I just finished the Princess Shawl, and I wanted to work in worsted weight acrylic, for a change of pace. Cobweb weight silk is all very fine, but sometimes a girl just wants a hamburger, you know? And I thought that I’d revisit this project, since I learned so much and it was _so hard_ the last time I did it.
I also wanted to try the Addi Flexi-flips, since I continue to truly hate DPNs. I like the Flexi-flips _so much better_! Like, so much. Also, in the interim I’ve learned Emily Ocker’s magic circle cast-on, which is great. Also, I’m doing the crocheted zipper method of provisional cast on.
Charts are now comprehensible! Like, even the cables make perfect sense to me. They are no longer a foreign language. Lovely. I’m tearing along at a great rate, though, yes, the Process is still in force. I had to cast on three times for the beginning, and I had to restart the first large braid once. I don’t like the way the M1s at the corners look, and if I ever do this again, I may try to do something about that. Not sure what.
I’m doing this in white, blue, and green. I hope it looks nice. If it doesn’t, well, Goodwill and someone can always tear it up for spare parts.
11-21-2021
Reading charts is _so much easier_ this time around. The cable notations just make sense to me, I no longer have to translate them from a foreign tongue. Also, better tools are better! The Addi Flexiflips were lovely, and the Chiagoo interchangeable with really long cables so that I don’t have to use cable needles and DPNs have been marvelous.
I still am having all sorts of trouble removing the waste yarn. I can graft ok, although I do always review the procedure on YouTube first, but it never looks as nice as I want it to. Clearly, there’s some trick to grafting that I do not have. Sigh.
I have finished the centre tile, the braided border, the first stockinette border, and the leaf and braid border. I could stop here, it’s actually a nice size, but I won’t, because…um…I bought the yarn. Yes, that’s the ticket!
2/5/22: I’m still plugging away at this, but it’s an afghan, so it’s a bit to lug. I’m more than half-way through the final braid border, and lords, I’m bored of this final braid border, I tell you what. My brain is finally relenting on the “you must only work on one project at a time” and so, for instance, I did _not_ lug this to NYC over the hols, and over the hols I knit a hat, a pair of fingerless gloves, and a shawl. And, well, tore that one out, and started another one. Which I finished. And I’ve started another shawl, which is intended to be the thing I take places, and I’ll finish up this afghan at home, where I don’t have to lug it. Among other things, it’s _heavy_. I shall be very pleased to have finished it, I think.
05-07-2022
And that, as they say, is a wrap. Or, more precisely, an afghan.
It was so much easier, this time, and I’m so much better at charts. At this point, I have some bones to pick with the designer, because the increases at the corners aren’t entirely consistent, and so that inconsistency shows, and I bet there are better ways to get that number of stitches without the occasional unevenness. But it is quite pretty, nevertheless, and I’m pleased to have finished it.
I am also pleased to report that I can, now, work on two projects at the same time, kind of. Or at least, insterspersed. I did not have to finish this project before starting a next one, and I was able to finish both projects. So, that’s a win, really.
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