# I finished it all!



## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

I put in 5 entries for the local fair last month, and I finished ALL of them (with minutes to spare)

Here's the finished shawl - I really enjoyed it, and learned ALOT. I'm going to start another one tomorrow, because I feel like I just "got it" during the last 2 repeats. So there are MANY mistakes, but I entered it anyway









And closeup of that border that had me stumped - the white just so happened to come in the yarn when the border started :bouncy: - that was NOT planned! 









Here's my "Flock Basket" of various yarn and their corresponding critter (picture was taken in a hurry since I had to get it to the Fair before closing  )









And my "Spinner's Basket" - the yarns are dyed using natural dyes. What a blast! Had a great time doing those, and will be boiling any plant material I come across in the next couple of weeks to see what colors appear!
The yarn on the left is actually a mossy green, from the leaves of an Ornamental Plum tree - the picture doesn't show the real color. The middle is a beautiful sunshiney yellow from Queen Anne's Lace, and the BRIGHT orange is from Coreopsis. 








All in all, it was a great experience, and spinning every day has really made me improve :goodjob:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Beautiful PKBoo! You did such a great job on that shawl. Your baskets are wonderful too! I love those natural dyes. Such rich colors. Let us know how you do at the fair


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## bluesky (Mar 22, 2008)

Beautiful!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Oh, how wonderful!
Your shawl came out fabulous! Love the white border.

Good luck with your fair entries.


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

that looks very nice. i so want to knit something like this too. 
love the colors you got with the plant materials too. good luck with the show entry.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Awesome job!


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Thanks everyone - I won't get to the fair until later this week. When we dropped everything off, there weren't many entries, so I might win by default haha! It was great training for next year's Tour de Fleece though 



susanne said:


> i so want to knit something like this too.


susanne - I highly recommend Forest Canopy! http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/forest-canopy-shawl
The pattern costs $6.50, but it is VERY worth it! I've never done anything lace, and she explains it so clearly. 

I started another one yesterday and knitted for about 3 hours (in the U-Haul while we were moving DD), and have half of the repeats done (although the last few repeats take FOREVER!). I can "see" the pattern in my knitting while I'm doing it now :bouncy: so I'm not making anywhere near the mistakes I made on the first one :clap: And it's just FUN to knit! :happy:

Maybe we should have shawl KAL once Marchie gets settled in her new place? I didn't participate in the Irish Hiking Scarf KAL, but all of you inspired me to try cables, and I've done a bunch since then. The KALs really helped me!


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

Gorgeous, but it sure looks complicated. I'm not good at counting stitches too much---I get lost. But you did great. Thanks for the pictures.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

PKBoo I appreciate the thought  But I have never been able to knit lace and I've tried several times. But you may be on to something. When I get to the new place and once settled, within reason, I shouldn't have as many distractions as I did before so maybe I could concentrate better. I think if we did a KAL for this, I'd not participate in the knit for a partner part of it. But who knows I may change my mind by then. I do long to be able to knit lace.


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## glidergurl03 (Feb 28, 2005)

Absolutely gorgeous!


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Marchwind said:


> PKBoo I appreciate the thought  But I have never been able to knit lace and I've tried several times. But you may be on to something. When I get to the new place and once settled, within reason, I shouldn't have as many distractions as I did before so maybe I could concentrate better. I think if we did a KAL for this, I'd not participate in the knit for a partner part of it. But who knows I may change my mind by then. I do long to be able to knit lace.


We can try a KAL and see if that will help! Let me know when you are settled, and we can try it! I don't know that I will do the "knit-for-a-partner" either - I'd like to make some for Christmas gifts, but we'll see. 

Our weather is supposed to get cooler tomorrow - for 2 days, then back to the heat & humidity Thursday. At least the animals will get a break for a few days, and I'll get some weed whacking done too! :bouncy:


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

It's all Very Nice, sure like seeing more of Fiber art at the Fairs.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Oh I would love to try a KAL for a lace shawl! Even if we don't swap it. I have taken out my lace shawl 3 times already. I do 'get' it but just can't keep all the goofs out. :hammer:

Love your fair entries! I hope you win big time!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

How would September work for everyone? That seems to be when things slow down for everyone, kids are back to the school work, most gardens are close to finished. People in general seem to be gearing up for winter. I really would love to try this. With my new work schedule I should have more time in my day to work on things like this. Of course I haven't worked my new schedule yet so that is just speculation.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

I would love to try it, but I don't know what my work schedule is going to be. 
I was told the other day that we are totally booked for September, which will mean I probably won't have many days off. 
I may knit with ya'll but not be in for any swap, I wouldn't want to disappoint anyone.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I love the idea of the spinner's basket! Even though we don't have a 'spinning' section at our county fair, there is a 'Heritage Textile' category. I think a basket of handspun would be very fitting!


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

The results are in - I placed in every entry woohoo!! :dance: Now granted, some of the categories didn't have that many entries :teehee: but I'm happy!

I got first place for my wool skein (I used our BFL ram), and that had the most entries, so I was really happy about that! 









I got 2 seconds - for the shawl, and for the Breeder's Flock basket, and 2 thirds - a skein of alpaca, and the Spinner's Basket. The most important thing was how much I learned from it. I'm really looking forward to the Tour next year!



mamajohnson said:


> Oh I would love to try a KAL for a lace shawl! Even if we don't swap it. I have taken out my lace shawl 3 times already. I do 'get' it but just can't keep all the goofs out. :hammer:


Those goofs are a killer! I spent hours frogging because of them (I didn't use a lifeline, and should have...). I learned a lot from it though, and I'm almost finished with my second shawl - it went so much faster and I had less goofs phew!

Marchie - I start school in late August, but I'm up for a shawl KAL then. I'll look for some patterns (in addition to Forest Canopy, since there's a cost for that one) in the meantime.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Congratulations on your fair ribbons. 
That BFL skein looks delicious.

Seems like there ought to be a nice FREE shawl pattern out there for the KAL.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Congrats on all the wins! 

I think a lifeline may be the way to go for me.... never thought of it before!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

So with a lifeline, I know what they are for, do you move your lifeline up as you work on the project? Do you always have your lifeline a few rows below where you are currently working?


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Marchwind said:


> So with a lifeline, I know what they are for, do you move your lifeline up as you work on the project? Do you always have your lifeline a few rows below where you are currently working?


The author/designer suggested using cotton crochet thread on a tapestry needle, and threading it through a row that has no yarn overs (YOs) or decreases. Then when you get to that row on the next repeat, move the lifeline up. It would be easy if you just keep the tapestry needle on and let it hang.

So yes Marchie, the lifeline is always going to be a few rows below where you are. That way if you make a mistake, you don't have to rip out more than one repeat. And it's a lot easier to just remove your needle, rip out the stitches back to the crochet thread, then put that row back on your needle again (instead of going backwards one stitch at a time - like I had to do for several rows... :grit: ) Lifelines seem MUCH easier!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Thanks, it seemed logical but you just never know. I didn't know the part about putting it on a row with no increases or decreases. That too makes sense


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Congrats on your wins!!! Especially the BFL! A first with heavy competiton! Yay You!!!

Count me in for a shawl KAL.


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## genuck (Aug 22, 2011)

Such lovely yarns! I love the shawl and natural dyes. Congrats on your wins!


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