming, it felt quite good to finish a couple of things which have been so very nearly done for the last couple of weeks. First, Mark's socks, which have turned out pretty well. I knitted them following the pattern in Sensational Socks and particularly like the heel, which is traditionally worked but Charlene Schurch's addition of a garter stitch border alongside the picked up "seam" is something I will try to remember when I knit other patterns. I think it works very well.
The second fanfare was sounded as the (very long!) cast off was finished on the Swallowtail Shawl. A whole heap of mistakes in this one, some more noticeable than others, but it was a learning experience and I might add that there are fewer mistakes towards the end of the shawl than at the beginning! I think that next time I knit this pattern, I shall choose slightly smaller needles or less fine yarn. Knitting cobwebs never did come easily to me and I think that having more substance on my needles would have made forming the stitches more straighforward.
Taking this photograph of the edge alerted me to one area of potential disaster. Can you spot it too? (Off to find my crochet hook and a darning needle!!)
It is intended for the one and only person in the whole world who will think it's wonderful, however many mistakes there are in it. You can guess who that is.
(Good job there's been no questions about how the Christmas cakes turned out yet!)
Reader Comments (5)
Well, I think you deserve lots of congratulations for your two FOs. The socks are very manly (nice tip about the garter stitch) and the shawl is simply beautiful. I can't see any mistakes, so your eyes must be sharper than mine.
Hope you had a good holiday.
That shawl is beautiful, such a lovely colour you have chosen.
Well done Gill on finishing these. The socks are very well finished and will give your DH years of good service with that double knitted heel.
I was determined to find the mistake in that beautiful shawl and I did eventually. It's like cobweb and must have been difficult to knit.
These are wonderful, Gill - especially the shawl. I can't see any mistakes, I must say.
I've now tied in that little loose dropped stitch which had excaped, and all is secure. I think it's ok now it's off the blocking cloth and ready to wear - mistakes can be hidden in the folds. I shall knit it again though - it was challenging but not too complex to be fun.
Thank you all for your sweet comments!