I’m sorry to have disappeared, but I’ve not been entirely well – it’s been nothing too serious, but it’s been leaving me too tired spend much time with the computer, or even to face reading very much, at the end of the day.
I’ve just been doing a little bit of knitting and browsing back issues of the Rowan Knitting and Crochet Magazine.
And I’ve crossed the finishing line of this year’s knitting resolution. I made up a dozen bags of single skeins and leftover yarn and I vowed to use at least half of them before the end of the year.
I now have six and a half bags of yarn used!
Here’s project 7 ….
The Yarn
Fyberspates Scrumptious DK. It’s lovely, and Project 5 used a single skein of the very same yarn.
I bought two skeins in a lovely shade of blue with a shawl in mind. I changed my mind about the pattern, and so I put the yarn to one side and waited for the right idea to come along.
The Pattern
I’d always meant to try my hand at a Clapotis one day
It’s a free pattern, it’s hugely popular – at the time of writing there are 21, 604 of them on Ravelry, and it’s more of a scarf/wrap than a shawl, and definitely the sort of thing I would wear.
I didn’t have quite enough yarn, but the pattern is simple to adjust – I did five repeats of the increase rows instead of seven, so I lost some width but I kept the length.
It’s a very clever pattern, much easier than it looks or reads, and once I caught on to the logic I hardly had to look at the instructions at all.
The only two things I’d say to someone thinking of knitting one are:
- You’ll need a lot of stitch markers.
- Because there are stitches to drop and ladder you’d do best to chose a slippery yarn.
The Result
I love it.
My Clapotis grew when it came off the needles, and blocking really paid dividends.
I’d definitely knit another, in a different colour and weight, one day ….
Coming soon
I have an entrelac scarf in progress, and I’d like to use up a little more of my project yarn before the end of the year.
But I’m working on a much bigger knitting project now, and because it’s rather special I’ll write about it …. one day soon ….
Fleur in her World 
That is ever so pretty. Do hope your health improves.
Thank you – I’m feeling much better now.
That’s beautiful Jane! Hope you feel better soon!
Thank you – I’m on the way back up!
That is absolutely stunning, I love it and very tempted to pick up my needles..
You should – it’s very simple, wonderfully effective in the right yarn, and there are always audiobooks if you can’t turn pages and knot at the same time.
My thought exactly on the audio books – I definitely can’t read and knit 😉
Sorry to hear you haven’t been feeling well. Wishing you all the best for a quick recovery…That looks beautiful!
Thank you – I’m already feeling much better than I was.
I do hope you are feeling better. If I’d completed that beautiful clapotis I’d be so proud … it’s gorgeous, well done!
As for the reading and blogging gap: yes we’ve missed you, but you have the highest strike rate in the blogosphere, I’m amazed by the amount of books you read and review, which is great because I so look forward to your posts. Thanks.
There are others out there who read more, but I tend to write in bursts so I suspect I look busier than I am. But thank you ….
This is fabulous, I too have lots of unused yarn so I looked at the patern but I don’t understand some of the instructions
The pattern reads strangely because it’s knot on the bias, but I promise it does work. There’s a really helpful blogpost here – http://kookykatkreations.wordpress.com/2011/11/06/clapotis/ – that Cleopatra found, but if in doubt do ask.
That is absolutely gorgeous – and I’ve learned a new word. I thought a clapotis was a dessert, but I think I’ve confused it with clafoutis. I’m glad to hear that you’re on the mend!
I’ve never worked out where the name came fro, but I think you’ve got it!
I like the idea of dropping stitches. I was really good at that last time I knitted (er, that was in compulsory home economics class in high school!). The result is gorgeous – all the best for getting back into things.
It’s really strange, dropping and laddering, but the effect is lovely. I can see why people knot multiple clapotises (or clapotii?) now.
I always enjoy your posts, and now I love your knitting, too! It is inspiring to me to get my crochet out again, what with acorn spottings and cooler, mistier mornings…autumn is not that far off. Please take care of yourself and feel better soon. :o)
Thank you. I do wish I could crochet, but it feels so wrong having one hook after years with two needles.
Ahh it looks great! I know it is a pattern I could knit again and again. Slippery wool is the way forward with it. Though dropping stitches for the first time is quite scary!
Migosh you are a beautiful kniiter, Jane. It’s absolutely lovely.
Knitter, not kniiter. Came over all Swedish there.