Laminaria variations

I started working on the Laminaria that my friend chose.  What a lovely pattern.  I am so pleased she picked it.  We aren't doing a simple trianlge shawl.  She would like to be able to wear it as a hooded wrap in winter and use it as a wrap in summer.  

So that means we have to modify.  Our starting point was a variation done by ScarletAmpersand on Ravelry.  It is started with a provisional cast on, lengthwise, and then the whole design is knit our and around.  Really inspiring thinking behind this one.  This is the one that caught our eye first and is the one that Paulette fell in love with.  Once the pattern was picked, I spent some of the weekend cruising other projects on Ravelry. I wanted to see what other people had done, and if there were any clues to making the beautiful but occasionally complex stitches.  

There are so many lovely knits of this pattern.  I'll start with a variation done by the designer of the original Laminaria, Elizabeth Freeman.  This variation is knit from the center back of the shawl with long ends knit with the very showy border patterns.  

Neither of those were quite what Paulette wanted nor what I had envisaged.  

Then a happy coincidence.  At some point in the last couple weeks, I saw a post linking to the i-cord cast on.  In my ramblings, trying to figure out what would be the best way to accomplish all the things we want from this project, it occurred to me that starting with a nice sturdy edging, like an i-cord, might be just the thing.  It will certainly hide any sign of how we close the scarf up to form the hood and, when it is open and out to be a wrap, it will make a strong edge for the lace to grow from. 

Critical for success on this wrap will be 2 things.  That I have the right number of stitches so it is long enough to lay and stay over the shoulders, and wide enough that the lace on the end fits.   Somewhere between too narrow and too wide.  

I started using the stitch count of ScarletAmpersand as a base and jiggled it so it would work for the more straight edge section of the first stitch. 

So that is where I started this week.  I did not get as far as I hoped as I was pressed into grandma duties, but I have a clear enough idea of what I want to do to begin.  Here we go, taking massive leaps of faith, and hoping it all works out.

I love this kind of journey where you know the general path you have to follow, but you set it up so you can have all kinds of adventures along the way.  

I expect the occasional scream and knashing of teeth.  I expect the ripping back that I am pretty sure we will see. But if we never pushed the boundaries, never tried for more, never reached, we'd still be living in caves and I for one, am glad the human spirit quests for more.  I like my house and my study and my warm and fuzzy stash a whole lot better than I would a dark, damp cave.  Even if I had sheep at the back of it.