Pink Moon, Green Shawl

~ April's pink moon, through the branches ~

April's full moon is called the Pink Moon and it was beautiful. This photo isn't the best one I've ever taken but I love it anyway. Perhaps because it reminds me of the still quiet of early morning, a bit before sunrise...? The dogs and I were wandering in the yard and enjoying the presence of God. Birds were in full song, dogs were snuffling, horses were softly snorting...peaceful and serene and what a wonderful way to begin the day! 

The Farmer's Almanac says the April moon is called the Pink Moon because of the wild ground flox that grows this time of year. It's one of the earliest blooms and simply gorgeous! Other names are grass moon, fish moon and egg moon; the latter is, I'm guessing, because chickens begin laying well after not laying so well throughout the winter.

~ olive green shawl ~

Just off the knitting needles is my olive green shawl made in Lion Brand Organic Cotton. The color looks, both in the photo and in person, like a mustard but Lion Brand calls it "olive". Recently, while I was away, my hands wanted knitting. I'd taken embroidery to finish some pillow cases for a friend as well as another project, although I can't remember just now what, but my hands said, "knitting"; knitting and only knitting will do. So, I found a Joann's Fabric and bought some organic cotton yarn and made up my own pattern.

~ design element or design flaw? ~

The pattern is a simple one, instructions to follow, but I've got either a design element or design flaw on my hands. I'm not sure which. I think if I can't find one more skein of Lion Brand Yarn Art 480, color 174, lot 38342 Olive, it will be a design element. I wanted the fringe to go to the tip ends of the shawl but I ran out of yarn even though I used three 103 yard skeins... I still ran out of yarn. 

drats.

It's more of a shawlette than a shawl and meant to be worn close to the throat and pinned with a shawl pin. I like it and the color, believe it or not, looks good on me. My skin tone is sallow and I look best in autumn colors so pison green is my color -smile-. One of 'em at least. I'm amazed at how warm this shawlette is and realize I won't be wearing it much longer before it will have to be put away until autumn and cooler weather. That's okay, my hands have been happy for a few days and that's a good thing.

Vicki, of Simple Knits, has put together a terrific listing of knitted shawl patterns. A lot of the patterns are free so make time, please, to visit her. "My", and I use the word loosely as there's nothing new under the sun, pattern is a take on the old knitted dishcloth pattern.

Pison Green Shawlette

400 yards bulky cotton yarn - you choose color and brand and yes, increase skein by one  if you're using Lion Brand Organic Cotton as it comes in 103 years per skein.

Size 9 knitting needles

Cast on 3 stitches.

Knit* 2 stitches** into back of each stitch, Yarn Over***, Knit into back of each stitch to end of row

Pattern is

K* 2 sts** into back of each stitch, YO***, K into back of each stitch to end of row

I made my shawlette about 2 feet or a little more in width, across the top. Then I cast off, wove in all my ends and began cutting yarn twenty-four inch strips in length. I tried twelve inches in length but it looked puny; perhaps eighteen inches would have looked good but twenty-four looked lush so twenty-four inches it was. 

Use a crochet hook to attach the fringe to the edges of the shawlette. I suppose one could block but it's a roly poly bulky cotton and doesn't take well to blocking so just throw the sucka on and look beautiful!

Blessings ~ knitting ~ hands to knit ~ cotton yarn ~ pison green ~ shawlette ~ pink moon ~

Knit happy, 

Sandra