Picabeau

Blocking can make or break a knitting project.  I love blocking - I really do - but sometimes there are obstacles along the way.  I have to clear a big enough space, the pins go missing and they must have kidnapped the yardstick because it's nowhere to be found.  But once I have the necessary ingredients assembled, blocking is magical.

Picabeau.

A crescent shaped shawl.

Light and airy.

A perfect little wrap for spring and summer.

Yarn overs create a lacy contrast to the garter stitch, and the outer edge has a small picot detail.

I followed the pattern as written except for a slight adjustment I made with the help of an Anne Hanson technique.

On the garter edge I worked the first stitch by wrapping the yarn twice. The double wrap gives the garter edge just a little extra when it comes time for blocking.  I found that I only needed this extra wrap on the increase section.  On the decrease section I worked the first stitch as usual with a single wrap.

The pattern starts with the increase section.  As I worked through this section I weighed my ball of yarn.  I wanted to use half the yarn before switching to the decrease section.

For once my calculations were right on target.  I added one more of both the increase and the decrease repeats and ended up with just enough yarn to spare.

The yarn is Dirty Water DyeWorks Paula, colorway Orchid.  Blue Faced Leicester is one of my favorites to work with - smooth and strong yet almost silky.

I always enjoy a new traveling companion. and Picabeau will be with me tomorrow as I head to the trunk show at Sisters of the Wool.  

There isn't much color outside, but once the temps warm up, I'm sure we'll have an explosion of color.  I was lucky to find this bright little patch - my color inspiration for the week.

A glimpse of green.