When the Madelinetosh Vintage came in a couple of weeks ago, I decided that I needed to (immediately – that’s what you would have done, too, right?) cast on for a worsted weight shawl. I’ve really been wanting to do Ashby, but I didn’t want to have to pay that much attention to charts right now. So I chose to make the Amery. It was a leap of faith. There is only one photo of the pattern on Ravelry and it doesn’t show it all spread out. But I liked the ribbing and the I-cord bind-off edge, so I jumped right in.
I love the color (Baltic). The shawl is very heavy, done up in the worsted weight it calls for. And it’s very very long. 76″, without blocking. I can’t figure out if I should wear it like a shawl (with long, long ends) or a scarf (that happens to be deeper in the middle.) I couldn’t even fit the whole thing in a photo.
There’s plenty to wrap up in.
And it’s very warm. If I made it again, I’d probably use a DK or Sport weight. (Like Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sport, or String Theory Hand Dyed Merino DK).
A couple of things to note – it calls for a 32″ circular needle, but you’ll need at least a 40″ length. I probably should’ve even gone up to a 47″ length. I spent a lot of time squinching the yarn around and around the needles. (Spellcheck does not like the word squinching. But you know what I mean.) It also calls for 750-840 yards and I used 4 2/3 skeins of Vintage, which is about 940 yards. Don’t run out!
Here’s the thing that really annoys me. Knitting almost 5 full skeins of worsted weight yarn is about a sweater’s worth. If I can make this shawl/scarf in a couple of weeks, then why in the world can’t I whip out a sweater? I must have a real mental block about sweaters. FPS.*
Sheri nowIthinkI’llgopickoutsomeVintageforanAshby
*For Pete’s Sake
I think we have the same block about sweaters. In my case it is gauge and shaping. I just dont have the confidence after repeated failures. I think I need a guru that works it with me 🙂
Oh, that turned out so beautifully, Sheri! So cozy-looking!!
I find I can knit sweaters fast if I break them up into sections and aim to finish that section in x days. Otherwise it can seem daunting. Scarves on the other hand take forever for me. I think I just get bored and there is no easy way to break it up by finish a sleeve, finish the yoke, etc.
Beautiful Sharf!
I can knock out shawls right and left, but can’t seem to knit sleeves on a sweater. Go figure. Love your Amery!
A Sharf – ha. Great name, Mandy!
Sheri, It’s beautiful! I don’t knit sweaters, because I live in deep South Texas and I haven’t owned a sweater since I moved here! I knit shawls, socks, mitts and scarves–and I give them all away to my friends and family in the colder climes.
I agree – this should be named Sheri’s Scharf! It looks like being wrapped in love!
I hate when I have to squinch. Makes my hands hurt. But your finished item looks fabulous. Love that color! But wow, that’s a lot of yarn for a non-sweater!
Gorgeous, simply gorgeous. Squinched or not, the stitches look lovely, and it’ll be warm and perfect forever.
The sweater block is mental. The trick is to start w/a sleeve since it is faster to finish, then inspires you to move to the bigger pieces since you’ve already gotten something DONE. I know there are people who knit 2 sleeves at once, and my hat (knitted, w/a cat on it) is off to them.
I bought some Vintage when it appeared on your update to make an Ashby. Please let us know how it goes. It will be awhile before I cast on for mine. Love your sharf!
Do you think this a good use of the MT Vintage, for a garment that’s useful and beautiful at same time so that you enjoying wearing it as much as possible, or is this just another Finished Object? I have a sweater in the MT Vintage and love it. I want to make something in the Tart color and am thinking maybe this, so I would like your opinion. Thank you. 🙂
Vickie – good question. What I like about it is that it’s heavy, and I can see wrapping it around my neck and shoulders in the winter time over my coat, and keeping really really warm. I don’t see wearing it indoors, as I think it would be too warm and the ends too long to deal with as you go about your day.
So if you are looking for a really warm, different kind of scarf/shawl for outdoor wear, then this is a great mix of pattern and yarn. If you are looking for a lighter type garment that you can wear indoors, then I don’t think I’d use the Vintage OR this pattern.
I loved working with the Vintage. I’ll definitely use it for something else one day!
Your shawl is beautiful and I did put this one in my que but I think I probably would rather use my 4/5 skeins of MT Vintage for a vest. I’m too big to make a full fledged sweater out of 800 – 1000 yards but I could get a nice vest. Always enjoy your blog posts but don’t always comment – take care Melody
This came out very pretty! I sometimes wear a worsted weight shawl in the winter time when the house gets a chill. For some reason, our family room is always the coldest part of the house, so I like to wear a shawl while watching tv and knitting. I also have Ashby in my queue. I’m not sure when I’m going to get around to it, but I will eventually. I’m either using Tosh Vintage in Byzantine or Malabrigo Worsted in Vaa. 🙂
I’m making Ashby with Vintage and love it!!! It’s a little tricky at first because the cables travel on the right side and cross on the wrong side, but once you get it, it just sails! I’m pretty sure I’m going to need a 5th skein of yarn to finish mine. If I’d get my rear in gear I could tell you for sure!!!
Sweaters for me require deadlines. If I have a deadline, then I am way more likely to finish. That’s how I was able to finish a sweater during Camp Loopy for the past two years.
I think some of the current shawls or wraps are too long and narrow for me. I want something that will be useful. Something 6 or 7 feet long and only 12 or so inches wide is not useful to me. I hope this current trend changes soon or I can figure out how to make then more to my liking.
On a lighter side, I do not think that Madelinetosh has a single bad color. They are all simply lovely. I am to the point that I have a hard time choosing between Madelinetosh and Malabrigo. They are equally as soft and the colors as brilliant. There I said it. And, no, my nose did not fall off. 🙂
My mom & I were having the same issues so we joined a kal at our lys. “We have to stay up” with the class. If we get stuck “our teacher” is there to show us new techniques. Each week we’re supposed to try to get to a certain point. We finish in 6 weeks. We’re on our 2nd sweater & we are loving it. We’ve had time during the week to work on other projects but we are whipping out our sweaters AND having fun with new friends we’ve made!
Katiedo – that is a great idea. I could call the class “Come help motivate Sheri to get a sweater done, while making one yourself!” 🙂
Beautiful sharf, Sheri! I love anything MadTosh! I made a hat out of it for winter and wear all the time! I am not sure I’m ready for an all out sweater! I did make that vest in the summer for a loopy camp project. That was good for me because I had to complete within the month!!! Of course, now I am revamping it a bit. Time guidelines are good though! That’s why I like your quarterly challenges and Camp Loopy. I haven’t tried a KAL yet but wouldn’t rule one out! Maybe that’s something you could set up for all of us Loopies!? :).
Sheri, thanks for posting your “review” of this pattern – i have been curious about it ever since you mentioned you were doing it earlier!
Sheri, I did a worsted shawl for last summer’s Camp Loopy. (Only project I managed to finish, all things considered.) It’s so great and snuggly, like wrapping up in a giant hug. I love it, and would do another in a heartbeat. Course, have to finish up all these other projects and WIPs first….. 😛
That looks warm and toasty. I love curling up in my shawls! Never thought that I would like shawls but I do. Especially my striped study shawl I made for Camp Loopy 2013 out of Madelintosh light. I can wear it three seasons. A friend who is going on a cruise next month wants to borrow it! …..My shawl on a cruise! LOL!
Beautiful, gorgeous!
I love that color- It looks so warm too. Try a top down seamless sweater- quick and when you get to the bottom you’re done!
Funny I finished my first sweater but have never finished another. Have plenty in pieces around here but they just always have something wrong with them and I don’t know how to fix it or the size is wrong and I stop.
This looks like something I will complete. Thanks for the review. PattiO
I’m the same way with sweaters. I bought sweater yarn 2 years ago, immediately started the sweater and it sits 85% done – all that’s left is the shoulders, button bands and collar – I just can’t seem to finish it – sigh