#aroha knits

[explorationsofobsession]

Knitting for Maori Language Week

Knitting for Maori Language Week

Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori is the week of celebrating Maori language – as a way to help it become more normalised in New Zealand, and help protect it from extinction. I am always at a loss for how to celebrate this since no longer being a History teacher. However, Frenchie from Aroha Knits has come in clutch and managed to completely blow me out of the water. She has worked so hard to translate one…

View On WordPress

[knittingcountess]

This past week and a half, I haven’t been working so much on my usual WIPs, but have been participating in Françoise Danoy’s (Aroha Knits) “Seeker Challenge,” wherein mini-shawls and samplers depicting types of knitting styles all over the globe were practiced.

My own examples from top to bottom are as follows:

Day 1: Mini-Shetland crescent shawl;

Bonus: 2nd mini-Shetland crescent shawl (an even prettier example!);

Day 2: Estonian mini-shawl (this had the characteristic “nupp” pattern);

Bonus: Estonian swatch (not so much a shawl, but still had the “nupps”);

Day 3: Russian mini-shawl (”bobbles” seemed to be preferred to “nupps”; also note the type of increase and decrease pattern;

Day 4: Japanese mini-shawl (floral lace knitting border with lace work on both right and wrong sides); and

Day 5: New Zealand sampler (geometric colorwork that is quite distinctive from the usual Fair Isle).

[knittingcountess]

After a lot of ripping out and reworking, I finally finished another “Seashell Shawl” -- this one designed by Françoise Danoy of Aroha Knits. I had to “tweak” the pattern a bit because the yarn I used, “Glitterati” (now discontinued) by Sweet Georgia Yarns had slightly less yardage than the pattern recommended. Also, I chose to make the upper body stockinette rather than garter stitch except for the last 8 rows. (I think stockinette is prettier!)

I will like the shawl better when the points from blocking “relax.” I do like the yarn and am sorry it was discontinued. I think the off-white colour (”Birch”) and the way it sparkles reminds me of sun-lit beaches.

[knittingcountess]

I’m on Day 3 of a 5 Shawls in 5 Days Challenge, so for FO Friday, I’ll post my finished “mini-shawls”:

LEFT: Triangular shawl (I made it a little more challenging with a tiny horseshoe cable down the “spine”);

CENTER: Semi-circular shawl (I know it looks more crescent due to my blocking; added a few “V” patterns); and

RIGHT: Crescent shawl (still on blocking pins - used the crochet bind-off and tried a lacy pattern).

[blytherueknits]

Day 1 of 4 of this mKAL done! Smokey is inspecting my work... http://ravel.me/blytherue/gcm

[blytherueknits]

Swatching for a mKAL that starts tomorrow!

http://ravel.me/blytherue/gcm

[blytherueknits]

Test Knit for Ursa Major in the upcoming Giver Issue of Aroha Knits Fibre Muse Quarterly, Feel Good Yarn Co Silverspun Sock in Indigo

http://ravel.me/blytherue/umtk