I just noticed...

I have not posted anything on my blog for over a month. I've been writing patterns, hand outs, chapters for my book and did not notice that maybe I should share some of it on my blog. I'm always adding new chapters for my book, because I know I have a book in me. Weather I ever publish or not does not seem to matter. I just like the writing, the research and the fantasy of seeing it in a printed book some day.

I was teaching a couple of classes at Newton's Spring Fling, and at Studio 66 retreat. Both events were lots of fun for me and I think my students liked the classes as well. I was teaching short rowing techniques and another class all about dyeing wool with food coloring. When I first started to put the short row class together I looked around for a good pattern that utilizes lots of short rows. I found the "Wingspan" by Maylin, a very popular pattern on Ravelry.com.

I think last time I looked there has been over 7,300 projects knitted from this pattern. And by the way Ravelry.com just announced that they now have are you ready? 3,000,000 yes that is three million members world wide! Wow! Congratulations Jess and Casey!

This is a screen shot from my Ravelry.com projects page of the Winged Vest.

I jumped in and downloaded the free pattern and looked for yarn I had in my yarn cave to start this new project. Even though I have so many shawls and scarfs but the short rows looked like a lot of fun. So I guess I can always use another shawl. On Ravelry.com you can click on the number of the projects and see a whole list of projects knitted of this pattern. I love this feature of Ravelry. 

You can view what yarns other people used for the pattern and any notes or remarks about the project. So I decided that Noro Sock yarn would be the best choice. I love the long color changes and it's sock yarn so the yardage is generous.  462 yards (422 meters) Luckily I spotted a plastic bag with two balls of Noro sock yarn. Great I thought over 900 yards should be plenty for this project. 

I cast on with excitement, the beginning was a bit tricky but once I got the hang of it, easy peasy. I progressed rather fast. The Wingspan was taking shape. Then I decided to take a closer look at just how much yarn I have left.... yes I know I should have done this in the first place but... it was late and I had two balls of Noro in a plastic bag.

I had won this at my knitting guild raffle, who would guess that somebody would put two different color ways in the same bag? What kind of trick is this "Miss Brandi"? But tricked I was and it turned out that I only had one ball of Noro Sock yarn in this color way. The other ball of yarn was a totally different color. But it looks so nice, I'm not ripping this out, I'm making it work!

I still had enough yarn of to make another piece, maybe it can become something. Let me see....

Back to the yarn cave and look for more Noro. I did not have sock yarn but I had some Noro Silk Garden in the same color way. Oh maybe I'll add this piece that I knit a while back and put aside.

Turns out I have all kinds of Noro yarn in the same color way, it's a slightly different gauge but who will notice? Gauge is for suckers after all. Keep knitting, more short rows, keep trying it on, keep knitting. And here is the result:

You want the recipe? 

Send me an eMail bananaknits@gmail.com