Finished: One-Skein Shawl

Pattern: One-Skein Shawl by Clara H. Parkes from Knitter's Review
Yarn: 1/15NM lace weight, 100% camelhair from Colourmart; I asked them to ply it for me, so I received a 2-ply yarn, but then I wanted a heavier yarn and used it doubled. So, what I used was a 4/15 NM yan (fingering weight?)
Color: Kid
Price: $16.00
Amount: I have yarn left, I think I used more than 100 g
Needles: 4.5 mm
Gauge: I made a mini-mini swatch to check if my needle size was right, but it's a shawl, so you don't have to swatch properly and measure how many stitches go into 10 cm. :p (you know who you are :p :p)
Dimensions: 150 cm wide and 75 cm from center to tip
Modifications:

I also modified the cast-on. Instead of casting on 5 stitches, I cast on 3 ((I'm convinced that it looks nicer that way, but don't have proof, because I didn't bother to cast on 5 and compare it with my 3-stitch cast-on. Just trust me. :D).



1. Row: Setup row: k to the end
2. Row: 1. row: k1, yo, k1, yo, k1 (=5 stitches)
3. Row: 2. row: k1, purl to last stitch, k1

Continue with the 1. row from the one-skein pattern (= your 3. row).

Every 9. and 11. row I added some holes:

k1 (edge stitch), yo, repeat [k2tog, yo], k1, yo, k1 (center stitch), yo, k1, repeat [yo, ssk], yo, k1 (edge stitch)

Edit: Sorry, I'm confusing. The first rows with holes are done in the 11. row and 13. row. After that it's every 9. and 11. row.

Picot edge: Using the cable cast-on, *cast on two stitches and bind them off. Bind off two more stitches (I purled them. I find the edge looks nicer that way and I was also hoping that I would get a less curly edge. In the end, I didn't have problems with the edge curling, but I also blocked a lot.).* Repeat from * to *








Yep, that's a spinning wheel that you're seeing in the left corner! :D It's a Minstrel from Kromski. I had a hard time deciding, because at first I like the antique look of this wheel, but then I thought I wanted something less frilly and with clear lines and shapes, like the Ashford Joy (I was also thinking of all the dust that would settle with time in the thousand corners of the Minstrel. While I don't like cleaning, I like things to be clean, if you know what I mean.). Having tried it before I did know that it was a good wheel and after reading Abby Franquemont's post about choosing the first wheel and her recommending it together with three, four other wheels I decided to go with that one (also the others were not really available here.). Sofar I'm really happy with it. :)




Same stuff as here, but spun with the wheel.




The blue yarn is Domestic (a bit scratchy. Or maybe overspun...? :o )

Finished: Lilly's Leaf Shawl

Pattern: Lilly's Leaf Shawl by Lillysmuul
Yarn: Wollmeise sock yarn, 100% merino superwash, 150 g skein (574 yards), 350 m/ 100 g, wash at 30 °C
Color: "Farn"
Price: around 15 € per skein?
Amount: well, more than I thought in the beginning! I ran out of yarn after finishing the body and I had to start a new skein for the edge. Of course, I hadn't bought a second skein. I tried the skein that one of my friends had, but the color was too muted. I finally succeeded obtaining another skein by contacting Claudia from Wollmeise. She was supernice and did indeed have a similar skein. It's not a perfect match, but the difference is not too obvious.
Needles: I think 4.5 mm (sorry, I didn't write it down and between finishing and blocking a lot of time passed. I finished it sooo quickly, but not having jigsaw mats to block it delayed the whole finishing process.)
Gauge: -
Dimensions: 168 wide and from the center to the tip it's 80 cm (I measured after blocking it, usually my shawls shrink a bit after that)
Modifications: none

It's a nice and easy pattern. The main body is composed of a quite popular Estonian stitch pattern that I have already seen used a couple of times in other shawl designs. At the upper edge and on both sides of the center you have a leaf pattern.

The yarn surprisingly looks very very much like cotton. If I didn't know that this was merino, I would have assumed that this was cotton. Many knitters I know think the same. I don't think this is something positive or negative, I was just surprised about its texture. The colors are fabulous, many many shades of green. I really really liked the first skein I bought. The colors were brilliant and just perfect greens. The second skein was also nice, but the green was tiny bit more muted and blueish. I'm usually not such a Wollmeise fan, but this colorway I liked a lot.




The next two pictures were taken by a friend's boyfriend.







I'm not sure if I should keep the shawl or give it away. I never knit shawls in this size (it's really big) and I have no clue how to wear it without looking like a granny. I think it doesn't look that bad in the first picture. I could also use it like a scarf and wrap it around my neck. Or I could give it to my grandma who likes green. Shall I keep it? What do you think?

Resolved --> Does anybody recognize this plant?

I love this plant. It's just gorgeous. But what's its name? Anyone has a clue? I got a cutting from a friend of mine whom this plant belongs to. Hopefully it will survive.

Edit: I also posted pictures on Flickr and yippieeeh - I got an answer! It seems to be a Japanese aralia (Fatsia japonica)

Progress shot of the wedding stole

Rowan Kidsilk Haze in cream (looks pretty white to me though). It's not blocked yet, don't worry. I just pulled it apart a bit.