KAL thoughts
Clue 4 of the Stephen West 2012 Mystery Shawl KAL came out last Friday......I was excited.....I was waiting for the e-mail announcing an update to the pattern in Ravelry....I'd become addicted to the Friday clue. There it was - the e-mail I'd been waiting for! I immediately downloaded Clue 4....
A quick read told me that it was going to be a relatively simple garter stitch knit - alternating between colours A and B - with I cord edging - giving two "arms" of stripes to finish the shawl off.
Each week the clue was unusual and quite interesting to kit....I admit I was a little disappointed with clue 4.
Well, even though I've admitted here that I didn't LOVE (in capital letters) this shawl, I did find it an engaging knit - and was happy to get my clue, knit it up.....and wait patiently for a week for the next clue to arrive. Boy have the last 3 weeks flown by! (Obviously I need to get a life right?!?!?)
Anyway, even though I didn't LOVE this shawl, I started to be uncomfortable with the way participants in the KAL were immediately declaring their dislike of the last clue, and scrambling to come up with some other way to finish it off.
AFTER ALL.....this was a MYSTERY Knit A Long.....nobody knew what it was going to look like when we all enthusiastically signed up......
We knew it was a Stephen West design. Mr. West is known for his dramatic, geometric, unusual shaped shawls....and lets face it - this one fits the bill!
The art deco styling of Clues 1, 2 and 3 were so dramatic.....you could just feel the build up that Clue 4 was going to be SPECTACULAR!!! So Spectacular that we were going to be speechless!!!
Well, stripes.....pooh.
So I didn't dive right in, but sat back and watched all of the "designers" propose their modifications for this shawl. Some very inventive and unique looking finishes were proposed. Although not complaining...you could see that those who didn't agree with Clue 4 as designed were being vocal about their proposed changes.
Slowly one voice, then another.....saying that hey guys, this was a Mystery KAL, we are fans of Stephen West, shouldn't be knit it as he designed it....there is probably A REASON WHY HE DESIGNED IT THIS WAY!
NO KIDDING!
Mr. West wears his "shawls" around his neck - like cowboy neckerchiefs - the big pointy bit at the front, the arms thrown over your shoulders and brought back to the front to wrap/tie in an attractive way to show off the design. Wow - maybe that's why these arms are done in stripes - to make them stand out, to compliment the wonderful main section design, to drape nicely when tied, folded and tossed over your shoulder?
Hmmmmm.......laughing......seems the Mystery part of this KAL was why a lot of knitters LOST FAITH at the end.......
Although yes, I admit it, my faith wavered a little there.... I decided to continue on and knit Clue 4 as designed......
There is a lot of knitting in this clue.....I have lost a few days while watching the conversation on Ravelry.....but I'm knitting now and hopefully will have an Applöse post in a few days.
Now all I have to worry about is....do I have enough yarn.....
Stay tuned.
A quick read told me that it was going to be a relatively simple garter stitch knit - alternating between colours A and B - with I cord edging - giving two "arms" of stripes to finish the shawl off.
Each week the clue was unusual and quite interesting to kit....I admit I was a little disappointed with clue 4.
Well, even though I've admitted here that I didn't LOVE (in capital letters) this shawl, I did find it an engaging knit - and was happy to get my clue, knit it up.....and wait patiently for a week for the next clue to arrive. Boy have the last 3 weeks flown by! (Obviously I need to get a life right?!?!?)
Anyway, even though I didn't LOVE this shawl, I started to be uncomfortable with the way participants in the KAL were immediately declaring their dislike of the last clue, and scrambling to come up with some other way to finish it off.
AFTER ALL.....this was a MYSTERY Knit A Long.....nobody knew what it was going to look like when we all enthusiastically signed up......
We knew it was a Stephen West design. Mr. West is known for his dramatic, geometric, unusual shaped shawls....and lets face it - this one fits the bill!
The art deco styling of Clues 1, 2 and 3 were so dramatic.....you could just feel the build up that Clue 4 was going to be SPECTACULAR!!! So Spectacular that we were going to be speechless!!!
Well, stripes.....pooh.
So I didn't dive right in, but sat back and watched all of the "designers" propose their modifications for this shawl. Some very inventive and unique looking finishes were proposed. Although not complaining...you could see that those who didn't agree with Clue 4 as designed were being vocal about their proposed changes.
Slowly one voice, then another.....saying that hey guys, this was a Mystery KAL, we are fans of Stephen West, shouldn't be knit it as he designed it....there is probably A REASON WHY HE DESIGNED IT THIS WAY!
NO KIDDING!
Mr. West wears his "shawls" around his neck - like cowboy neckerchiefs - the big pointy bit at the front, the arms thrown over your shoulders and brought back to the front to wrap/tie in an attractive way to show off the design. Wow - maybe that's why these arms are done in stripes - to make them stand out, to compliment the wonderful main section design, to drape nicely when tied, folded and tossed over your shoulder?
Hmmmmm.......laughing......seems the Mystery part of this KAL was why a lot of knitters LOST FAITH at the end.......
There is a lot of knitting in this clue.....I have lost a few days while watching the conversation on Ravelry.....but I'm knitting now and hopefully will have an Applöse post in a few days.
Now all I have to worry about is....do I have enough yarn.....
Stay tuned.
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