Episode 150 Magic Cake Ruffle Shawl

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This episode is sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business and Quince & Co.

Find Chickadee and the other Quince fibers at www.quinceandco.com.

You can find my Longaberger Home Business at www.longaberger.com/paula.  Please send me a personal message or visit my web site to sign up for my customer email list.

Events and Announcements

Maine Retreat is Nov 10-14, 2013.  I sent out an email with attachments to all of you this week so if you did not receive that please contact me.

Brown Bag Swap.  Skein of fingering weight/sock yarn in a brown bag.  Should be in the hank, not used and let’s also say fairly fresh.  If it has been marinating in your stash for more than a few years and is a little dusty, choose something a little newer.  Something you would love to get yourself.

Cornerstone Inn/Washington IL Fall Color Retreat was fabulous and you will be hearing about that in the next episode.

Knitting Pipeline Retreats Group!

Nature Notes

Last week during the Cornerstone Inn Fall Retreat and into this week seems to be the peak of the fall color season.  We had two consecutive days of rain this week and the woods are still damp on this overcast day.  The trees are especially beautiful with the damp bark contrasting with mostly yellow leaves.  Among the trees are the oaks that are just beginning to turn to red and brown.  The goldfinches are crowding at the thistle feeder and they look so sedate in their muted colors.  It seems the goldfinches have traded their yellow feathers with the trees.  I’ve been seeing the big hairy woodpecker frequently.  One just flew from the feeder to a nearby maple tree.  Chickadees are gathering in flocks and the white breasted nuthatches too.  I love how the bird activity adds energy to the quiet times on the porch.  Nicole, Sarah, and Bronwyn were here yesterday for a photoshoot of my new shawl.  We had to shoot inside because it was too rainy and muddy outside.  Nicole moved the furniture on the porch for the purpose of the photos and I actually like it this way.  I’m leaving it for a while.

Yesterday I saw the Cooper’s Hawk flying by and swooping the feeder.  At night we hear the owls calling back and forth.

I trust in nature for the stable laws of beauty and utility. Spring shall plant and autumn garner to the end of time.
Robert Browning

Needle Notes

Barley by TinCanKnits  The Simple Collection A Learn to Knit Collection by Tin Can Knits.

Contains links to tutorials, handouts, and simple beautiful patterns.

PrairiePiper’s Project Page for Barley

 

 

Magic Cake Tutorial is on previous blog post.  If the tutorial does not appear try a different browser.  It works fine in IE and Chrome. 

Magic Cake in infant stages

Magic Cake complete!

 

Background for this shawl started at Sock Summit 2011.

Tutorial is on the show blog and included in the pattern for the shawl.

Magic Cake Ruffle Shawl by Paula Emons-Fuessle

Sarah modeling Magic Cake Ruffle Shawl. Photo by Nicole Montgomery.

 

The Magic Cake Ruffle Shawl is a top down, triangular shawl with a center spine and long tails. It is finished off with a ruffle that drapes gracefully on the ends. Exact stitch counts are not necessary. Gauge is not critical. If you run out of yarn and the shawl is not big enough to suit you, simply join in another random color.  The shawl will stretch considerably after washing and blocking.  It's fun!  It's fast!  It uses up stash!

The Magic Cake is a collection of remnants of yarn and is the ultimate stash-buster.  By creating your Magic Cake before you begin knitting, you eliminate most of the finishing work of weaving in ends.  You can also use up every bit of your yarn.  For this shawl, I used fingering weight.

Thanks to the Pipeliners at the Cornerstone Retreat for being enthusiastic and jumping into Magic Cakes.

Photo by Nicole Montgomery

 Please email your Magic Cake photos to me so I can share on the blog.

Enjoy!