Shetland Triangle April 13, 2009
Posted by lunarawe in Knitting - FOs, evelyn clark, fo, knitting, knitting lace, lace knitting, shawl, shetland triangle.1 comment so far
Welcome to my 100th blog post!!!!
Finally we have celebrated Kierstin’s birthday so I can show you the big project I was working on in March. This super bright swath of pinkness was in all truthfulness a joy to knit. This is the Shetland Triangle, by Evelyn Clark which many have knit before me.
The lace pattern is deliciously repeated and actually is the only lace project I have seen that lends itself well to airplane travel knitting.
Normally this is a shoulder shawl, so I added an extra four repeats of the body pattern to make it the size I was aiming for. When I saw two skeins of Zephyr Wool-Silk in Dianthus (about as close to Kierstin’s favorite color of pink that I have seen in a lace weight yarn) I knew that a shawl had to be the birthday offering of choice.
The shawl was a pile of pink wavyness when it finally came off the needles (as I continually eyeballed the yarn trying to gauge how many repeats I could really coax out of it… 12 was easy and stress free, I am not sure how some folks on Ravelry have gotten 15 out of these skeins!).
This was my first time knitting lace weight yarn held double. It made a glorious fabric, with wonderful drape. Part of that, of course, is the Zephyr Wool-Silk. Yet I really do love how it feels doubled on itself. But the blocking! Arrgh the blocking!
I have never had a shawl come so close to winning. I swear I was breathing heavily by the time I was done and the next day my arms were sore! It is just a different thing to stretch out doubled yarn. I had no idea. It is gorgeous, sadly none of these pictures really do the shawl justice. But wow that was an experience to behold.
A Quick Little Knit March 11, 2009
Posted by lunarawe in Knitting - FOs, fo, free knitting patterns, knitting, lace knitting.add a comment
Valentine’s Day saw me wanting to knit something for my sweetie. Something fun, a bit naughty, and of course red. Had to be red. This FO is super hard to photograph. Apologies for not getting a clear, logical shot for you. But it was super fun to knit and really well constructed!
This is a great pattern from Interweave Knits by Laura Rintala. And it is very well constructed… I was impressed. The one change I made was suggested by another raveler, and that was to use elastic ribbon which makes the wearing of this lacy thong a lot more comfortable. This pic has a clearer shot of the lace in front. I will warn you that this is a ~small~ pair of undies, even for small undies. I did expand the waistband a bit.
Hooray for Valentine’s Day (and the great blog catch up which continues).
Presto Chango December 11, 2007
Posted by lunarawe in Knitting - FOs, baby sweater, fo, free knitting patterns, knitting, lace knitting.2 comments
What could be more fun than wrapping a sweet, loving baby in something wonderfully warm? Knowing that I was headed out to meet Noah for the first time (just barely 3 months old if you can believe that from this picture) I knew I wanted to make him another sweater. I had heard rumors that in his athletic length the little man was already wearing 9 month sized sleepers and so I made him a 1 year sized sweater, using the fabulous Presto Chango pattern.
This was a great pattern! Simple to make, a tiny bit of lace, and super cute. The bulky tweed yarn also makes it nice and warm to keep out the arctic winds that the poor man must endure in this season.
May you all be showered in blessings during this holiday season!
Slow Bee MS3 July 20, 2007
Posted by lunarawe in Knit Alongs, MS3, Mystery Stole 3, beads, knitting, knitting lace, lace knitting, sloth.2 comments
Believe it or not, I am one of the happy participants in Mystery Stole 3 - a wonderful knitalong which gives you a new piece of an undisclosed lace stole pattern each week. This is an original pattern, one of many fabulous patterns by Melanie who is now leading this madness for the third time.
I say believe it or not because while the much awaited fourth clue was released this morning, I have just churned my slow way to finishing clue number one. What can I say? It is summer, I have been working, and one thing I have learned not to rush is lace.
Ignore that red thread up there. It is just a life line – the first of many. One of the things I am really enjoying (to my surprise) is the use of beads in this stole. I don’t normally think of myself as a beads and lace kind of woman, but this has been a pile of fun. Maybe it is that I am finally getting to use my size 12 crochet hook that I snagged about a year ago at Lacis in Berkeley.
I chose size 8 beads in a “green iris” colorway – a blend of greens, golds, bronzes, purples, and pinkish beads to complement the JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk Yarn in Sable. The effect is subtle, but much more noticeable on the stole than in the pic. Still you get the idea.
So I am “slow bee” according to the MS3 group – and I am proud. Just in case some of you are thinking derogatory thoughts… here is proof that sloths (maligned, in my opinion) are truly adorable. I ran into this one a couple of days ago at the Cincinnati Zoo.
So now what do I do with it? November 24, 2006
Posted by lunarawe in Knitting - FOs, knitting, lace knitting.add a comment
A while back I began my adventures with seven double pointed needles. I had decided that making a doily was an interesting thing to do… something that would teach me useful things about knitting lace. Ye gods. Who thought that 1.5 size needles should ever be big enough to result in lace? Pearl cotton is a crazy, crazy thing. So a few days ago I took my glass doily off the needles. Here is the lovely, rumpled mess it made:
The color above is not exactly accurate, but the slate from the fireplace came out so lovely that I thought I would leave it alone. Apologies for not getting a shot of this leafy mass on its blocking pins, but here is the final (yes, ok… slightly crooked) result:
So the most critical question that remains is what the heck do I do with one green doily about eight inches across?
Needles, needles, needles October 31, 2006
Posted by lunarawe in Knit Alongs, Socktoberfest, jaywalkers, knitting, lace knitting, yarn.2 comments
These past few days have been showered in knitting needles. First… a moment of silence for the recently frogged Birch Leaf lace socks. They were super cute! They were growing… but the neon-glare of an intensely turquoise spiral up and through the lace was taking away from the beauty of the pattern. That Lorna’s Laces Baltic Sea colorway will have to be used for something else that highlights its beauty. Has anyone else made gorgeous socks from this colorway?
So… one pair of empty Addis. So sad.
Next I decided it was critical to begin work on the gorgeous Socktoberfest colorway from Scout’s Swag before the end of Socktoberfest. After much careful thought (and almost succumbing to a mosaic plan) I decided that it might be time to give in to the tidal wave of Jaywalkers taking over the net. In truth the pattern does bring out the beauty of the yarn. So here is that first beginning on a set of Inox needles… I am enjoying the sharper points:
One final set of needles? You bet… seven in fact! This first attempt at doily making (don’t ask me what I was thinking) was supposed to be done on three needles, but as it is a hexagon, seven seemed easier for actually checking the pattern. I have never blocked pearl cotton before… should be fun!
A blessed Samhain to all! May your ancestors treat you with kindness this evening.
Lace in Socktober October 15, 2006
Posted by lunarawe in Socktoberfest, knitting, lace knitting.add a comment
So Lolly is not the only one who is also knitting something other than socks during Socktoberfest. Frankly my pinkies can’t take the constant pressure. Yes… my knitting is too tight. With socks anyway. It’s those ridiculously small needles that do me in every time.
Anyway… my mentor’s Kimono shawl groweth (and maketh all things new).
I cannot decide if these colors are just perfect for her (she really seems like a jewel tone person) or just waaaaay over the top. I get it that there is absolutely no way to appreciate the lace on this thing when it is up against my green couch. So be it. For detailed close up of the pattern, see below.
I am just glad that the switching skeins every other row is, in fact, preventing major pooling. Otherwise I might have to hurt someone. Why can’t we just make the anti-pooling colorway? I know I would invest!
Emerging Leaves October 7, 2006
Posted by lunarawe in Knit Alongs, Socktoberfest, knitting, lace knitting.3 comments
Working with the Lorna’s Laces has been fascinating. Their Baltic Sea colorway is almost a camoflauge run of greens and greys with this surprising turquoise running through everything else. I think I have gotten far enough on the Birch Leaf sock to know that generally the pattern is actually coming through this variegated yarn (it is much clearer without the bright flash from my camera). Still the sections of turquoise are where the pattern can get lost. Hmmm. I think I will keep going. They are on gauge and by some miracle correct thus far.
The Lorna’s Lace yarn splits more than I would like. I am not sure if this is because my Addi’s are too blunt or the yarn is too splitty. Any thoughts out there from others who have worked with this yarn? I do love the softness. Surprisingly soft for something that can be washed in the machine.
To my amusement, there are moments when I prefer the twisted rib on the back of the sock to the leaf lace on the front… a major coup for the rib since I am generally always a fan of leaf patterns. You may see some future socks with this twisted rib all the way down the foot. That’s all for now. Other than adopting a short row heel, I have no plans to change this pattern. So far so good on the top-down Socktoberfest socks!
Birch Leaf Socks October 6, 2006
Posted by lunarawe in Knit Alongs, Socktoberfest, knitting, lace knitting.add a comment
My personal Socktoberfest challenge has begun. I have decided to knit my first pair of cuff down socks while at the same time knitting my first pair of lace socks. Am I knitting two pairs of socks? Of course not! Why not jump right into the depths of insockity insanity? Hence, Birch Leaf Socks from A Gathering of Lace.
Yes, the lure of the new project called to me. I could have knit the second sock of lovely neon-loud stripedness… but another whole foot of stockinette just seemed tremendously dull.
So this has also become Lacetober (yarnover?) for me what with the shawl and sock both. I am happy to report that the Kimono shawl grows ever longer and the lace is really starting to look beautiful in that Mer-made colorway.
Any advice for a knitter who is just barely dipping into the Socktoberfest plunge? I have had a delightful time reading zillions of sock patterns and possibilities before choosing this one. All kind wishes for success are welcome!
Looking for a New Lace Project October 1, 2006
Posted by lunarawe in Knitting - FOs, evelyn clark, knitting, lace knitting, shawl.1 comment so far
Now that I am officially done with Sock Wars, it is clearly time to start a new project. Of course, I have tons of works in progress… but this new one is important. I have had a mentor who has given a ton of her time to me over the past three years, and I have been wanting to make her a beautiful shawl as a thank you present. I figured it was about time.
I completed a this leaf lace shawl about nine months ago
and since then have been giving myself a bit of a break from knitting lace. That one turned out well though, and my mentor is the kind of woman who I think will like something sort of intricate.
I picked a gorgeous jewel tone colorway from Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill … Mer-Made Blue Violet in 100% wool.
This is the very beginning of Cheryl Oberle’s Kimono Shawl, from her Folk Shawls book. It is much wider than this, but here at least is a good close up of the yarn and the emerging pattern. Kind of scrunched pre-blocking, but you get the idea. This is supposed to be an extra long shawl – 72 inches all told. This one is not triangular though… so it should make a little more sense to my brain. Here’s hoping. But there is nothing like starting a new project. And this yarn is gorgeous to look at, and very soft and pleasant to knit. I only have about 66 inches left to go! 
Check back for updates.
