Dreambird shawl and the wonder that is GERMAN SHORTROWS

The Dreambird pattern is very oddly written, more like how you might describe knitting it to a friend than an actual pattern. I did the first repeat exactly as written, including using fifteen stitch markers, then I realised I would only ever have to count to five and knit the second and subsequent repeats using two stitch markers. Much easier.

But the real revelation here has been German short rows. They are easy to work, invisible and not at all fiddly. I don't know why I've been messing around with wrap and turn, when this simple, neat technique has been there all along. I highly recommend checking them out, such a simple, brilliant change to the way I knit.

This picture above has dozens of short rows. It has short rows within short rows. Basically there are six rows in this picture that aren't short rows. And the turn are invisible. No holes, no wraps to worry about, nothing tricky at all. Here's a closer view:

I know I'n raving about this technique. That's because it is so very, very good.

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Geogradiant MKAL Part 1 - that was unexpected (spoilers)

Stephen West released the first MKAL clue on Thursday night. I started knitting it without looking at spoilers. When I got up on Friday he had sent through an "alternative" clue one. I then went and had a look at the spoiler thread to try to work out what was going on. Which was that some people thought the pattern looked like a "German hate symbol". I knit on anyway, since I was half-way through. Then he took down the original clue, replacing it with a mitred square in garter stitch. The Ravelry forums and Instagram are a complete shit-show, even though Rav is being moderated. It's been a bit disheartening, having something that is usually quite light and fun weighed down with all this. I admire Stephen's quick and sensitive response to this drama. I also feel that anything can look like anything if you squint. To me this looks like a Celtic knot. I think mine is pretty, and I'll knit on through all crises.

Linky Wednesday - the one with the drama

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Mussleburgh musings

I made a Mussleburgh hat earlier in the year, and even though I thought I was following the directions exactly it did not come out quite right. It was a little bit loose. My head is 51 cm, my gauge was 7 stitches, so according to the pattern I knit the right size. It's also a little bit shorter than I would like it. Too long for a beanie, too short for a good turn-up. I couldn't work out why. I still wore it, but it was not quite right. When I decided to knit one for Elise I knew I wanted to make it longer, and tighter. After I finished Elise's (with 24 fewer stitches) I realised something about mine: Now, this is a knit tube. I know how to knit tubes. When I make sleeves or socks, they don't balloon out in the middle. So I decided to reblock it. The instructions actually specifically say to fold it inside each other after blocking, but I probably folded it and dried it on my head, because that's how I block my hats. Not this time: Now it's longer and thinner

What I made, by Sharon

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