August 6, 2012

On to Ms. Jessie's 100th Birthday Shawl

My boss's Mom, Ms.Jessie will be 100 years old in October!
Just...... wow!
Ms. Jessie is the sweetest lady and the Grandbrats love her to pieces.
I knew she was coming up on a hundred because it's only been a few years ago she got her license renewed and we all joked about how she was up for renewal again when she turned 100.
And now here we are.

I wanted to knit her something special, and I know how she gets cold so easy now, so I talked to my boss and found out her favorite color is hot pink. Of all colors!

Then I went on a Ravelry hunt for the perfect pattern.
It took me a while, I have been looking and thinking about this since May!
Then I found the Gentle Wave Shawl Pattern
This was it! It looked easy enough to knit and will definitely keep her warm.

Then it was on to the yarn.
My first choice? Knitpicks of course.
The pattern calls for a gauge of 24 sts to 4" on size 5 needles with a light fingering weight yarn.
Well, I don't know how or why it works out for me this way, but I always, always get the gauge called for on the yarn package. So, looking around at fingering weight yarn I found that they were all 24sts to 4" on size 1 to 3 needles. Well poop! If I go from the largest, a 3, all the way up to a 5, I am going to have a lace shawl, and that was not what I wanted.
Then I found this yarn
 Knitpicks Stroll Sport
In this color

Perfect! 75% machine washable wool and 25% nylon. No worrying about washing, it's very soft, and gauge was bang on!
Not bad, not bad at all!
And! no hot pink! I got as close as I could to a bright pink color with what they had.
I think she will like it. The whole thing, with the 2 day shipping was only $38.
So I think I did pretty good on this project so far.


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