Broomstick Lace Shawl Pattern! It's here!

After much delay, I'm finally getting around to posting my new pattern. The pattern is written in multiples of 7, so if you need to adjust it just make sure you start the base chain at a multiple of 7 plus 1. I'm calling it the Meryle shawl, for my Mother-In-Law.

Here is what the shawl looks like when finished:




If you are unfamiliar with how to make broomstick lace, I highly recommend watching this video: Intro to Broomstick Lace. Just watch the series (it's short and easy to follow) and you will be ready to make this beautiful pattern!

You will need:

• A lightweight varigated yarn of your choice (TLC Baby Ultra Soft was used in the example above)
• A 4mm or 5mm crochet hook
• A 1/2 inch wooden dowel

Chain 189

Row 1 - sc in each stitch across

Row 2 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 3 - Join in groups of 7 loops with 7 dc in each loop group (for the first group, insert your hook through the loops, ss, chain 3 to count as first dc and then 6 more dc in group)

Row 4 - Repeat Row 2

Row 5 - Repeat Row 3

Row 6 - ss in first 7 stitches, draw up loops through the next 175 stitches

Row 7 - Repeat Row 3

Row 8 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 9 - Repeat Row 3

Row 10 - ss in first 7 stitches, draw up loops through the next 161 stitches

Row 11 - Repeat Row 3

Row 12 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 13 - Repeat Row 3

Row 14 - ss in first 7 stitches, draw up loops through the next 147 stitches

Row 15 - Repeat Row 3

Row 16 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 17 - Repeat Row 3

Row 18 - ss in first 7 stitches, draw up loops through the next 133 stitches

Row 19 - Repeat Row 3

Row 20 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 21 - Repeat Row 3

Row 22 - ss in first 7 stitches, draw up loops through the next 119 stitches

Row 23 - Repeat Row 3

Row 24 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 25 - Repeat Row 3

Row 26 - ss in first 7 stitches, draw up loops through the next 105 stitches

Row 27 - Repeat Row 3

Row 28 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 29 - Repeat Row 3

Row 30 - ss in first 7 stitches, draw up loops through the next 91 stitches

Row 31 - Repeat Row 3

Row 32 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 33 - Repeat Row 3

Row 34 - ss in first 7 stitches, draw up loops through the next 77 stitches

Row 35 - Repeat Row 3

Row 36 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 37 - Repeat Row 3

Row 38 - ss in first 7 stitches, draw up loops through the next 63 stitches

Row 39 - Repeat Row 3

Row 40 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 41 - Repeat Row 3

Row 42 - ss in first 7 stitches, draw up loops through the next 49 stitches

Row 43 - Repeat Row 3

Row 44 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 45 - Repeat Row 3

Row 46 - ss in first 7 stitches, draw up loops through the next 35 stitches

Row 47 - Repeat Row 3

Row 48 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 49 - Repeat Row 3

Row 50 - ss in first 7 stitches, draw up loops through the next 21 stitches

Row 51 - Repeat Row 3

Row 52 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 53 - Repeat Row 3

Row 54 - ss in first 7 stitches, draw up loops through the next 7 stitches

Row 55 - Repeat Row 3

Row 56 - Draw up loops through each stitch across onto broomstick

Row 57 - Repeat Row 3. Finish off.

For the border:

I unfortunately did not write out the border as I crocheted it. :( I always forget something. The pictures I took for the blog don't show the start of the drop stitch shell pattern, and I cannot remember how I began it. I already gave the shawl to my MIL, so alas...no pattern. Boo! It's ok, I deserve to be boo-ed for this. I might be making another one soon. If so, I will record the pattern as I go along. But, basically, to make the angle of the triangle from the steps of the loop groups...slip stitch into the furthest stitch out in the group, chain 6, ss into the next step down's further stitch out, all the way down. This will give you a nice flat base to work from. The drop stitch shell pattern came immediately to mind when I was working on this. The long part (for around the neck), was done in an alternating front post/back post double crochet over 6 rows. I'm really sorry I don't have the pattern for the border. :(

If anyone tries this pattern and finds something wrong with it, please contact me so I can alter the original pattern. Also, please don't sell this pattern or claim it as your own because it took me forever to get it the way I wanted it. Seriously, I'll be mad. And I am internet savvy. I will find you. :)

I hope you enjoy this pattern. The basic broomstick lace pattern presented here makes a beautiful fabric for afghans, shawls, scarves, skirts, etc, etc. It works up fast and looks much more complicated than it really is. :) Don't be afraid of the broomstick. It is your friend.

The Need for Speed

I have a deadline. One of my Mother-In-Laws' birthday is on Wednesday and my darling husband asked me to make her something. Which is fine. But, give me say...more than 2 days. He wasn't thinking ahead and yeah, I have two days to make this thing.

Two freaking days.

I wanted to knit a shawl for her, but after three failed attempts to follow a pattern...I decided (in the best interest of TIME) to crochet something instead. Wracking my brain for a fast shawl, I decided on Broomstick or the very apt knickname: Jiffy lace. Booyah. I'm working it in a step fashion so once the edging is done it will be one big triangle.

I really enjoyed writing this pattern up. I was able to set the base chain at a prime number, have each loop section be in groups of seven, and have every single row contain an odd number of stitches. Oh, the happy happy joy!

I will be posting the pattern once the shawl is complete...just in case I screwed something up. But, so far, it's looking nice. I wish I had more time to make this. I would have ordered a nice wool yarn. However, I had virtually no prep time (think about 3 hours), so I ended up with a very soft baby yarn in a soft, subtle blue/green/purple colorway. It's really pretty yarn and worked up in the broomstick lace, it makes a nice soft fabric. It has a surprisingly lovely drape so far, which I can only imagine will get better as the piece gets larger. I'm really excited to see how it turns out.

At this point all I can say is...it's a damn good thing I am a speed crocheter. I think I can do this. But, I have to get back to it instead of writing this inexpectedly long blog post. :)

Look for the pattern by Wednesday! 'Cause if it's going to get done...it's got to get done by then.

Cast On...and Away!

For the first time ever in my whole entire life...I tried to knit. It wasn't pretty. Casting on was easy. Then, I tried the knit stitch and failed miserably. M-I-S-E-R-A-B-L-Y. Stitches kept flying off the needle and the work was snaking around the other needle like a spiral staircase. Then, I dropped a stitch.

After the long and graphic string of curses finished their mass exodus from my mouth, I threw the needles down like a little kid and stomped off to the other room. Oh how I hate when I cannot do something.

I thought maybe I would just go work on the shawl for my mom, but that damn swatch drew me back in. Those needles weren't going to get the better of me.

I tried again, keeping the yarn looser than before. I finished one row, then another, then another...then thought, "Ok, I've got this. Gotta try to purl now." After the same episode was repeated twice I finally got that down too. Only problem was...I had two more stitches than what I had started with!

How the hell did that happen? I still don't know. If any of you knitters out there have any suggestions as to what happened and how to avoid it...I'm all ears.

Here is my sad excuse of a swatch:



I don't think it's that bad, but the added stitches are bothering me. I need to know what I'm doing wrong. But, now I know stockinette and garter stitch. Woot!

On another note, I was finally invited to Ravelry! I think that is what really spurred on this whole learning to knit thing. Plus, I want to make some clothes and usually knit looks better than crocheted. I cannot wait to use Ravelry to it's full potential! :)

I've met a lot of great knitting/crochet/fiber arts people on Plurk. They have been very helpful and supportive cheering me on. I love my Plurky friends!

To honor Plurk and all of its goodness, I decided to make some Plurk creatures. Here's the one I've finished:



He's cute! I found out that I really suck at sewing. So, one more thing to practice! He turned out ok, but he's missing something. I just don't know what yet.

That's all for now, but you can bet there will be more updates soon! And pictures of the beautiful broomstick lace shawl!