PIs ‘R’ Us
4 balls of yarn, a Soak, and 192 large T-pins later.
Pattern: Pi shawl by Elizabeth Zimmerman from Knitter’s Almanac (July)
Yarn: 4 skeins of Reynold’s Soft Sea Wool in color 569 (Dark Blue)
Needles: 4.5 mm (US 7) double points, 16″ circular and 24″ circular
Modifications: I used the basic recipe for the shawl including the Emily Ocker crocheted cast on, with no patterning in any of the sections until the 48 row section, at which point I began a diamond motif that you can find a chart for here. I worked the next increase row, then worked 6 rows even, then did an eyelet row, then 2 rows, then the crochet chain bind off (*chain 5, slip stitch 3 live knitted stitches together, repeat from *)
Verdict: This shawl is GENIUS! It uses the basic exponential growth (every increase row you double the stitches, and to match that the number of rows between increase rows doubles, so you start with 3 rows, then 6, then 12, then 24, etc…), but it takes full advantage of the fact that knitting stitches are so malleable. If you were to try recreate this pattern of increase in something less flexible, like say… woven fabric, it would gather and bunch at the beginning of the non increasing section and stretch and pucker at the end of it right before the new increase row. It is because of this that my regular old diamond motif looks like a lotus blossom instead. Frankly, I love it! This one is going to Black Sheep Wool Company for shop display, but I get to knit another one when I teach the class on it.
Blocking was proving just a bit tricky, until I realized that I could pin the end of my tape measure to the very middle of the shawl and then every time I placed a pin, I’d just use the tape measure to make it exactly 24″ from the center, that way the whole shawl ended up being evenly 48″ in diameter.
More FO pics tomorrow, but I wanted to mention my progress toward more organization and fewer piles. You can see my new living room shelves, full of DVDs and all the shit that used to sit all along the floor at that wall.
M
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Comments
I love it! great colour, weight, and a perfect choice of lace patterns.
Posted by: emily | January 14th, 2008 01:24
Pretty! I keep meaning to make one of those, but I never seem to get round to it….
Posted by: janine | January 14th, 2008 01:35
Ooohhhh… that measuring tape idea is sooo smart :) I’ll use that when I finally get around to blocking some of my circular shawls :)
Cheers Eva
Posted by: Eva | January 14th, 2008 02:58
Oh, yummy! I’ve been eyeing that for a while. Now I’m feeling the itch again. :)
Posted by: Tasha | January 14th, 2008 05:04
That is so warm looking, and the maths! :)
EZ was a talented woman.
Posted by: JudyMac | January 14th, 2008 05:41
Beautiful! And, having knitted with the Soft Sea Wool before, I’m sure it’s quite cozy!
Posted by: Sarah | January 14th, 2008 06:45
Gorgeous!! I really want to do one of those!
Posted by: Lee Cockrum | January 14th, 2008 07:06
Wow! It looks fantastic.
Posted by: Kathy | January 14th, 2008 07:08
Lovely shawl! *makes mental note of your circular shawl blocking trick*
Posted by: Chris | January 14th, 2008 07:25
GORGEOUS.
Posted by: penny | January 14th, 2008 07:26
Lovely! Very simple and elegant.
I like the new shelves. Ikea is obscenely addictive (and far far far too close to my house)!
Posted by: Anne | January 14th, 2008 07:37
That’s beautiful. I love the way the diamonds are curved.
Posted by: naomi | January 14th, 2008 08:02
It’s beautiful. I’ve wanted to make one for awhile, but wondered if I would really like it. You’ve convinced me that I would. Nice color, too!
Posted by: Heather | January 14th, 2008 08:19
Beautiful! It is just the right color too ;)
Posted by: Lauren | January 14th, 2008 08:32
Nice! Isn’t the Pi shawl great? I started my first one (and I’m sure it won’t be the last) this weekend, using laceweight yarn. I’m into the 288 stitch section right now and am incorporating at least 3 different lace stitch patterns into it. I love it!
I’ll have to remember your tip about the tape measure. That would make it a lot easier!
Posted by: Ev | January 14th, 2008 08:45
The shawl looks wonderful and there is something magical about the blue. I did not know you can wear a circular shawl by folding down the top edge. It makes so much sense since that is where you need the warmth. Love your shelf organization. Looks like you can easily find anything. I didn’t know you still had the little blue stool. What do you use it for? It is so old it could vote. I think we had it since you were tiny, maybe before.
Posted by: Claudia | January 14th, 2008 08:51
Lovely shawl, and lovely shelf! (Of course, now we know where the candy is…) C knits?
Posted by: Cheryl S. | January 14th, 2008 10:03
Beautiful! So many beginners are afraid of laceweight, yet fingering weight makes such a nice shawl. It will be perfect for a class! Love the measuring tape tip! My Pi was wider than the queen-size bed I was blocking it on, but that’s a whole ‘nother story.
Posted by: Margaret | January 14th, 2008 10:17
That’s genius with the tape measure. I’ll have to remember that the next time I pin a shawl out.
Posted by: Kelli | January 14th, 2008 10:39
It’s a beauty! Congrats!
Posted by: Nonnahs | January 14th, 2008 10:46
Ooh, that turned out so well! And I love the way you’re wearing it. I’ve been wondering whether to knit the Pi shawl, since I wasn’t sure I’d use it, but I may have just gotten converted…
Posted by: Jocelyn | January 14th, 2008 12:22
The shawl and colour are beautiful. Maybe you can invent a giant “compass” for knitting Pi shawls and make a fortune. That’s the thing you use in geometry where it has a point on one side, and you put your pen in the other to make a circle etc.
Anne in Calgary
Posted by: Anne | January 14th, 2008 12:45
Love the shawl, Mim. Looks great! Love what the circle did to those diamonds, too. Very pretty.
Posted by: Laura | January 14th, 2008 12:51
Positively breathtaking! The patience that must have taken!
Posted by: Heather | January 14th, 2008 13:31
Very lovely Mim. Are you able to write this design for your on-line store? Happy New Year to you and yours.
Response by Mim:
As I said, this is not MY pattern. It’s Elizabeth Zimmerman’s and can be found in the Knitter’s Almanac
Posted by: Stephanie | January 14th, 2008 14:46
Lovely.
Posted by: Sarah | January 14th, 2008 17:03
Fantastic shawl!
Posted by: Helen | January 15th, 2008 00:10
That’s beautiful!
Posted by: Emilee | January 15th, 2009 22:41
Hi Mim!
Love the shawl! Am having difficulty accessing the diamond motif chart – I have a new Flickr account, but says I’m not authorized to view page – Thanks for your help!
Warmly, Willow
Posted by: Willow | July 17th, 2009 02:15