Alta Ski Resort was a lovely place to get a modeled shot of my latest finished project, Maluka:
It’s a pretty little scarf made from a skein of Shibui Knits “Cima”, their new laceweight Alpaca/Merino yarn. (The pattern calls for fingering, but it seemed like a good project for using up my single skein of Cima.) It’s fairly easy to knit, although the melon stitch is a little tricky. But you could also just substitute a cable instead, if the melon stitch is too challenging.
The border is knit first, then you pick up the stitches along the long edge and knit the body of the scarf. The pattern calls for a stockinette body, but I decided to do garter stitch instead. The scarf is a bit shallower that way, but then there aren’t any issues with it curling.
Pattern: Maluka, by Bea Schmidt
Yarn: Shibui Knits Cima, in “Honey”, 1 skein
Needles: US 6 for the border, US 5 for the body
Modifications: Added additional repeats to the border for a longer scarf, used laceweight yarn, and worked the body in garter stitch instead of stockinette. I started with the US 6 needles, but I changed to US 5 when I started the body, because I was afraid I would run out of yarn. (Good thing I did, since I had exactly enough yarn to finish!)
Fortunately I read some of the other project notes on Ravelry before I started, because it turns out that the chart isn’t written the way most charts I’ve used are. I’m used to seeing all rows of the chart as they look from the right side, so that you have to mentally reverse the knitting symbols as you work the wrong-side rows. On this chart, the symbols on the WS rows are shown the way you work them. This means that a garter stitch section will look like stockinette on the chart (all knits), and a stockinette section will look like garter stitch (knit symbols on the RS rows, and purl symbols on the WS rows, since that’s how you work the stitches). Additionally, the lines are all numbered on the right edge of the chart, even though you work the WS rows from left to right. Whew! Some people rewrote the chart, and I thought about doing that too, but it was easy enough to follow once I knew how it was written.
It’s really beautiful, Cheryl. I love that I got to see it in person!
Another beautiful little shawl!
What did we do before Ravelry?!
Sweet!
You look lovely. Oh, and the shawl is so lovely too!
Gorgeous! The model and the knit. I had a pattern do something similiar with the chart. Continuity is a good thing sometimes.
How pretty! Another great accessory I’ll bet you’ll use ALL the time!
Oooh, very pretty. Very soft, too, I’ll bet!
It’s so pretty! You know I’m all over that color too. Yum! Good thing you did a bit of reading before starting, that chart may have put me off.
The bubble/braided lacy bit is so beautiful!
It’s wonderful!
& Now I know why I had such trouble the night I tried to cast on. Also explains why I’ve seen the cabled versions.
Like the melon stitch a lot.
When I first started with charts, I thought they did it WRONG. I think the symbols should be presented as they are knit. But now, my brain is wired for the usual way, and I don’t think I would enjoy the mental gymnastics.