Starting the Camellia Shrug

For my next knitting fiasco creation, I’m going to make this lovely Camellia Shrug, featured in the Winter/Spring 2011 Knitscene magazine.

Photo by Cassie Miller, Knitscene, Winter/Spring 2011

 

photo by Cassie Miller, Knitscene, Winter/Spring 2011

 

I ordered my yarn: Lorna’s Laces Honor from the online Webs store. Great service and speedy delivery!!! All the yarn came in skeins. Normally I have it wound into balls before I leave the store, but I didn’t have the option this time since I purchased it online.

The yarn came in three luscious skeins of Lorna's Laces Honor.

 

So, I dug out an old bobbin winder that my grandparents gave me with a bunch of other weaving equipment. I figured I could probably make do with that. It was working ok, but looking like a bobbin instead of a ball!

A bobbin winder, handed down from my grandparents. Normally used for weaving bobbins.

 

Bama decided to help.

Alabama is a yarn monster. She avidly watched me wind my yarn.

 

She likes to eat yarn. You can’t leave her alone with yarn or it disappears.

She tried to eat it when I was done.

 

I successfully removed my “ball” of yarn from the bobbin winder, and set about making my first swatch. By the time my swatch was done, my “ball” was more of a slug shaped mass….

My "ball" of yarn after swatching was complete

 

I’m a pretty tight knitter, so my gauge on the recommended needles was several stitches over. They recommend 19 stitches to the 4″ swatch. I had 25 stitches. I’ll try swatching again on a larger needle size, but that may end up too loose. I may make the shrug in a size larger than normal, and keep my tight stitches. Haven’t decided yet.

The first swatch

 

Now, who’s counting to see how long this takes me to make??? 😉