FO: Levens

My poor Ravelympics projects have been sitting abandoned whilst I finished Levens!

I was planning on finishing this before the big Ravelympics Cast-On last Saturday so I could concentrate my efforts on my entries for the competition, but as usual life got in the way and I just couldn’t resist finishing this first.

Levens by Lily Kate France
Yarn: Forsell Shamal 3ply in Autumn Gold
(ravelled here)

I absolutely love this! The ruching detail is so simply but so effective, and I’m in awe of how talented this designer is, especially considering the fact that she is only 12! The simple details in this are quite lovely, like the i-cord style edging across the wingspan, which you can’t see in this photo, and the pretty lacey edge and crochet cast off along the bottom, which again you can’t see thanks to my curling stocking stitch.

I did have some minor hiccoughs with the pattern at the start, first because my bamboo circulars were not quite pointy enough to work with this yarn, and then to do with the slipped stitches, but I think that was mostly due to my brain taking a minor hiatus after my exams finished. I managed to figure it out in the end, although I think that Lily Kate has amended the pattern since anyway to clarify the directions on the slipped stitches.

I was using a finer yarn than the pattern called for and I wanted a larger scarf, so I started the two side ruched panels later than the pattern instructed and then kept going until I was quite sick of stocking stitch. It’s actually a few inches shy of how long I wanted it, but the ruching makes it somewhat difficult to gauge the actual length when it’s on the needles, and I didn’t fancy transferring hundred of stitches onto a larger needle or waste yarn for a better idea! Anyhow, I’m happy with the length as it is. I ended up with the wingspan measuring approximately 60 inches, the centre ruching detail about 12 inches deep, and the areas without ruching are about 20 inches, so quite long enough probably!

I haven’t stopped wearing this scarf since it finished blocking (I’m even wearing it right now around the house!). Yellow is rarely a colour I go for, but I’ve been lusting after the idea of a mustard yellow scarf for a while now, ever since I saw a gorgeous mustard Ishbel on Ravelry. I think it’s just the right colour for this time of year too, bringing a little warm brightness to the day when it’s still cold and snowing outside!

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Impatience is (not) a virtue

                     
So I was trying to keep casting on for Levens for the Ravelympics, but then a big delivery of yarn I ordered arrived, and one thing led to another and Levens just seemed to happen… What can I say, I’m just fickle like that.
Currently about a third of the way through. I’m using a much lighter weight yarn and therefore am obviously waay out on gauge so I’m winging it for now. My gauge is probably still too loose for the yarn I’m using, but I’m quite liking the light airiness of it. Right now however, I am torn between sticking with the 3 ruched panels and just working them for longer, or whether to add 2 more. Ho hum.
The other project currently on the needles (I’m not counting the tea cozy, it' seems to be permanently on the needles) is the toe up socks I cast on while I should have been revising. It’s my first pair knit toe-up, and to be honest my patience with them is starting to wear a little thin. Whilst I quite enjoyed the cast on (Judy’s Magic Cast-on) and the foot and like the idea of being able to try them on as you go, I seem to be stumbling at the heel. This will be the third attempt at the heel. The first time there weren’t enough gusset stitches so it was a bit too tight, this time it’s because it’s too big, presumably because I’ve started the gusset increases too late. Here’s hoping the third time is the charm, because frankly I’m starting to feel a bit like the Goldilocks of toe-up socks.

For the moment though, they’re banished to the naughty corner.
Ooh, as an aside I’ve been playing with my new needle felting kit, and have made the Boy a little Valentines card. Needle felting is rather addictive.
I think it’s safe to post a photo because I don’t think he reads this…


What a sap :P

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