Tag Maluka

FO Friday: Shiny Purple Maluka

remilyknits 2 Comments

2692 Maluka

Maluka is the August KAL in the Beginner Lace Knitters group on Ravelry. It was one of my nominations, so I was extra excited to cast on! I rummaged through my stash and found the perfect hank of too-pretty-for-feet sock yarn: a gorgeous purple wool-bamboo blend with a lot of shine and personality.

This shawlette is almost a scarf — very petite! But, quick to work up.  You work the garter border first. The cool 3-over-3 bundle that makes a chain of circles that is very pretty. After the border is complete, you pick up stitches all along the edge, and work the body in a series of short rows to create a graceful crescent shape.

2689 Maluka tip

Project: Shiny Purple Maluka

Pattern: Maluka

Designer: Bea Schmidt

Available: FREE! on Ravelry

Yarn: Three Irish Girls McClellan Fingering

2690 Maluka

I’ve been wearing my Maluka constantly — even with grubby shorts and a T-shirt :). (I never said personal style was my forte!) I love how it drapes.  The designer is German, so it’s not too surprising that the edging chart follows the convention of showing what you actually knit, rather than the right side of the work.  I know there are knitters out there who prefer this style of chart, but I much, much prefer a chart that shows what the right side of the work looks like.  I have no problem understanding “knit on RS, purl on WS” etc.  For my own sanity, I did make up a “right side” version of the Maluka edging chart, which I have made available at Google docs for knitters who think like me.  (You will still need the original pattern to make a Maluka, as this is only the edging chart.)

I modified the pattern just a smidge, nothing major.  I used wrap&turn short rows, rather than the decrease/slip short rows called for.  I found that the decrease was making a big lump in my fabric.  I also wanted to use a little more yarn and have a slightly bigger finished object.  For the neck edge, I decided to use an i-cord bind off, which I extended over the cast-on and bind-off ends of the edging.  I am a bit of an i-cord fanatic! 🙂

In sum: great pattern, love my FO, another great KAL!

2688 Maluka

 

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Cast-On Monday: Maluka, Steek This, and Kumara Two-Color Cowl

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I weathered a bout of castonitis this week, starting three new projects.  Fortunately for my WIP list, they are all smallish projects. In fact, one of them is already done, and another is an i-cord bind-off away from completion.

Last week Monday I cast on for my Maluka, the August KAL in the Lace Knitters group.  This pattern falls directly into my current favorite category: one-skein fingering-weight lace shawlettes.  This one begins with a sideways-knit lace edging, with the body picked up along the full length.  The gently curve is achieved with short-rows.  I used a skein of Three Irish Girls McClellan Fingering that I had left-over from a design project.  I am in love with the pattern AND the yarn for this project, so it’s no surprise that I’m almost done.  I started binding off this morning, and plan to finish tonight.

2682 Maluka in progress

I also cast on for a new design project: Steek This, a colorwork coffee-cup cozy for a steeking class I’ll be teaching in the fall.  My idea is that it will be less scary to cut a teeny-tiny colorwork project like a coffee-cup cozy, instead of making a whole colorwork cardigan and then taking scissors to it.  I used Palette held double to simulate worsted-weight yarn, and a classic Fair Isle pattern from a stitch dictionary.  I finished the knitting, steeked, and put on the button bands in a single evening.  Alas, the prototype is a smidge too small, and the button band flares.  I’ll fix both those problems in the next prototype.

2680 Steek This (v1)

2683 Steek This (inside)

My third new project this week is another design project: Kumara Two-Color Cowl. I’m upgrading my son’s Two-Color Cowl to adult size, using gorgeous soft Kumara from Classic Elite.  This pattern is destined for the CEY Web-letter — look for it in the fall.  I’ll be looking for test knitters in a week or two.  If you want to learn how to knit flat in the round with cables …. post below!

2681 Kumara Two-Color Cowl