Binding Off a Shawl in Picot Lace with Pink Merino Wool Fingering Weight Yarn

Picot Bind off or Cast off is particularly pretty on some shawls or garments. I decided for contrast to add a picot bind off. This is my second time I have done one so it's taking me a little bitty while it seems.

There are several free written instructions on the internet and Ravelry, You Tube videos, etc.  to create different "peaks" in the lace but the one I chose is:

After finishing the pattern and starting to bind off, first cast on 2 stitches on the left hand needle using the backwards loop method.

Then knit 2 stitches, taking the 1st stitch over the 2nd stitch as in regular bind off, leaving one remaining stitch on the right needle.

Proceed knitting the next stitch, then take the stitch over the one knit again leaving one on the right hand needle.

Continue until a total of 4 stitches are bound off. 

Then, put the 4th stitch back over to the left needle and repeat with backwards loop cast on 2 stitches, and continue.

This shawl is of course not blocked yet with lace blockers. Can't wait to block this out!

It's already pretty big. And Pretty Basic. That's the name of the pattern on Ravelry for free here

Here is my progress so far:

at the half-way point of casting off

I have enjoyed this pattern a great deal. Although the colors in the first pics are off a bit, you can see the true color in the last pic.

I can't wait to use my new knitting wires for lace shawls!!!

Got those on Amazon HERE

And this last pic is the real color reference!   

My previous Fuji 8200 just cannot pull the close ups and color for me

so Mr. Darcy is going to show me how to use his FANCY camera tonight~~~~~ YAY!

I need it because I'm hoping to get some items in my Etsy shop real soon and also to blog with better pictures.

My heart is wanting to cross stitch something again real soon but..........I also want to cast on another project. Two loves of mine, wish I could do both at the very same time.

Stitching is good for the soul. It just is. I think anything on the needles helps me every day.

I had an MRI today on my shoulder as I am having a rotator cuff issue after a fall in November.

And the funny thing was I took my project bag with me and the man giving me instructions said to me as I was clinging to my work, "mam you will need to put that in this locker while you are getting the test done".

Of course I knew that! BUT.....but.....but.........."let me get to the end of the row, ok?"😃

Am I the only one that says that? Mr. Darcy now says, "when you get to the end of the row,.......then........whatever

I had to look back and laugh at myself on the way home.

We are having some wicked thunderstorms here right now. Methinks it's best to get off this computer and real soon!

What's on your needles today?

Till later,

Jennifer

Update on My Father's Needs

Update:

any updates about my father and his illness which is catastrophic to our family will be here:

 https://www.gofundme.com/jimmys-medical-fundwestnile-virus


I hope you will spread the word to churches, organizations, friends, family for help.
I am not one to ask for monetary help but I hope that this will help us be able meet his needs during this illness.

Thank you for all your supportive messages and comments. They do mean the world to me.

On the knitting front, I am casting off of the shawl from the previous post in a picot bind off which seems to be taking forever!  I can't wait to soak it and stretch it out to dry using my new lace long knitting wires. More on this to come with pictures.

Thankfully,

Jennifer

Almost Finished with Pretty Basic Shawl--free pattern

Almost to bind off now!!!!!!  I love knitting this shawl. Pretty Basic by Janina Kallio is a great free pattern on Ravelry that has enough interest for detail but not too hard for some TV knitting rows as well.

Yarn---- (Pink speckle)  The Homespun House (Molly in Germany)

colorway In Bloom/ from my stash since last February 2016 Valentines colorway

It is a fingering weight of 100% merino

The light green/sage yarn is from stash from about a year ago of which I had in mind to work with this particular pink yarn for contrast. You can find it here: https://www.yarn.com/products/manos-del-uruguay-alegria

in the colorway Celery, fingering weight 

I'm using a number 5 Addi turbo lace circular needles (my favorite)

my handy little notions pouch from my LYS

You can see the flecks of green in the pink yarn.

One thing different I'm doing this year is keeping/making a knitting journal. I know that Ravelry has a place to record but I'm liking to write my own including a little piece of each of the yarns used in it for remembrance.

I also added to my T pins for blocking a set of blocking wires. I found those on Amazon. I will be using this while blocking the project above and post on progress/review.

I hope  you had a great Valentine's Day!

I certainly did. I got an absolutely gorgeous bouquet of roses in my favorite colors and a caring husband for close conversation and sharing a meal.

This morning I am so grateful for all the things I have been blessed with. I count knitting and cross stitching and any expressive form of art a gift from God. To take a pause out of my day to remember that God made me with His own handiwork is amazing. 

Do you have some special things you treasure in your stitching stash?

What makes them special to you?

I am finishing a shawl called Pretty Basic by Janina Kallio on Ravelry. It is a free pattern and is simply that which the title says. However, there is room for modifying the pattern and is even encouraged by the designer. I like to have choices like that. 

I'm about to bind off. My goal for finishing this was Valentines Day but didn't quite meet that goal.

But I've cut myself a little slack knowing I have other things going on in my life that need attending and also I wanted to make sure it was "just right".

You know, God made sure we were "just right" when he made us and God has prepared us to do good works. He prepared this in advance!!!!

He has a plan for our life just as we have plans on how we want to knit up or stitch up a pattern..

The result is a beautiful work and is worth the extra time we spend to making it "just right".

As you go through your day, keep this verse in your heart. It will encourage you to know that your Maker already has a design of which we should take no worry but just have the commitment to follow through.

Enjoy your day!

Jennifer