. . . Knitting In Progress. . .Schoolhouse Press Knit Alongs
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October 2009: Lace Neck Scarf or Shawl with Marilyn VanKeppel (Completed)To join the Yahoo Knit Along Group (optional), please go to the KAL Home Go to the Footlet Knit Along About Marilyn VanKeppel (photo at left) : I’m a retired professor of mathematics and have been knitting for over 50 years. I enjoy knitting, weaving, spinning, natural dyeing, cooking, travel, playing the piano (mostly Bach), reading, and walks with my Jack Russell terrier. I attend Meg Swansen’s Knitting Camp each year, and one year I discovered a book of shawl patterns written in a strange looking language. Intrigued, I wanted to make some of the shawls and found a dictionary to help me translate some of the terms. Unfortunately, the library eventually wanted their book back, so I went to the Faroe Islands to buy a dictionary of my very own. And I felt from the first moment there that I had found my spiritual home. When I returned home with my dictionary, I knitted my way through the Faroese Shawl Book, translating each pattern as I went. Schoolhouse Press has published my translation, as well as my translation of the Icelandic shawl book, Three-Cornered and Long Shawls. © Marilyn VanKeppel, Schoolhouse Press. The information contained on this page is copyrighted by the designer; it is for personal use only and may not be distributed. Questions may be directed to Schoolhouse Press. Project 1: Icelandic Neck Scarf
Materials: Wool: Single-strand (one ply) Icelandic Unspun in 4 colors, about 1/3 wheel of the main color, with small amounts of 3 other colors. Of course, you may choose to use a single color throughout. Any other light and airy yarn, such as a kid mohair/silk blend, could be used, but an adjustment of needles might be required. (See kid silk notes under enlarging the scarf/shawl.) Needles, hook and pins: US #1 (2.25 mm), #10 (6 mm), and #11 (8 mm) circular needles (24" or larger) or straight needles; crochet hook J (7 mm); 2 coilless pins. Note: The largest needle is used only for the cast-on, while the smallest needle is used only when picking up stitches from the initial cast-on. All of the scarf is knitted using the #10 needle. Introductory Notes: This neck scarf has a stocking stitch ground with an all-over lace pattern and lacy border. The finished size of the neck scarf is 32 inches across the top and 16 inches deep. The first and last stitches in each row are kept in garter stitch (i.e., knit every row). The shaded color work at the edge of the scarf is characteristic of Icelandic shawls and scarves. The scarf is finished with a crochet chain, which forms loops while fastening off the stitches and keeps the ending as loose as the knitted lace. There are four decreases used in this scarf, the familiar K2tog and SSK, the double decrease, Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO, denoted (3into1), and the more unusual Sl 1, K2, PSSO, denoted (3into2). Note: This last decrease is a single decrease. Notes on Enlarging the Scarf: The scarf may be made bigger, or you may use a finer grist yarn and smaller needles by adding stitches to the pattern until you reach the size you want. Stitches must be increased in 30 stitch multiples. For the full sized shawl we recommend Icelandic Unspun in five colors (1-2 wheels for the main body, and 1/4-1/2 of a wheel for coordinating colors. Schoolhouse Press sells only full wheels, but many of you have partial wheels of this beautiful wool for which you need a use. Also, you may be able to coordinate ordering Unspun for the shawl and Eli's footlets which also use less than full wheels--see Eli's Footlet description below). Using Kid Silk Haze: I have just finished making a scarf of this, and I think to make a scarf about the same size as the one of Icelandic unspun, a number 8 needle should be used and cast on 153 stitches (instead of the 123 stitches for the Icelandic Unspun). A slightly larger scarf in silk could be made casting on 183 stitches. I used one ball of the Kid Silk Haze. More information about enlarging the shawl, along with pictures and working with the colors is at the end of Post I. Posting Schedule: Post 1 (Cast-On, Body), Oct 5th. Post 2 (Top of Shawl), Oct 9th. Post 3 (Border, Finishing), Oct 12th. All posts will be available after 9 am Central. Many of you may still be knitting as we begin the other projects, especially if you are enlarging the scarf to shawl size. But this page will remain active into 2010 to allow you time to complete all the projects at your leisure. October 5: Neck Scarf (or Shawl) Post I --Cast On and Body If you have not already read the introductory notes (above) or notes on enlarging the scarf (above and below) please do so. It is also advisable to read through the directions below before you start. I've provided a close up of the shawl body below. We'll begin by casting on (for the neck scarf size) in provisional cast-on to allow us to add a border after we've completed the body of the shawl. Cast On: Using an invisible or provisional cast-on and the US #11 needle, cast on 123 Stitches= 3 + 57 + 3 + 57 + 3. (Cast on Drawings Below). (To enlarge to shawl size, please scroll down. You will follow directions for the neck scarf, with a different cast on number.)
Cast On Drawings: At left: Provisional Cast On Crochet, At right: Twisty Wrap Provisional Cast On, Elizabeth Zimmermann
Row 1: Having used one of the illustrated provisional cast-ons and the number 11 needle, you will have stitches waiting on the number 11 needle. Purl across this row with the number 10 needle and the working wool. This is Row #1. Mark the center stitch with a coil-less pin. (The marked stitch is the middle of the double decrease in Row 2/Even Row.) (Odd Row) All odd-numbered rows from here on are worked as follows: K1, purl to last stitch, K1. Notes for Row 2: The first three stitches are a K1 and a single decrease (SSK). Immediately following this is another decrease (the 3into2) which has NO accompanying YO. Then work across the row knitting the (YO, 3into2) repeat, until one stitch before the marked center stitch. Now work a double decrease (3into1), and immediately follow it with another decrease (3into2) that has no accompanying YO. Work the (YO, 3into2) repeat across to the last 3 stitches, ending with K2tog, K1. To reiterate: 3into2= Sl 1, K2, PSSO. 3into1= Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO. Row 2: (Even Row) K1, SSK, (3into2), *YO, (3into2)* repeat between *'s until one stitch before marked center st., (3into1), (3into2), repeat between *'s until 3 stitches before end, K2tog, K1.
3into2 Decrease Repeat in this fashion (odd row, even row) until 15 stitches remain and you are at the beginning of an even row. Note: It is important to keep track of the center stitch, as it has a tendency to wander! So put the second coilless pin into the center stitch, moving it up as the knitting progresses to keep the center stitch identified. Leave the first pin in the initial row.
Close Up of Neck Scarf
Enlarging the Neck Scarf to Shawl Size
FULL-SIZED SHAWL: This shawl is made, with a single strand of Icelandic unspun, using exactly the same instructions as for the neck scarf, but Cast On 303 stitches (3 + 147 + 3 + 147 + 3) onto a US #10 24 inch circular needle. However, when working the border of the shawl, I used a US #10 47 inch circular needle. Size: Approx. 70" across the top, 35" depth at center back The color work in the shawl is as follows: Color A (cream): 1 wheel, color of the main body of shawl. Sequence of colors for body of shawl from cast on edge: Sequence of colors for border of shawl:
October 9: Neck Scarf (or Shawl), Post 2 --Top Part of Scarf (or Shawl) You have 15 stitches remaining and you are at the beginning of an even row. Now we'll finish the top part of the scarf as follows: K1, SSK, (3into2), (3into1), (3into2), K2tog, K1. K1, purl across to last stitch, K1. K1, SSK, (3into1), K2tog, K1. Purl across. There will be five stitches remaining on the needle. Graft or weave the first 2 stitches to the last 2 (treating stitches 3 and 4 as one.) This is tricky, do the best you can. Here is a general drawing of garter stitch weaving. We'll post the border instructions on Monday, October 12. To get the stitches ready for the border. With the #1 needle, pick up the stitches from the provisional cast-on, including an extra stitch on each side of the center stitch (125 stitches for the scarf, 305 stitches for the shawl).
Marilyn's Kid Silk Neck Scarf Completed, with Lacy Bling Border October 12: Neck Scarf (or Shawl), Border If you are working the scarf with 4 colors, row 1 is worked in the main color, rows 2-5 are worked in the second color, rows 6-9 are worked with the third color, and rows 10-13 and the crochet edge are worked in the fourth color. (If you are working the shawl, please see color coordinates listed in Enlarging the Shawl.) There are 13 rows in the border, each even-numbered row being longer than the preceding one. The chart below is for the even-numbered border rows. Only the first half of the chart is given, together with the middle stitch. The second half is the mirror image of the first half. If you have enlarged the scarf, each group of 30 stitches you have added will add a repeat to the portion of the chart labeled "repeat three times." All odd-numbered rows are K1, purl to last stitch, K1. Legend: The dot denotes a knit stitch.
To reiterate: With the #1 needle, pick up the stitches from the invisible or provisional cast on, including an extra stitch on each side of the center stitch (125 stitches for the neck scarf, 303 stitches for large shawl). On the first row, K1, P 123, K1, using the #10 needle and keeping the first coil-less pin in place to mark the center stitch. This row should be worked carefully, as sometimes a picked-up stitch is seated backwards on the needle. Bottom edge: When row 13 has been worked, the edge is finished as follows. With the crochet hook, take up the first 4 stitches, pull a loop of yarn through them, then chain 5 stitches. Continue across the bottom edge of the scarf, taking up the number of stitches as indicated at the top of the border chart, and chaining 5 stitches between each, ending with 4 stitches worked together at the other end. (The three photos below are taken from the book First Book of Modern Lace Knitting by Marianne Kinzel. Used by permission of Dover Publications, Inc.)
3 Stitches have been gathered together. (In the actual shawl you will be gathering 4 stitches.)
The crochet chain is worked before the next group of stitches is gathered.
Finishing: Weave in ends. Wash by hand in gentle wool soap, then block by pinning the upper edge straight and placing a pin in each crochet loop at the bottom. Allow to dry thoroughly before removing the pins. Project 2: Faroese Footlets (Go to Footlet KAL)
As is common throughout Scandinavia, the Faroese do not wear shoes in the house. They leave their shoes at the door and pad around indoors in woolen "footlets". They may also be worn under boots for warmth, or even over boots to help prevent slipping on the ice. And, of course, they make excellent bed socks. Many of these look like socks without cuffs. Others have a more unsual modular construction. We shall consider both types, the second type is "Eli's Footlets". Materials: Wool: 3 oz worsted weight yarn, 2 oz contrasting color worsted weight yarn (optional). Needles: US #5 set of four DP needles or 2 circular needles, 16" or 24" long--whatever You use to knit circularly. Other Tools: Crochet Hool (3.75 mm, US F) and Tapestry needle. Note: You may make these footlets using two circular needles or four double-pointed needles. A small pattern in contrasting color may be incorporated into the stockinette part of the knitting.
Project 3: Eli's Footlets (Go to Footlet KAL)
Icelandic unspun pencil roving is a very good choice for these footlets, although any all-wool yarn will work well. Fulling the finished footlets is usually done, in order to provide a thicker, more durable fabric. These footlets are an excellent way to use up small leftovers from other projects (perhaps from Project 1). Four colors are used. The amount of yarn used, the needle size and the gauge will vary, so a gauge swatch is necessary. The first block of this footlet will serve as our gauge swatch. A story about "Eli's Footlets" from Michelle: During our summer knitting camp, Eli (my 8 yr old son - Meg's grandson) was kind enough to help us with our Scholarship raffle. He sold raffle tickets, made change, and dutifully kept all the money in order. As a treat, I gave him $5 to spend on raffle tickets. He dropped his tickets in the various buckets for the generous prizes donated by our campers. One of the first prizes to be raffled was a pair of the Footlets designed by Marilyn VanKeppel, knitted and donated by Linda Lutz. Lo and behold, Eli's ticket number came up---he won! He was thrilled beyond belief, as the footlets were the first thing he had ever "won." Since the contest, Eli has worn his footlets constantly (even in August). And on a recent trip to Canada when I unzipped the bag he had packed for himself (having had instruction to pack very lightly and only essentials) accessible on the top of the pile were his footlets. Eli's enthusiasm has prompted Marilyn to name (lovingly) the pattern after Eli. Thank you Marilyn, and thank you Linda Lutz for donating this treasure. |
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