My
iPad has been updated and I find the results disconcerting.
But otherwise it's been a fairly good day. I've done half of a side of
the new shawl -- 16 scallops. It measures about 21 inches. The original pattern
says that the shawl will be 47 inches square. Blocking may well achieve that, or
close enough. At any rate, it'll be better than handkerchief-sized. Here's
a pic. I've done some more since it was taken in the brief
daylight.
I am really rather pleased at how well it's looking. It could hardly be
simpler, short of being a garter stitch strip. But what a pretty little lace it
Is!
And I followed the link to the American Delameres site and ordered
another hat kit. Thanks for that. They have acknowledged the order although
they haven't charged me nearly enough for postage. The friend who wants me to
knit it for her says that she tried, and they refused to mail to the UK. We
shall see.
The new Knitter came today, with an interesting article about early
knitting books. I've got a couple, but one really ought to rev oneself up
and visit the digitised archives at the University of Southampton to which
Bishop Rutt left his collection.
The
Techknitting blogsite has a great post on corrugated knitting. I tried it a
couple of times and abandoned the idea because nobody had told me that it
wasn't meant to pull in like real ribbing. I thought I was doing it wrong.
I think it's time to try again. When Scotland win the Calcutta Cup
and I knit that Fair Isle vest for Alexander, perhaps. Next year in
Jerusalem-- not. (We're not going to win in an odd-numbered year, when the
match is played in Twickenham.)
Carolyn, that was an incredibly kind suggestion, about the ball-winder. But, as you suspected, I'd be happier without. I've got a swift, which I don't often use because it's perpendicular and I prefer to sit with the skein around my knees. I like getting acquainted with the yarn. It was just, the other day, that 100 grams of lace-weight involved an awful lot of winding. As I've already said, the pleasure of winding those mini-skeins is half the fun of the stripey hat.
Carolyn, that was an incredibly kind suggestion, about the ball-winder. But, as you suspected, I'd be happier without. I've got a swift, which I don't often use because it's perpendicular and I prefer to sit with the skein around my knees. I like getting acquainted with the yarn. It was just, the other day, that 100 grams of lace-weight involved an awful lot of winding. As I've already said, the pleasure of winding those mini-skeins is half the fun of the stripey hat.
And I got at least slightly to grips with Christmas today, and feel the
better for it. I'm not going to get all the way through the present list, let's
face it, but some things are essential. We have an odd tradition -- no idea how
it got started -- of giving Greek Helen's husband David a Boring Book
for Christmas every year. I've chosen a good candidate, but will look
a bit more widely before I order. Boring but worthy, is the idea, and he
faithfully reads them.
Scallops are very beautiful. Where you get the patience for some of things you undertake is something I will never understand. I surely do like looking at it though!
ReplyDeleteThat bit of lace is very pretty!! And the color is really nice too. Good choice.
ReplyDeleteThe edging is beautiful. And it made me very happy; reminding me of a set of beautiful pillow cases my mother made when I was a young girl. They must have been a gift for someone because I clearly remember her knitting them ( I remember it clearly because she DID NOT like knitting and, beyond teaching all of us to knit, seldom did it herself). The hat, which you showed yesterday, inspired me to order it also. I suspect that I am not the only one of your readers who was so inspired! Now to just finish a couple of other projects so that I can justify starting it when it arrives.
ReplyDeleteThat edging looks very similar to the edging I have just knit for the Houlland shawl, also in the Haps book. Mine is on hold because, having knit the strip, I can't seem to pick up the slipped stitches without creating an ugly ridge. I'll be interested to see how yours goes on.
ReplyDeleteI think your hat kit will be coming from the UK-based Deramores even though you ordered through their USA web pages. I ordered mine yesterday too!
ReplyDeleteIf you have trouble getting the hat shipped, the site someone mentioned yesterday, Amazing Threads, is near enough to me to pick one up. I may get one for myself. Lovely scallops.
ReplyDeleteBoring but worthy - do please tell us your short list and eventual choice. Is there much contention among the selection committee? "No, I think that's interesting!" "Not worthy enough!"
ReplyDelete-- Gretchen (aka stashdragon)
Weird, most swifts I'm familiar with are parallel to the ground. I got myself for X-Mas a wooden swift that can be hung on the wall so I can claim that the half-wound skein of 1k meters of laceweight is really art and not me not being capable of winding that much at one time and needing a day or so to recover. Plus, much of my laceweight is hand-dyes and art in its own right (imho).
ReplyDeleteOh, lovely - hang it on the wall and call it Art! I have a vertical swift (from the thrift shop). Although I am fond of my "ordinary" swift, the vertical one has won me over for not requiring a table, so I only need a table edge for the ball winder.
DeleteOh, and you might like this (and yup, tooting own horn) Public ravelry link.
ReplyDeleteI lucked into this use for flashing/pooling fingering weight and it looks pretty darn awesome (I think). Vague recipe... garter stitch, holes are made by double yos with k2togs on either side, gauge is fairly tight (I'm working on size 5 american and would knit socks with the same yarn on size 1-2) and I cast on about 50 st. You kinda need to fiddle around (or do math) to get the lightning bolt thing going, but it seems to be something many people like (so good for pressies!).
If you'd like an exact pattern, consult Victorian Lace Today, since that was my starting point. I know there's loads of knitters (not just me) who have lovely fingering weight they don't want to hide in shoes or is not durable enough to stand up to sock wear, and hey, another solution.