The sound of one cat clapping

Here is the lovely Sophie modeling my first clapotis (scarf version). It's a gift for my grandmother, so hopefully she won't mind millions of ditzy white hairs. I'm really pleased with the way the variegatedness came out--at first I was afraid it was going to be excessively stripy, but it's kind of a cool deco pattern. The yarn is Berocco Soft Twist, and is the devil.
Here is another picture of it laid out flat, blocking:

It's coming along

I'm really pleased I restarted in the silk because I've been able to spot (two out of three of) the mistakes I've made and rectify them. Though when I was in a hurry to get to the next drop stitch row, I messed up the end of a Row 6, and forgot to do the pm/yo bit and so was a stitch short on the next knit row (didn't notice it on the purl row). Rather than tink it, because I couldn't see how I'd get the stitches the right way around, I just made one stitch where I needed it. I hope it won't be too obvious - though every little thing does show up in this beautiful yarn...

Another day, another clap

Late last night I started another clap. As you do.

I've had this strange pumpkin-colored yarn in my stash for a long time. It's a little too shocking a color, I think, for a cardigan (for me).....but with accessories, I think you can get away with crazy colors. (I bought the pumpkin on purpose in an effort to get away from my green fetish. I guess I was trying to be something I'm not.)

Anyway, it's 100% alpaca, sport weight, from Blue Sky Alpacas. I have 500 grams of it and intend to make a nice long clap and matching tam-----with a big pom-pom. We'll see how it goes......

Clap Blues...

...woke up this morning, no clap happenin' here...
Fellow clappers I am in despair. I clapped along at Flib's the other afternoon - got to grips with the stitches on my practice yarn. In JL yesterday I stood at the yarn section for like ... ever. The variagated stuff was the nicest, but having tried the 'cheek test' as advised, it was too scratchy. The softer stuff seemed only to come in plains. I couldn't decide. The final nail in the coffin came when I went to buy stitch counters (please, I'm too green to understand the purl a stitch concept yet) and they were sold out!
I left JL empty handed.
And logged onto Loop where I can at least dither in the privacy of my own home. Is there some sort of advanced astro physics logarithm involved in working out how much yarn I need? I realise there is a sort of weight to length ratio but...
I logged off empty handed.

Can someone please point me in the direction of some soft variagated yarn (iceberg grey/white would be good) and tell me how many balls I need?

Jen - I am so envious, you've finished yours!

Section 2 done!

So OK, I'm firmly in the slow camp compared to some people (Jen, you are overachieving!)... but the result of two solid knitting sessions (Sunday on the tube to and from Heathrow on a baggage search mission and all this evening whilst Paul is away surveying bats, yes really) I have finished the increases!

In fact, I have done one more set of increases than called for as I like big shawls.  Mine now measures 20" along each side of the triangle.  The pattern says 21" but I assume that's with the dropped stitches so hopefully mine will be bigger.  Can any of you who have finished tell me approximately by what proportion it grows widthwise with the dropped stitches?  Double or less?

It took me just over one ball of the Noro cash iroha to get this far - one ball would have been perfect if not for the extra increases.  So that bodes well for the five balls I have for this.  Anyone know if you can spit-splice this stuff?

I may have to leave the clap for a little bit as I now have a new deadline-knit, but it's only a quick hat so I should be back onto this soon.

In the meantime, some pictures, with Ginger the Cat (as opposed to Ginger Lucy) provided for scale...




Which was fine until she wanted to roll on it...

Come and clap at my house?

Ok, late notice - anyone want to come for tea and knitting tomorrow? Ting, Caroline, Abi and Jen are already in, any more takers.... xx

The clap is finished!

It's finished, after nine days of knitting. What a fun knit! Not too easy, not too difficult. Just right. Now, all I have left to do is aggressively block it.

:-o

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands

Finally, I've started the clap. Thankfully, I learned from all y'all about the purl trick. Thanks for sharing that. Truthfully, I was a little timid and slow re. the actual knitting of the clap-----after having read about Gail's clap. Oh no. Meanwhile, I am knitting on the clap every day, and hope to finish it soon. It really is an addictive knit. And I've already planned my second clap. As you do.

The sound of one hand wringing as the clap gets ripped back 25 rows

Yes, I am competing with Ting for the longest post title. Let's stop that right now.

Thanks to Pauline, the Clap is back on line. She masterfully ripped back loads of it and then taught me the purl instead of placing markers rule. When I understand it fully I'll share it. Actually, Lucy or Helen can probably explain it now!

It will look like this (except correct) at some point again soon...


Oh yeah, rather than the Debbie Bliss silk, I decided to use the Louisa Harding Kimono Angora that I got on sale at Loop. Because I have to assuage some of the guilt for spending so much on yarn last month...so this is officially the first of the Christmas presents. Yes, that's right. I knit so slowly that I have to start now...