Inspiration
Nightshift Shawl, Dream State Yarn: Wow
Dear Kay,
I got back to Nashville just as that shipment of yarn from Spincycle arrived. Beelined for it, of course!
Spincycle is a particular favorite of mine. You know this. All that twirly twiney three-ply color craziness is just the thing to set me off on a major knitting jag.
For a long time, we’ve stocked Dyed in the Wool, the fingering weight version of this unusual yarn. I’ve made all sorts of stuff with it.
Now, it’s time for Dream State, the worsted-weight version.
The pattern that has me in its thrall? Nightshift, the shawl that works that mesmerizing slip-stitch mosaic pattern at a larger gauge.
It’s pure fun, this project. (Find your bundle here!)
The simplest of shapes, a big triangle that grows as you knit.
Cool textures.
And I-cord edges that are worked as you go—not added after the fact.
Even the finishing is made easy: the I-cord tube edges make the perfect hiding places for the yarn ends. Just thread the end on a tapestry needle, slide it down the tube, and poof! Done!
And! Brand New! Inclinations!
Andrea has just launched a new Dream State shawl, this one called Inclinations.
It is devilishly irresistible, this new pattern, so I will be diving in on it as soon as I finish this Nightshift.
Thank you, Andrea, for swamping me with these designs. And thanks to Spincycle for giving me so much fun with this yarn.
Love,
Ann
Nightshift is the most fun knit I’ve ever done, and the compliments I get! I add my thanks for the great pattern, too.
I also loved knitting the Nightshift. And now another temptation!
Is it possible to make this either square or rectangular to end up as a blanket, not a shawl?
That wouldn’t be difficult. After casting on the appropriate number of stitches for the size blanket you want do the slip stitch pattern and color changes without the increases.
My English pen pal of 60 years sent me yarn for the Nightshift shawl. So I in Colorado and she in England knit this shawl ‘together’. It was so much fun!
That’s such a fun thing to do! Also: pen pal of 60 years is tremendous.
I decided yesterday that Nightshift is the perfect use for my leftovers from my Kiki Mariko rug. I have knit this pattern three times, but I keep giving it away! This one is for me, for sure!
That’s a really cool idea! I’m intrigued by the way the shawl looks totally different depending on the order in which you knit the colors. The one I’m making looks really different from Andrea’s, even though I’m using the same six colors.
Ann, could you share the order of the colors you chose? It looks so lovely!
I knew I wanted to make a Nightshift cowl or shawl the first time I saw the pattern. But all that color and texture make it appear very complicated. It is not. Knitting the cowl was so much fun. Just go with the flow and trust the pattern. It all makes sense in the end.
I was in my LYS last Friday. Standing in front of the Spincycle display was like being in a candy store. All those delicious colors. I chose based on high contrast (Mississippi Marsala (A very blue version)/Devilish Grin (Red)/Stay Ready(Brown)). But everything works with everything. And there were some pre-made kits as well in case I could not decide.
Total candy store yarn, for sure.
Or you might end up with a lace version! Has anyone tried?
Somebody do this with Kidsilk Haze, would love to see what happens.
I’m probably going to use scraps of fingering … though Spincycle is pretty, $200 for a shawl is way too much for my budget. So many possibilities!
I agree with you! After spending $200 for the yarn what if you don’t like it when it’s finished? Wish more designers would sub yarn on the cost affordable side for the rest of us. I have seen designers add that substitution but not enough of them.
Just a suggestion.
This is a great pattern for playing with yarns. Just be sure to have a look at the gauge for Nightshift, which is 20 sts = 4″. You may want to increase the number of stitches per inch, if you want the finished shawl size to be the same as shown in the pattern. If you make Nightshift with fingering weight yarn and the specified gauge, you’ll have a much smaller finished piece. Which might be just the thing you’re wanting!
I couldn’t decide what to take with me on a two month holiday, leaving next week. Then this. My bundle will arrive on Thursday, which will give me a chance to wind cakes before I go! Just in case I run out, I have sourced a LYS in Copenhagen, where I will be for a few days toward the end of the trip but with two weeks of knitting and 10 hours of flying home… and yes, can fill in the Tvinni from MDK with a few special colors to start Spectra… oh what knitting joy!
Just finished my second The Shift cowl in a cotton blend for warmer weather. I must say I’m not a fan of having to sew up the back, but it is a fun pattern. Lots of compliments!
Hello, Dyed in the Wool is listed as sport weight, not fingering. I agree it’s thin but I wanted to point this out in case of confusion.
Love this pattern, and the yarn! MDK is where I learned about the yarn and the designer. TY!
Can I get this pattern for DYED IN THE WOOL yarn?