12-21-2016

Worked a swatch to get the feel of alpaca and check out the juxtaposition of the colors. Omigosh! Is it beautiful to crochet.

The photo doesn’t do justice to the colors.

12-22-2016

A number of folks in the pattern’s comments section asked for an English translation of the shawl’s instructions. I marked two as helpful. (See sidebar.) Also, I incorporated Expanding Vees Shawl because the instructions for that Tunisian shawl pattern give you a very good sense of what should be happening in this one, which has similarities. It helped as a reference to get me started. The beginning stitch count differs, i.e., five versus seven. Then, when you start the third row, you work a TSS in the “make one” stitch of the previous row. So, after the increase on row 3, it starts TSS in the “make one” of the last row completed, then TKS, then TSS, and so on. All odd numbered rows begin this way. Even numbered rows begin with a TKS in the “make one.” After a while, you learn to “read” the stitches from the previous row to ensure you don’t accidentally work a TSS into the TKS in the row below and vice versa.

Counting the loops on the hook before the backward pass is also helpful. There should always be an odd number of loops on the hook and four more than the last row worked.

Also, it can be hard to “see” the first and last “make one” on the row just worked. You may need to stretch the fabric a bit. Otherwise, they are easy to mistake as just a loop belonging to the first and last stitch rather than for what they are.

01-10-2017

Didn’t touch this for several days as I had the flu and felt miserable.

Frogged the large rosewood section. Was working the moss stitch a la one of the other Silvretta projects. However, the stitch definition seemed weak and not well-suited for this yarn-hooksize combo and my tension. As I wanted some kind of texturized stitch, I looked for another that didn’t require purling like the moss as purling leaves a lot of neck on the stitch, i.e., loose. Working a diagonal lattice stitch now, which is creating a nice diamond pattern.

01-20-2017

Have come to the puff stitch section of the shawl. Only, I’m not fond of crocheting puff stitches. After about 15 puff stitches, I frogged them. I plan to repeat seven rows of the rib pattern using the cream-colored yarn. Then, two or more rows of the charcoal followed by alternating charcoal and cream or rosewood per pattern and other Silvretta projects.

Also, after the diagonal lattice stitch, don’t think I want to introduce any other stitch patterns until the border. The lattice came out lovely. However, it’s a little tighter than the rib pattern and pulls the edge in slightly. I’m hoping that several more worked rows might even things out a bit more. Eventually, will post a photo.

ETA 01/21/2016: Diagonal lattice also caused some puckering. Perhaps going up one in hook size for this section would help next time? Would have to test it on a swatch.

04-16-2017

Finally. TPS for last two rows and binding off using an “I” crochet hook. (Binding off with the “J” hook gave it a loosey-goosey look.) The TPS rows give it a nice raised border. One row TPS and the TPS bind off probably would have looked just as nice.

Final stitch count was 361 stitches for the last row. It is VERY important to count stitches after completing a forward pass. Toward the end, more mistakes tend to want to creep in. This was not helped when working a row of dark yarn over a previous row of dark yarn; stitches and mistakes are then harder to see.

05-01-2017

Did a TPS bind off and snipped the umbilical cord to the yarn ball. Really pleased with the look of the bottom edge. Weaving in ends and debating how to handle the top edge.

05-03-2017

Just needs blocking. Hmmm. What to do in a house with three cats where no door can remain closed for long without one of them trying to dig a hole beneath and a 100% Alpaca shawl just begging to be kneaded?

07-12-2017

Finally blocked it. Had to lay it across the washer and dryer and then “block” the folding doors with a beach towel to save it from the Three Cats of the Apocalypse.

08-06-2017

Yeah! First Place and a Champion ribbon at the Howard County Fair!

Was displayed rather nicely, too, so that you could see the pattern for the entire length of the shawl.

Entered it under the miscellaneous crochet garments category as the Fair has no category for crocheted shawls (unlike knitted shawls, which have two , lace and other than lace).

08-13-2017

Picked shawl up from the fairgrounds. Two judges’ notes. One read, “Classy piece. Well executed stitching.” The other said, “In contention for champion.”