Autumn, new yarn, new projects!

This autumn I have many projects in my queue...

First it comes the most important request... 

my auntie Francesca is in bed, she has been in this situation for a long time and doctors say that she is old and so ill that there are no possibilities she could be better than this.  Now I love my auntie a lot and she has been playing a lot with me and my brother, when we were children. 

The other thing is that she is most affectionate to her mother (my grandmother) as my auntie never married and lived all her life with her family. My grandmother used to knit a lot ant to make for each nephew and niece a big adult blanket each with recycled wool from old sweaters. Every time I use needles I can still see my grandmother near the window of her house knitting and so can my auntie. We have this big love of Grandma in common. 

So, when last time I went to auntie Francesca to make her see my progresses in knitting, it was a big surprise that she asked me a red shawl... I bought a very soft and warm wool - Mondial Prima in red. Then I decided about the pattern Alma Ella Shawl by Robin Lynn... At the moment I've finished the garter section and it very well written and easy to follow... I'm very grateful to the author for this nice present, as it's a free ravelry download.

Second yarn bought, second project!

When I went to Cafilan to buy the red yarn I decided to try for the second time to do a scarf for my beloved husband. The other attempt has been a failure, as the scarf was too short and he did not use it. So I could find some 100% cashmere on sale with a pale blue colour (my husband wears just all the shades of blue).

Now I have to find the right pattern, but I'm almost sure that I will have to do it in stockinette stitch, after trying to talk with him about cabled patterns or with squares or whatever... every time he tells me that he prefers the stockinette... so the problem is how to do it with edges that don't curl.... I'm a little bit scared that i will have to knit it with the double knitting technique, to make it perfect, so I think I will have to run to buy the double of the yarn not to make it short another time!!!!

Then I bought even a yarn for me! 

I've seen this yarn for the first time last May and I fell in love with it! It's a mix of cashmere and silk that was made by Filatura di Crosa and that now is out of production.

What a crazy choice... I found it soooooooooo beautiful and soft. Soooo lovely the colours, that I had to have it!

I dreamt about it for all the summer and now, at the beginning of the Autumn, I bought it. I've not still decided what to do.. but all I know is that I want a soft soft sweater with lace pattern... we will see!

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!