September 06, 2003
Here are updated photos of
Here are updated photos of my two WIPs - both are really satisfying but going so slowly...
This is the 'Faroese Style' shawl by Myrna Stahman, from the Best of Knitters Shawls and Scarves book. The yarn is Nandia silk/cashmere in sky blue, a fairly thin yarn. I've gotten used to the yarn, and my rosewood 3.25mm needles have turned out to be a good fit for it. The pattern is very simple. This is the center-back panel, which grows out of the neckband until it is the required width, then stays even for the rest of the shawl:
This is an attempt to show you how the same pattern is used in the side panels, which grow quite fast so that it's impossible to spread out the piece. The center panel is on the lower left side of the picture.
The other one is the 'Byzantine' cabled pullover by Kathy Zimmerman from the last issue of Interweave Knits. The yarn is Berroco bluefaced leicester which has been discontinued unfortunately, in a shade called 'dahlia'. What gorgeous yarn. I'm using size 8 needles and probably knitting a little too loosely, but I like it much better than I would have liked the very bulky yarn specified in the pattern. Can you pick out the mistake a bit below center and to the right??
Sorry not to be very clever-witted today but I wanted to get the pictures out there for you to see and now I'm going to retire for the evening! I plyed merino for over an hour and am puzzling over how I can spin what must have been 3 ounces of fiber, in a weight something like sport, and end up with less than 150 yards. Either I counted wrong, or I wasted more than I thought I would. Either way it's fried my brain so my cleverness quotient is quite low...
Prudence
Posted by at September 6, 2003 07:31 PMPrudence - WOW - both of those projects are breathtaking. Really - I exclaimed! when I saw your first photo and the rest is just amazing!
Again, I'm turned on to a project because of a 'fellow knitters' results - even though when I saw the published pattern it seemed 'ho-hum'.
I'm going to find that interweave knits to check out the Kathy Zimmerman pattern and see why I overlooked it at first glance. Yours is just beautiful.
:-)
Posted by: Mary on September 6, 2003 09:21 PMI learned "breathtaking" from Sheila. She so nicely used the term to describe my sweater!
It's a great descriptor for the experience of a photo loading on a web page and and reacting with a breathless 'wow' at the beautiful knitting!
Posted by: Mary on September 6, 2003 09:24 PMThis shawl is calling my name. So beautiful. I overlooked the Zimmerman sweater as well, but now that I see it in purple and knit by an accomplished knitter, well that makes all the difference. :) I agree with you, Mary. Some designs look even better in person or on blogs, especially when different colors are used. Lovely work, Prudence. Lookin' forward to seeing the finished results.
Posted by: Kerstin on September 7, 2003 05:50 AMWow, Caroline. That shawl is a stunner, and the progress on the sweater is fabulous. I think you should offer seminars in "How to Actually Get Stuff Finished." ;-) I can't wait to see you modeling these!
Posted by: Sam on September 7, 2003 11:33 AMWonderful work, Prudence! Yeah, I'd definitely attend the seminar :-)
Posted by: Linette on September 7, 2003 09:20 PMOh those colours!! How beautiful Caroline. I really need to work harder at getting more knitting done. Both these projects are SO darn gorgeous that I really, really wanna knit 'em. Now! Really, really!!
Posted by: Dot on September 7, 2003 10:02 PMPrudence- The shawl is beautiful and your Byzantine is AMAZING!! I have some teal bluefaced leichester I was thinking of using for Byzantine myself....what size are you making and how many skeins will you use? I'd like to make the largest size for my hunny but I only have 20 skeins...think I can make it??
Thanks for sharing :)
Posted by: Debi on September 7, 2003 10:08 PMDebi, I have 20 skeins also and I am making the smallest size and I know I'll have a bunch left. I'm not sure how much, because I've only done just what you see of the back, but I think I've only used 3 skeins so far. Knit a 'swatch' called the back and see how it goes!
Posted by: CarolineF on September 8, 2003 05:33 AMLady Fiddletwist, what excellent work you are doing! I can't see a mistake, so obviously there must not be one, right?! That shawl will be so light but warm and will look wonderful on you.
Posted by: Sheila on September 8, 2003 10:52 AMYeah, I like that, the see-no-evil approach to knitting errors! Bwahaha!
Posted by: Prudence on September 8, 2003 06:31 PMI'm speechless! Stunning, Caroline. What a wardrobe you're going to have.
Posted by: Marcia on September 9, 2003 11:05 AMBeautiful work, Caroline.
I said it before, I will again. You are prolific!
Re: Merino spinning. I get stumped with merino top sometimes, too. It is so fine and springy thatI have a tendency to spin a more dense yarn than what I first think. I gave up spinning it from the end and usually spin 3-4 inch long sections from the fold off the tip of my finger and spin it as fine as I can. There are maybe more joins this way but it keeps the yarn airier. That's my story...
Janet