Monday, August 3, 2015

Crescent Lace Shawl

Early this spring I bought my first copy of Love of Crochet Magazine.  I enjoyed browsing through it, but nothing in particular struck my fancy - until I took a closer look at the Crescent Lace Shawl pattern last week.  I've been wanting to make a shawl, but am not in the mood to make a heavy one.  The suggested yarn for this is Knit Picks Curio cotton thread (which looks lovely, and is priced very reasonably), but I decided to go looking in my stash to see what I might already have that ought to work.

http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/a-year-of-projects/3251449/1-25#11


I found this nice shade of lavender in Loops & Threads Woolike in my stash.   And I should have enough.  This is an acrylic thread that is sooooft.  I've doubled it to make scarves and they are almost luxuriously soft.


I really need to enlarge this pattern, but I'm wondering if I should have begun doing so before now.   I'm at row 19 now and the pattern makes 50 rows before the lace trim.    I'm not opposed to ripping it back, but if I don't need to...well, I'd love that.

Anyone have a thought about when to begin enlarging?  Should I have begun it before now?  Or ought I be able to begin increasing this shawl gradually at this point?  It's also likely that I'll make this longer than 50 rows.   I'm thinking I'll possibly do somewhere between 60-70 rows.   I've checked some other projects made of this pattern and I think I'll like it better a tad longer than the pattern is likely to make it.  Any thoughts about widening and lengthening are welcome since I will be winging this.

I've finished crocheting the Starling Bag.  Yippee!  And I picked out this fabric for the lining:


My momentum has slowed down for the time being, but I'll be sure to post a picture when I get this bag finished.  Posting this pic keeps me accountable in some fashion.

~~~~~~
 
We're supposed to get another shower tonight (which is oddly comforting - it's almost strange when we have a day without rain here in Indiana this summer).  And then it looks like some beautiful temps later in the week.  The thought of which has me looking forward to doing some weeding and seeing if I can't bring some love and assistance to the pretty, if pitiful few, flowers I have in my back yard.





Happy August!
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11 comments:

  1. UnaAugust 3, 2015 at 2:50 AM

    Thanks for the gorgeous photos, especially the flowers.

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  2. RuthAugust 3, 2015 at 3:35 AM

    I can't see how widening it now can't happen. Are you talking about widening it at the edges so popping in some extra increases there? If so I would just space them out regular to make it look even, it will give you wider wings onto the pattern, also adding length to the project shouldn't be an issue as the pattern looks the same until the border, perhaps just check the numbers on the border and is it something that is easily added onto the extra rows you'll add on for length. Try widening it now and if in a few rows time you don't like the look you can always frog it then when you've seen. HTH, not even sure if it does, I'm just going on what I'd do with a knitted shawl in this position.

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    1. BeckiAugust 3, 2015 at 11:07 AM

      Ruth, that's exactly what I'm picturing doing - with gradual increases. It's a very simple pattern - just double crochet until the border. Blocked it should open up and look a bit like a mesh. Your comments do help - they give me courage to keep going. And I'm not afraid of getting to a point where I might decide differently. Just hearing what you'd do is encouraging. Thanks!

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  3. Minding My Own StitchesAugust 3, 2015 at 7:31 AM

    No advice on enlarging, sorry! I hope you get it worked out.

    What absolutely perfect lining fabric for your bag! It's just lovely!

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    1. BeckiAugust 3, 2015 at 11:19 AM

      Oh, thank you about the lining. I found this fabric at Jo-Ann Fabrics and I even asked a lady (who was standing there also gazing at fabrics) for her opinion. She is a quilter and she sounded pretty confident that it would work. I thought so too, but I was doing so much second-guessing it was helpful to hear a second (and now third) opinion). :^)

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  4. Lucy BowenAugust 3, 2015 at 10:54 AM

    Gorgeous photos, I would take Ruth's advice on the shawl!

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  5. UnknownAugust 3, 2015 at 11:16 AM

    Love the fabric you chose for your bag lining. It really is a parefect match for the colors of the yarn. I'm envious of your rain. We've had next to nothing in MN and we just sodded our lawn so I'm constantly watering with the sprinkler. I shudder to think what our water bill will be. Have a great week!

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    1. BeckiAugust 3, 2015 at 11:40 AM

      Thanks Ann! Having had several drought summers recently I would have agreed - then. And I do hear you - we had to seed a large patch in our front yard this spring, too, after having a sewer line replaced just before winter set in last year, so we are thankful for the lower water bill right now. While the grass is gorgeous, veggies and flowers haven't fared so well. My flower plants have been "washed" so many times I can't feed them enough fertilizer to keep the leaves green. And the weeds! Oh my lands - the weeds! I have had to FIND my day lilies twice this summer, there have been so few dry days this summer in which to weed them. lol It's always something, isn't it?

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  6. CrochetbyErinAugust 6, 2015 at 7:29 AM

    Can't wait to see the finished shawl. You've chosen a beautiful color.

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