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Starting More Things: KAL + Entrelac

I've clearly given up on the whole three-at-a-time rule for WIPs; that's long since gone out the window. In addition to the four projects already on the needles, I've added my first-ever entrelac project to the mix, and will be casting on for the WestKnits Mystery Shawl KAL today. The more the merrier, right?

It's well-documented that I've been wanting to give entrelac a try for quite some time (see here, here, here and here, for example).  I haven't done anything to act on that impulse until now, however.  Last month, I signed up for Gwen Bortner's entrelac class on Craftsy, though I thought it would be better to wait til after the madness of TNNA before getting started.  Last weekend, I watched the first few lessons and was surprised at how EASY (not to mention, addictive) entrelac really is!

Like so many things in knitting, looks are deceiving - while the entrelac fabric looks intricate and the charts seem complicated and intimidating, the technique itself is quite simple to grasp.  Even those new to knitting will have success with entrelac (this class seems particularly geared towards the beginner knitter - Gwen spends a lot of time explaining everything from working a SSK to picking up stitches; experienced knitters, of course, also stand to gain from this, since there is always more than one thing to do something).  I'm now obsessed with my entrelac cowl-in-progress, which I'm making with some leftover skeins of yarn from The Sanguine Gryphon and The Fibre Company.


I also can't resist this year's WestKnits Mystery Shawl KAL which starts today.  I really enjoyed last year's KAL, which was my first real foray into intarsia.  This year's will be a two-color shawl similar to Daybreak, if the rumors are to be believed.  Sounds good to me!  I just finished winding off my yarn: I got a skein of Anzula Squishy in Clay while in Columbus, which will look great with my skein of Anzula Cloud in Denim from Doodlebug Yarn.  The yardage on Squishy is just a bit shy of what's specified for the KAL, but I'm pretty sure I can make it work somehow (famous last words, right?).





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  1. Gracey is not my name....July 15, 2012 at 9:41 AM

    The entrelac looks great! It is such a beautiful technique...not something I'll try fr awhile...still working on socks...

    I wanted to do the mystery KAL, but forgot to sign up and then being on the road, ran out of time...can't wait to see what it is...I love his designs!

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  2. Handmade by StefanieJuly 15, 2012 at 10:44 AM

    I'll be posting some KAL spoiler photos later this week. So far, I am liking it - I did a last-minute yarn substitution so that there is more contrast between the colors. Think it was a good move!

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