Virgin Mary has her shawl!

I could barely believe I've finished the Frostpine shawl... Starting in June I've been working at it just two rows at a time, I did not want to make mistakes so I preferred to go slowly....
In the beginning the difficulty was starting wit too few stitches, so I skipped directly to the point where you work with 12 stitches and it was fine for me...

I have to say that it was a patience work, but I did not find it difficult... and making it slowly it was neither to heavy to carry on... just the last 20 rows became difficult to manage. In particular row 145 was confusing as the written pattern was one way and the chart was in another way in two points....

the first kxtog on the written instruction was a k3tg and on the chart was / (=k2tog) and the last skxp on the written instructions was a sk2p while on the chart it was a \ (=skp)....

as I was scared of changing the pattern I decided for following the written instructions and making a kfb at the end of the row instead of a k2.

The other thing I did was to cast on at 151 with the long tail cast on. I took another skein and doubled the yarn to do it and when, after 9 stitches cast on I had to knit one I knitted both the yarns... I think it made it faster and the cast on was firmer that in another way.

The craft is beautiful and I have to thank the author of the pattern. I've seen many of his shawl patterns and I like almost all.

Now just a little thought for those who believe.....
I don't know if in the future will happen what I asked to the Virgin, but what I've understood from this experience is that God made me a person full of gift... hands that can do this and the mind to understand how, the patience to work on a project for a long time and the happiness to see it finished.
I took needles and wool for my first time exactly one year ago....
but most of all I've been really happy to work for Virgin Mary, each time I took the needles in my hands I could be happy even in a bad day... and this happiness grew every day for all this time and now I don't know if my troubles will solve or not, what I know is that I have back my serenity and this is the most important gift God gave me!

My lacy singlet - my first crochet project!

I sow it, I loved it, I wanted to do it!

It was on La grande Maglia n. 16- 2013.

I decided to use the Carina Cotton by Grignasco and I used 4.5 skeins. The beginning was a little bit tricky but with a little help from a Raveler I could go on. The rest was quite easy and I decided to make it a little bit longer, just one block of 16 rows and it was perfect for me

I know that the effect is not the same of the model ... but give me a few months of running and working out and I will improve widely!

The most difficult part of this project, in my opinion, was the crochet at the bottom.... I had never performed with crochet so I was a bit doubtful about it...

but you can see that I managed to do it fine!
Another thing I did was addin an extra 16 rows at the bottom of the body, they were perfect for the lenght I wanted forme and did not alterate the optical effect of the pattern.

I really loved it and I learned that crochet is not so intimidating!

Ella summer top - Debbie Bliss

I loved this patter... as soon as I sow it I wanted to do it! I think that this shape of arms flatters me and I really wanted one!

I made little changes to the pattern to make it fit better my body and to reach the effect that is more flattering for me.
I worked it with circular needles form the bottom up.
I casted on 188 stitches and made the bust 35 cm long. I did not want it to stay too fitted, on the contrary I wanted some comfort. It is for summer and I want air to pass!
Starting the armholes I bind off just 3 stitches and not 5, as I read on other people that already had done it that the armholes where too open.
I decided to make the neck much little than the pattern…
I casted on just 8 stitches each side instead of 16.
In the front and back I arrived there with the space between the two cable patterns that counted 24 stockinette stitches, too many for my neck!
Then I made last row with 1 stockinette stitch and 1 knit two together for 8 times and so I reduced to 16 stockinette stitches in the middle. It fitted perfectly!
 For the neck I opened a little the cable pattern to make it simple but even to make it more evident, so I decided to make a purl2 4cable pattern and purl 2 and then start the k2 p2 pattern straight and I liked the effect!

One little comment on the yarn... the final effect was fantastic, bu the yarn needed much more strength than wool or other cottons... it was difficult and I had to stop after a few rows. I like the fact that is cotton and silk. And the kind of yarn is perfect for geometric patterns with a simple shape.