Aran Pocket Shawl: Pattern Notes
On Monday, Lorraine asked me to do a FO post on the Aran Pocket Shawl. This morning I found out she tagged me for a meme. I hear and obey! However, I’m going to do the FO post first, as I need a little time to think of 7 random facts about myself (no need to dwell on that difficulty). So, here is the Aran Pocket Shawl without pockets!
The blocking went very well. I soaked it for 15-20 minutes in water (I have so many detergent sensitivities that I usually block in water) in a big tub (which can double as a light diffuser!) and then threw it in my fancy-shmancy frontload washer with two large, dark bath towels for a low speed spin. I had trepidations (and the shawl palpitations), but all came out well. I didn’t pin the shawl but just laid it flat on towels on the floor and let it dry. It came out at nearly 7 feet long by about 2 feet wide.
The Berroco Ultra Alpaca worked well, although I would sometimes hit a stretch of yarn several inches long that was thicker than the rest. Only once was it bad enough to break the yarn and bypass it, but I didn’t like it all the same. The color is very rich and there was very little bleeding when I blocked it. I also thought it was a nice yarn to show a knit-purl stitch pattern well. I knit 25 of the 28 repeats called for, and Ultra Alpaca is a worsted weight yarn as is the yarn called for in the pattern. However, the pattern calls for 7 skeins at 220 yd/skein, and I used about 4.5 skeins at 215 yd/skein.
I have the second printing (copyright 2000) of Folk Shawls by Chery Oberle. The pattern is very well written, but this printing has an error. To make both ends of the shawl look the same, you need to do rows 1-15 only of the last pattern repeat before the seed stitch border; the text tells you to do rows 1-16 (it’s an 18 row repeat). I enjoyed the pattern; it was easy to memorize but not tedious. I went a little seed stitch/basketweave crazy toward the end, but it was all worth it.
This is my seventh completed project for 2007. I have the chevron scarf done too but for weaving in the ends (personally, I think it unwove the ends, as I was sure I had already done that), but that will have to wait until after I do the meme. Lorraine is the mother of two teenagers, and several of my friends here are also the mothers of teenagers (I’ve been offered many teenage children to take home–no give backs!). It’s best to keep the moms happy I’ve found.
The shawl looks so pretty!! It looks like it would be so warm!
Thanks for the comment on my blog. I do plan to sell my yarn on etsy. I am hoping to have it up there the first week of June. Sadly, I hit a snag last night when my yarn swift broke. 🙁 Hopefully a little wood glue, a clamp and 24hrs and we will be up and running again. 🙂
Brenda- Thanks for the lovely show and tell- it’s a great design in a nice color- very flattering.
Around here, sometimes I wonder who are the kids, and who are the parents. I don’t feel a day over 17.
Gorgeous! I just recently got that book and really liked the pattern of the shawl but kept getting distracted by the fact it had pockets… excellent choice omitting them! I shall have to copy you! 🙂
Beautiful shawl! Now I have to buy another book…
Oh, it turned out beautifully! Congratulations!
I’m also sensitive to almost every detergent out there…
What a cozy looking FO! 🙂
The shawl’s wonderful. Looks so cozy! Love your new home, too. 🙂
Your Aran Shawl looks great! That’s one that I’ve always meant to knit up. I love the color.
Darn, I missed your contest!
seven completed projects?
hooley dooley
how was the Ultra Alpaca to work with? I’m hoping it’s not as itchy as 100% alpaca, as I’ve just ordered some.
Beautiful Aran Pocket Shawl — it looks incredibly comfy and cozy. I would have had palpitations too but it looks like it fared well in the spin cycle.
Fantastic! It will keep you VERY warm! I loved working with the BUA, it’s so soft!
I agree with everyone else – that shawl does look like it’s cozy!
Apparently Folk Shawls has a lot of pattern errors, or so I keep hearing. I haven’t knit anything from it besides the Prairie Shawl and a few swatches for other shawls, but so far I haven’t found anything wrong, but I think I’m really going to have to keep my eyes open for anything that doesn’t sound or work quite the way it’s supposed to.
I love how the shawl turned out! I agree that is looks very cozy and the color is marvelous. My Fo list seems pretty lame compared to yours, but I’m hoping I can do a little catching up over summer. 😉 I now have 6 baby blankets to make for gifts, so I’d better! (will probably sew or crochet them to preserve my sanity)