Monday, April 28, 2008

Optic Waves

My knitting is still focused on the Optic Waves Shawl. It has grown one or two pattern repeats each day, though that might not happen this week since our son, Matt, and his girlfriend, Carly, are here for a visit.

The shawl is seven repeats along in this photo taken on Friday at the beach.

Each pattern repeat consists of twelve rows worked over 101 stitches. Only four of these rows include increases and decreases. And to make it even easier, those four rows are exactly the same each time. The other eight rows are either knit or purl (with a few knit stitches on the edge), making this shawl a good project for someone knitting lace for the first time.

It's been a couple of weeks since our last trip to beach. The sky was overcast and rain was threatening, but I didn't mind. We've been visiting Matagorda Beach for about a year now and have come to love this stretch of surf and sand, no matter the weather.

This time of year there is a lot seaweed that gets wash onshore. I believe it is called Sargassum weed. Here someone used it to help hold together what I think is a support for a makeshift tent.


Along with the seaweed, the tide had also washed up a large number of Portuguese Man-of-War. I was concerned that John might get stung as he was wade fishing, but he never saw any in the water.


As I continued beach combing, I came across a plastic leg from a Barbie-type doll. I don't know why, but I took a picture of it. And since I did, I'll show it to you.


You never know what you'll find at the beach. That's part of the fun.

17 comments:

  1. I love how the shawl is shaping up. This looks like a project that I would knit. How much yarn does it call for and what size needles are you using. I want to see if I have enough of a kind of lace weight I have on hand. I might have enough. I have been dying to use it up. The PMo'W looks very interesting. I am not sure if we get them here, but we do have a jelly fish season right smack in the middle of the summer tourist season.

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  2. Hello! I came on over here from the Clapotis KAL and I love your photos and your cupcakes! The shawl is going to be gorgeous as well. Come visit me as I have some tide pool photos I just posted. I may have to try those cupcakes . . . .

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  3. The beach looks like a wonderful place to walk and contemplate.

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  4. That Barbie doll leg makes me think of the movie "Jaws" for some reason... .

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  5. Looking good! Sounds like a fun weekend!

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  6. My first thought was, "Wow! A shell shaped like a leg. Awesome." Then I read the script. Funny! Nature is refreshing.

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  7. Anonymous10:48 AM

    I so love your beach pictures! Your shawl is very pretty as well.

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  8. When the time comes that I'm ready to knit lace, I may try that pattern. It is going to be a beautiful garment when you finish!

    How nice that the kids are visiting. Nothing livens up an empty nest like youngsters. ;-) I find when my daughter and her boyfriend visit, I get energized.

    The doll leg photo which is almost creepy comes off as rather artsy looking. You have such a great eye for photography!

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  9. Your shawl is really coming along nicely! I love the picture of the man-o-war, but I'll bet those things are awful to come into contact with.

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  10. Anonymous4:56 PM

    Wow. I've never seen a gen-u-ine (pronounced jen-ewe-eyen) M-o-W before; just the little non-descript jellies. I love its irridescence!

    And in some ways, that's perfect for the optic wave shawl, too.

    Does John ever wear waders? Would that even protect against P-M-o-W?

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  11. You captured the beauty of the MOW and his colors. My hubby was stung by one several years ago. My son was stung by one a few years ago. That was not a very good day on our vacation!
    The shawl will be stunning I'm sure!
    Looks like you had a great day at the beach!

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  12. It's all so pretty. The shawl, the beach, the Portuguese man of war, the Barbie leg, everything. (I thought it was a shell at first, too.) I got stung by a MOW once, though, so I would definitely not have been in the water after seeing that on the beach. John's a brave man.

    I've got the Knitter's Book of Yarn on hold at the library, when it comes in I may make the Optic Waves Shawl instead of the one I'm crying/toiling over. It's just beautiful.

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  13. Anonymous8:26 AM

    Thanks for commenting on the bolero. Your shawl is lovely, the colors are beautiful. Gee, everything washes ashore!

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  14. Great pictures. I'm not sure which I like best. I've never seen a Portuguese Man-o-War so that might be my favorite.

    I'm also imagining the harrowing dangers that Barbie went through to end up with just a leg on the beach (Jaws music plays in the background...)

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  15. Your shawl is exquisite...love the sun shining throug the lacework...and your beach finds seems to have stories. That Portuguese Man of War is something I've never seem for real before--amazing! Poor dollie leg...I wonder what happened to her?! Happy Day :o)

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  16. I love shawls--yours is a beauty, like lace:-)

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Thank you for commenting!
~Tracy

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