Red Stole Finished

Close up of red stole pinned together as a cape

I took the red stole off the needles last night, and was shocked to find that it was about eight feet long (well, something close, as I could drape it around my neck and each end almost touched the ground - I am 5'3"). Where did I go wrong here? I realized that even though I had cast on and knitted based on my original swatch, the weave of the fabric was very loose and stretchy - almost as if the stole "grew" once off the needles. One of my eyelash/fur scarves has done this steadily as I have worn it over the winter.... it is possible to stretch the width back to what it should be and take up the length.

I noticed that when I folded the stole in half, doubling it, the length was just about what I wanted... so I went to bed and waited till this evening to make the finishing touches. I used the boucle to single crochet the long edges together into a finished top edge, with the other side of the piece open...


detail of crocheted top edge

I may put fringes on here or on the two narrow ends brought together when I folded the piece in half. For now, I plan to wear the stole tomorrow as a capelet, pinning it together in front with a rhinestone pin that Nikki gave me for Christmas, over a black turtleneck dress.

I think I am done with superlarge needles for the time being!