Friday, January 21, 2005
So Close and Yet So Far

I finished the knitting on the main body of the Seascape Shawl last night.

I even finished the picot edging on the two long edges.

But the applied I-Cord along the top edge has been whipping my butt.

The shawl was knit (to perfect gauge) on size US 6 needles as specified. The top edge of the blocked shawl is supposed to measure 80 inches. Without the applied edging, my shawl streteches out easily to 80 inches.

The directions call for the i-cord edging to be applied using size 8 needles. After about 4 inches, I checked the edging to make sure I had enough stretch. HAH! The i-cord was actully pulling the edge IN - I had no stretch at all.

Okay, go up a needle size. This time I had some stretch so I actually did half the edging. Then I measured. Instead of 80 inches the most stretch I could get was 60 inches.

Bright Idea Time. With US 9s I alternated a row of i-cord that was attached, with a row that was not attached. Short-rowing for i-cord. Hmmmmm.... this might work but the size 9 needles are too big.

Tried it with US 7. Still too big but getting close.

Now I'm using US 6s and I THINK it's going to work.

Has anyone else knit one of the Fiber Trend Shawls that calls for an applied i-cord finish and if so, did it work as written???? Or did you have to fiddle with it like I am?

I can't imagine EVER being able to do one row of i-cord for each garter ridge and having it stretch enough to block to the size specified.


Anne at 7:51 AM        
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