Sunday, April 8, 2007

Black Widow Spider King Inner Border--Complete!


Sorry the pin-out is so sloppy--it's a strain to show anything without risking the stitches sliding off the needle. It's a looooooooong way around each row, especially as I am being exceptionally careful not to make a mistake. Each row takes about an hour, and that's when I am feeling particularly coordinated.

I was flabbergasted that my stitch count came out perfectly--I didn't have to fudge a single stitch to begin the extremely complex outer border.

Alas, BWSK isn't going to Japan with me. I don't want to risk losing it in my checked luggage or having it confiscated from my carry-on by a surly TSA person. And the lighting in my room over there is, um, subtle--a bit too subtle to work with fine black yarn. On the positive side, I look thirty years younger, assuming I can find a mirror in all that subtleness.

Instead, I will begin the Unst shawl and knit up to the beginning of the pattern. That way, if something happens on the ride over I won't be heartbroken. Well, overly heartbroken.

As usual, I have already made some adjustments to the Unst shawl pattern. I preferred the original center shown in Heirloom Knitting, so even though I paid for the standalone pattern, I am just mutating the stole into a shawl, as (sort of) decribed in the book. I know that books don't mumble, but if they did, the paragraph for the conversion would be an excellent candidate for literary mumblehood.

The arithmetic made my head spin, but I finally worked out both the vertical and horizontal repeats for a square center. I figured the author ran into the same problems I did trying to shoehorn the original center into 165 border stitches, so she went with a central pattern that didn't require so much modulo arithmetic.

I'll finish the center while I am there and then begin the border when I get back in July. And, while I am there, you guys will be treated to lots of Japanese yarn and books.

6 comments:

  1. oooh--lovely! can't wait to see how the black widow turns out.... and I'm really excited to see the Unst shawl in red! such a beautiful pattern.

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  2. How can you look 30 years younger? Judging by our latest satellite photo, I'd say you're only 27. You know Harry will taunt you because he finished his Spider King already. Of course, having 8 arms gives him a slight advantage. I'm looking forward to vicarious Japanese knitting. And more Harry. And the Unst in that gorgeous red.

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  3. Dear Lori--
    Clearly, your pictures are the result of three possible problems:

    1. Your satellite photos are 30 years out-of-date.
    2. The focus is a bit fuzzy.
    3. You are tracking the wrong fleegle.

    I do, however, have the appendix of a 20-year-old. But that's about it.

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  4. Spider Queen looking really wonderful! Have a great time in Japan and happy knitting on the Unst Shawl. I look forward to posts about all the patterns and yarn you acquire in Japan. Happy Trails!

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  5. Congratulations on getting the right stitch count. An hour for each row? Ugh. Have a great trip!

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