Torla shawl

     

hello my lovely people,

Good news, I have finally gotten around to blocking and writing up the pattern for that shawl that I was knitting this  past summer while traveling through Spain. You remember, the one that started out as Softsweater's sunlight shawl for sad people. But then I decided to change it up by adding some of Orange flower's Age of brass and steam. I know you were wondering if I was ever going to mention it again or if I had forgotten all about it.
Well, I didn't forget. In fact, I really love how it turned out, especially now that it is blocked. I have named it Torla, after the stone village outside of Ordesa National Park.
If you would like to make one, here is the pattern:


Material: 1 set of size 6 circular needles, 2 stitch markers, about 400 yards of fingering/ sock yarn.
It is a triangular shawl worked from the top-center out.
vocab:
k - knit
p- purl
pm- place marker
yo- yarn over
ws - wrong side (purl side)
rs - right side (knit side)
k2tog -  knit 2 stitches together
sts - stitches

CO 10 stitches
knit 3 rows
Row 4: k2, yo, k2, yo, pm, k2, pm, yo, k2, yo, k2
Row 5: (ws) k2, p to last 2sts, k2
Row 6: (rs) k2, yo, k to stitch marker, yo, slip marker, k2, slip marker, yo, knit to last 2 sts, yo, k2.
All odd rows from 7-51: same as row 5
All even rows from 8-52: same as row 6
Row 53: knit across.
Next 21 rows (54-74): return to even rows the same as 6 and odd rows the same as 5
Row 75: knit across
Row 76: same as row 6
Row 77: knit across
Next 13 Rows (78-90): return to even rows the same as 6 and odd rows the same as 5.
Row 91: knit across
Row 92: k2, *yo, k2tog*, repeat from * to* until stitch marker, yo, slip marker, k2, slip marker, *yo, k2tog*, repeat * to * until last two stitches, yo, k2.
Row 93: knit across
Next 9 rows (94-102): even rows same as 6, odd rows same as 5
Row 103: knit
Row 104: k2, yo, knit to marker, yo, slip marker, k2, slip marker, yo, knit to last two stitches, yo, k2.
Row 105: knit
Row 106: k2, *yo, k2tog*, repeat between * to marker, yo, slip marker, k2, slip marker, *yo, k2tog*, repeat from * to * till last two stitches, yo, k2.
Row 107: knit
Row 108: k2, yo, knit to marker, yo, slip marker, k2, slip marker, yo, knit to last two sts, yo, k2.
Row 109: knit
Next 5 rows (110-114): even rows same as 6, odd rows same as 5
Rows 115 and 117: knit
Rows 116 and 118: same as row 106
Knit last 3 rows
Bind off loosely
Weave in ends and block

Please let me know if there are any mistakes in the pattern. Since I am the only one that has tested it I can not guarantee it is without mistakes. Also, I would love to know how this works out for you.

Thanks for checking in,
XO
Lue Lue Ellabee

PS. Here is a picture of it flat, after blocking:

Good news everybody!

Hello all my wonderful people,
Wow, keeping up with this blog is hard. Fortunately, I have some exciting things to tell you so you may forgive my silence.
First, I received the results of the essay exam from a couple weeks ago. I passed! You may have some idea of how excited I am that I will never need to take that test again. The most important aspect of my passing is that I have officially passed the whole of the CBEST, and am now able to apply for a substitute teaching licence. So, even if I am not excepted to a credential program, I can sub next year which will make my next round of applications 100xs better.
My next bit of news is this:

Yep, I finished the shawl for my sister and sent it off to her last week. I could not find the tag for the yarn but the pattern is Bigger on the inside. It was super fun to knit and I learned a lot; like how to follow charts that show both right side and wrong side and how to make bobbles.
Since finishing the shawl I have been working on a sweater for the lady and it is going sooooo fast:

Those little hanging down bits are destined to be pockets. I would share the pattern but, I have plans to significantly change it. If it turns out the way I am imagining it, you will be wanting that pattern too.

Finally, I have blocked that shawl I knit way back in Spain. I have named it Torla and I am working on writing up the pattern now. I am hoping to have it ready for you tomorrow.

Well, I must get back to studding. I have another exam starting next week (I am taking this one in 3 parts because it is a monster). Wish me luck and I will try to keep you posted.

Thanks for checking in,
XO
Lue Lue Ellabee

so close, yet so far

Happy Sunday my lovely people,
    For those of you wondering, I think my exam went well. At least I think I passed, which is all that really matters with these exams. So that is the last part of the first exam, and I am hoping, the end of that bit of worry. Now I am in full study mode for the first part of the second exam. I have two weeks of serious study ahead of me. Here is hoping everything sticks (my recall abilities are not awesome).
     Lets move on to things that make me feel clever, rather than below-average. Friday, the lady was off from school (it was a teacher development day), little man had morning pre-school, and love chose not to make it a three day weekend. So, lady and I had some quality time in which we did this:

 
She has been begging me to teach her how to sew, and the four hours of just us seemed like the perfect time. She helped with cutting the pattern out and pinning the pieces together. She practiced using the sewing machine on some scrap fabric. Unfortunately, by the time we got to the part she was supposed to sew, she was only interested in playing. For some reason she thought I was going to let her just use the sewing machine without learning all the other steps to a project.  Fortunately, for her, I don't mind. I have been wanting to make her a skirt with this fabric since I bought it last year, and there is enough left over to make a matching one for me. I find this very exciting, although it could be weird....nope, it will be awesome.

      I suppose I should mention that Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love the costumes, candy, trick-or-treating with friends, and kids'  scary movies (I don't like adult horror films, they give me nightmares). I especially love the decorations. I have a dream of one day turning my house into a haunted house, I have it all figured out, the kids just need to be a little older. This time, when mister got home from pre-school, the three of us just decorated the front of the house:

 
Spider webs are my favorite Halloween decorating tool. As you can see we had good times.
       Finally, progress on the last bits of the shawl and quilt are on going. I only have about half an inch of ribbed edging to knit before I can bind off. Then it is weaving in the ends and blocking (neither of which takes very long). Once I have sent it off to my sister I will show you the finished object and share the pattern I used.
      This is where the quilt is:

As you can see, the top is almost done. I am quite pleased with how it is turning out. I had only a vague idea of how it would look once it was finished, and this is already better than I imagined. I am thinking the binding needs to be dark purple, to contrast all the yellow. Red, black, or dark green may also work, but I feel the purple would do the best job of bringing it all together. 

       I  hope all your projects are cooperating.

Thanks for checking in,

XO

Lue Lue Ellabee

slowly moving forward

Hello my loves,

I hope the big wide world is treating you well. Usually I am only up at this time to run (well, walk/run. I have an injury that prevents me from doing an all out run). On this morning, however, I am up to take an exam; yes ,you read that right, an exam. I am in the process of applying to a teacher credential/ graduate program. Our little one is supposed to start school next fall, and my love and I have an agreement: while they are home, I am home; once both are in school, I go back to school. Unfortunately, before I can even apply, I have two exams I must pass. So, I will update you quickly on my progress for the last two weeks.

The quilt is now moving along quickly. I have all the rows figured out and have started sewing them together. I hope to have the top done be the end of the week.

 The shawl is also moving along, although not as quickly. My sister's birthday was last Tue. I only have a couple inches of border left, then cast off, and block. I have only just started the second ball. I am going to have more than half left over. Any ideas what to do with it?

Well, it is time to head out to my exam. Wish me luck.

XO
LueLue Ellabee