Julia's Shawl, & Spring

After a lovely weekend with lots of sun we are back to cloudy, leaden skies. :-( But I saw two trees full of blossom today so hopefully Spring is just around the corner. In fact I think the birds think Spring is on the way, we have two Blue Tits chasing around the garden and I saw one inspecting the nest box just outside my bedroom window. The daffodils are all up and starting to open which is always a good sign.

Julia's shawl is coming along I am about half way. It feels odd to knit with as the yarn is so thin and feels like thick sewing thread. I am glad she went with the square beads, they positively glint in the sunlight.

Ok today is the 29th Feb, the extra day. I don't think I will be doing anything different, Aunty Freda is coming for coffee and that is about it. Oh except for knitting. :-)

Have a great day.

Lola celebrates the leap year.

I another Lola from Lion Brand website, I love the logic. I hope everybody has a good weekend.

Facebook & Open Studios

Last night was the 2nd Open Studios meeting. 

 "Open Studios embraces arts and crafts in all forms, from traditional to contemporary and experimental on the Isle of Wight."


Some of the people in the Cowes are are going to hire Northwood WI Hall and I am going to join in with them.  


Rachel's very kind husband has agreed to build a display backing for me and I bought a foldable table on Wednesday so I am slowly getting there.  I just need to buy a table cloth or maybe make my own to cover the table. 


I have finally set up a Facebook page for Wrapped In Colour. It is one of the things I planned to do but never really got around to doing it. I have added some photos but not much else.


It looks like it is going to be a busy but exciting year ahead.

Finishing off weekend

We had lovely weather this weekend, so mum and I got out into the garden. Mum has two cherry trees in her garden and last year both had nests made in them. Last year mum started pruning the one which a gold-finch had nested in before we realised so the top never really got pruned properly, and the one at the side of the house we never started as I saw a pigeon making a nest in that tree. Mum was determined we will get both trees pruned before the birds start nesting so out we went and got them both done.

 As for knitting I got my Basic, Basic, Basic Course - Lesson 2 Swatches finished and I sent them off yesterday. 

Teal square beads

The beads arrived for Julia's shawl so I knitted a swatch to see which beads work well with the yarn. I have sent an email off with some close up photos and I am waiting to hear what she thinks.


Basically it all depends on how Julia is planning to use the shawl. If she is going to just wear it as a shawl then I would suggest using square beads, if she wants to wear it as a scarf as well then I suggest the round beads. 

Metallic and teal round beads

Round: For colour I would go for a mixture of metallic and teal beads. If she just wants the sparkle then go for clear.

Square: If she just wants sparkle go for clear. For colour no sparkle then frosty, and if she wants sparkle and colour - and really notice the beads - then teal square. 

Frosty Square beads

The yarn is Yarntopia Treasures 10/2 Tencel

It is a very thin yarn and it seems that it is going to give the impression of a spiders web when it is finished. I read on Ravelry that a person used clear beads and it looked like dew drops on the shawl which sounds nice.

Entrelac Scarf

The start

So far so good I have started Joshua's scarf. The instructions are very clear and once I got into it fairly easy to remember. It is only the triangles at the ends which I have to check how to make each time. I have found when you make 8 stitches down the side of each rectangle it is better to leave a bigger gap at the beginning than at the end but I had to always put the last stitch were the 2 rectangles meet in the row underneath otherwise I had a small hole there. 

The other problem I seem to have is occasionally the last row and the one I am doing are the same colour so if I leave of in the middle of a row I have to really think which way am I going. The yarn id lovely to work with and seems to knit hard when you have finished a shape but when you go back and feel my knitting it seems to be softer.

New Challenge - Entrelac

I have been looking at a shawl using Entrelac, however this is a knitting skill I have never tried. I decided I needed something easier to start with. While surfing the net trying to find out how to do it I came across these instructions Entrelac - Beyond Basics . It is from Knitting Daily. They recommend The Basic Entrelac Scarf, which is a free pattern.  So far so good. As it happened my nephew needs a scarf so I cornered him and showed him a selection of Noro Kochoran yarn and he picked the colour he liked. No. 75 - black/grey/browns/with a hint of lime and pine green. Mum says it is a very boy's colour. Noro is 50% wool, 30% Angora and 20% Silk so it should be lovely to knit. 
Ok so I have the pattern, instructions and the yarn decided and ordered. Next stage is to knit it. 

It is finished

The Kayte's Wedding Shawl

 I have finished Kayte's wedding shawl and I am very pleased with how it came out. I love the beads she choose. They are so fine and hardly add any weight to the shawl.

I gave her the shawl on Monday and as it happened her wedding dress had also turned up the week before so she put the dress on and tried the shawl with it. The colour was a perfect match. I was a bit worried that the shawl was too big but she it a lot taller than me and she was pleased with the length. I will now have to wait until June for a photo of her wearing the shawl.  

The whole shawl