Vacation (or Travel) Knitting: A Great Time to Knit

One of the reasons why I like to knit is because it's a small, portable, travel project that can keep my hands and mind busy when I am sitting for long periods of time. I've knitted on planes, trains, buses, cars, hotel rooms and vacation condos, and by the beach or lake. Haven't knitted on cruise ships or large boats yet because I haven't been on either one since picking up knitting again.

7th Shawl this year: Close up of my
Autumnal "His Golden Lair"
Pattern by: Kourtney Robinson
Hand Knitted and Photo:
Knitted Candy Diva, August 2014

I also find knitting in public is a great conversation starter. I have been on many business flights and the person, whether young, old, person in a suit, next to me will start talking about knitting and then tell me who they know knits. A lot of times, the person would tell me that wish they could knit, but just never had the patience or time to properly learn. I also find children, especially between kindergarten and 3rd grade, when I am riding the commuter train or on planes are really fascinated with what I am doing and would watch me like a video game.

After I finished knitting Summery "Ashton Shawlette," my next project, 7th shawl for the year, was to knit Kourtney Robinson's His Golden Lair shawl pattern. I had the yarn picked out and I started knitting this during my usual night time TV knitting in July, but I kept getting side tracked. 

Araucania Yarns, Rinihue, 208 yards/each
Hand-dyed 80/20 wool silk worsted weight
Photo: Knitted Candy Diva, June 2014

Knitting a lace shawl, in general, doesn't take me long to do, but this summer has been very busy. Besides working towards finishing my social media certification coursework:

• I found a new hobby, sewing, which I will share in future blog posts;
• My 80+ year old MIL is now living with us; and
• My 15 years young pup, Boo, is on her last legs.  

In general, getting old in America just sucks is what I am learning and going through the social security/medicare/health care/financial services maze can drive any rational person crazy, let alone having a senior do this by herself while your pup is frequently having incontinence issues (Sorry, too much TMI) because she is having a harder time walking as the days go by doesn't give me much free time anymore.

Vacation! Let the Knitting Begin

Early morning view from our lanai.
Courtyard by Marriott Kauai at Coconut Beach
Photo: Knitted Candy Diva, August 2014

In August we went on a Kauai, Hawaii family vacation. Love non-stop flying! 5 hours each way from the mainland devoted to knitting while a flight attendant every couple hours stops by and provides you with Hawaiian Sun was great! 

What heaven looks like - 5 hours of uninterrupted knitting
drinking iced cold Hawaiian Sun POG while flying to Kauai
on Hawaiian Airlines.
Photo: Knitted Candy Diva, August 2014

Vacation Number 2

Love the dramatic, puffy clouds and crystal blue sky.
Late afternoon view from the Tahoe City Marina.
Photo: Knitted Candy Diva, August 2014 

By the last week of August, my family - us, our dogs, and our MILs - took a road trip to the north shores of Lake Tahoe, CA. This will be the last family road trip for my old girl, Boo. 

Boo, 15 years young, enjoying
the view of the Lake.
Photo: Knitted Candy Diva, August 2014

The 4 hour car ride, with car stops, was too much and when we return home after our family vacation she is a little more wobbly than before she left.  She and my little one, Miz M, did make it to the Lake and both swam in the clear, crystal blue water.

Miz M shaking off the Tahoe water
after her very first swim.
Photo: Knitted Candy Diva, August 2014

Renting a condo in the woods is nice for a family for many reasons. One of them being I was able to knit at night and finished knitting this shawl. It took me two nights to bind off 329 stitches!

Just about to finished binding off
 my vacation knitting project.
Autumnal "His Golden Lair"
Hand Knitted and Photo:
Knitted Candy Diva, August 2014

My Results

Followed Kourtney's well-written pattern after I made sure to have the latest version from Ravelry and compared the written with the knit charts (now that I know how to read them!). I used the suggested type of yarn (2 skeins: worsted-weight) and my only two modifications were:

• I used Planet Purl's Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off 
• I went up two needle sizes, US 9, instead of following the bind off instructions that was including in the pattern. 

I had more than enough of the Araucania yarn left and felt comfortable using Jeny's Bind Off knowing this. I also want to be sure I would have nice, defined lace points.

Ta Da! Finished
Autumnal "His Golden Lair"
Blocked: 63 in (w) x 18 (h).
Hand Knitted and Photo:
Knitted Candy Diva, August 2014

My Wet Blocking Technique

I did my usual wet block when we returned from our Tahoe trip. I put my shawls in a netted lingerie bag and soaked this in a large stainless steel bowl using cold water and hair shampoo for 30 minutes before putting the bag in my front load washer (18 min cold/cold rinse & spin cycle) to clean and soften up the Araucania yarn. 

Reason why I picked this yarn for this pattern was because I think it really highlights the cables and lacework. I am also a sucker for anything with a leaf knit stitch. While this shawl is thick, warm and has a nice drape, it's still a little scratchy so I wouldn't recommend wearing this on bare skin. I do like how the yarn's texture and fiery red and orange colors enhances the cable and lacework. I'm calling this "structural rustic," and reminds me of Fall, or Autumn, when all trees turn shades of red and orange.

Has a nice drape. And because of this and 
its slight v-shape, shawl stays firmly on my shoulders.
Autumnal "His Golden Lair" 
Hand Knitted and Photo: 
Knitted Candy Diva, August 2014

Would I Knit This Again?

YES!!  Maybe in cashmere? After the cable section (body), the lace repeats were easy to remember (I knitted a portion of this in the car while DH was driving us to Tahoe) and seemed quicker to knit. Don't let the written instructions or charts scare you off. It was a fun, interesting knit. Perfect if you want a little challenge while on vacation or not. 


Wanna learn more about my knitting modifications to this pattern, please visit my Ravelry project page.



Love to hear from you: Do knit on vacation? Can you knit anywhere - mass transit, hotel rooms, planes, boats, etc? Do people come up to you and start talking about your knitting? Are you finding do you have less time to knit because of obligations or issues getting in the way?

Made Time to Learn How to Read Knitting Pattern Charts - Finished Knitting Shawl Number 6!

My first chart knitting project:
Summery "Ashton Shawlette"
Pattern:  Dee O''Keefe
Hand Knitted and Photo:
Knitted Candy Diva, June 2014

I took up knitting again 6 years ago after first learning simple knit and purl from my mom decades ago.  Like everyone, I started knitting long rectangular scarves in various yarn weights and stitch patterns which I did for over a year.  

For a long time, I would only find knitting patterns that had written-instructions. As I improved and increased my skills, I would look at patterns that had BOTH written and chart instructions. As I increased my knitting stitch repertoire, I started looking at the stitch chart keys and compared them with the written stitch instructions.  From what I have gained in knowledge and experience by just purely knitting numerous patterns, I have learned patience, the ability to follow stitch patterns, figure out the stitches themselves and start to "visualize" the pattern and its pattern repeats. 

Because knitting is very friendly, community base and it's in my tendency to be a perfectionist and by profession, highly customer service-oriented and a problem-solver, there have been times while knitting a newly release pattern I've found a stitch error(s) and have directly contacted the pattern designer to let her know what I have found because I strongly believe on continuous improvement and fix/solve the problem if I come across one. Why should someone else struggle knitting the same pattern when I know I can help and that person doesn't need to get frustrated?

So with this in mind, it has been one of my knitting goals to formally learn how to read charts since I have been "kinda doing it." As I mentioned in my June post, I've had the very popular Dee O'Keefe's "Ashton Shawlette" in my Ravelry queue because of her comprehensive charted pattern/ tutorial instructions for first time lace knitters for a couple of years but never found the right yarn to match the beauty of this pattern. 

My Summery "Ashton Shawlette" Results

My Yarn Choice

Personally, I love to support local, small business as much as possible. The Macedo’s Mini Acre yarn is hand-dyed in tiny batches by Maureen, one of the owners, a California Central Valley alpaca rancher. Maureen uses plants from her garden to make the dyes. These skeins have a girly, botanical feel and remind me of a sunny flower garden.

California-raised alpaca
Macedo's Mini Acre Alpaca Yarn
220 yards/each, hand-dyed alpaca worsted-weight
Photo: Knitted Candy Diva, June 2014

I am a raving Macedo's Mini Acre fan! This is the third time I have knitted with Maureen’s soft, yummy alpaca yarn:

·        1st time:  Neapolitan Ice Cream "Serena Shadow Shawl"
·        2nd time: Interweave Lab 2013 "Occhielli Slouchy Hat"

My Pattern Modifications Because of My Yarn Choice

Ran out of alpaca and came up with a "new
design element." Think it really brings out the
shawl's points or tips and the body's colors.
Hand Knitted and Photo:
Knitted Candy Diva, July 2014

Because I used worsted weight yarn, instead of fingering, I went up 3 needle sizes up (US 8, instead of US 5) for the body and used US 10 for the bind off using Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off.  I did run out of yarn 6 rows before finishing Chart 4 (at row 12). So I improvised and what I am now calling a "new design element" (and looking for same or similar green color in my stash that is found in the Macedo’s Mini Acre yarn) I finished knitting these last 6 rows and binded off using Elsebeth Lavold Eucool 75/25 wool / eucalyptus yarn. I doubled the DK weight yarn to get a worsted weight to match with the weight of alpaca. 

Ta Da!

I pretty much follow Dee's well-written instructions on how to read her charts.  After blocking, this shawl is LARGE: 68 in (w) x 30 in (h). 

Love the results! It's shawl, not a shawlette.
Summery "Ashton Shawlette"
Hand Knitted and Photo:
Knitted Candy Diva, July 2014

Definitely, I would knit this pattern again and would highly recommend this pattern if you want to learn how to read knitting charts on your own. Dee has expanded my knitting pattern world selection.  Ability to read knitting charts 2014 goal - Check! Mission accomplished.  

Wanna learn more about my details knitting this pattern, please visit my Ravelry project page.

Love to hear from you:  Which do you prefer, knit from charts or knit from written pattern? Do you contact the pattern designer to inform the designer you found a possible error?  Do you frequently make or like to make "new design elements or changes" when you knit? And do you try to buy and support your local LYS and/or try to buy locally made yarn/fiber?