Gold Medal
Posted by Lanea on Tuesday, February 28th, 2006
Kiri, in Elann Baby Cashmere, Tapestry Blue. Knit on US size 7 needles Pony Rosewoods, Addi Naturas, and Susan Bates Quicksilver needles in that order. More or less. The Quicksilvers kept driving me nuts because I hate the metal-on-metal sound, and the Naturas kept driving me nuts because that little divot at the join was grabbing the yarn like mad. I wish I could always and only knit on bone or antler needles. If anyone can arrange that, I would be eternally grateful.
As I mentioned several times during the Knitting Olympics, I think Kiri is a great pattern. It’s a wonderful first shawl project for we beginning lace knitters. It was challenging to complete the entire project on time, but it was fun the whole time. I loved to watch the leaves form as I knit,
(tree-hugger nirvana, that) and I was generally able to catch my mistakes within a few stitches of making them. I love the shawl, and I’ve received many compliments on it already. I originally thought I’d have no practical use for it, but I ended up wearing it to the American Craft Council show in Baltimore, and I was loath to remove it when the room got hot.
My only gripe is with my own affect on the edging. I don’t know if it’s the yarn or my bind-off or my blocking jobs (once after washing, the other with steam), but I can’t get a nice clear scallop to hold. I think I was a bit too gentle the first time, but I really pulled the points out when I steam blocked. Did I not steam enough? Is the alpaca content in the yarn (60%) too high to yield a crisply-blocked edge? Am I just too much of a hippie to torture the yarn into submission? Inquiring Laneas (ok, just the one Lanea) want to know!?
Filed in knitting | 8 responses so far
shelleyon 28 Feb 2006 at 7:35 pm 1How many balls of yarn did that take? I can’t wait to order the yarn–that is beautiful!
rho1640on 28 Feb 2006 at 8:03 pm 2That turned out fantastic!!
If you ever want to get rid of the hurricane lamp on the chest of drawers I know someone who would take it off your hands (me me me)
lindaon 01 Mar 2006 at 12:38 am 3It’s so pretty, really beautiful. Only you will fuss over the scalloped edges. The rest of us will just be drooling over the shawl.
Janeon 01 Mar 2006 at 8:37 am 4Beautiful shawl! Congratulations on your gold medal!
Rachelon 01 Mar 2006 at 10:35 am 5It’s beauteous! It could be the alpaca, or it could be the spin on the yarn (I’ve found that more tightly spun yarn doesn’t hold lace patterns as well–too much tendency to spring back in) but before giving up, I would try another full dunk and block. Lace really likes to be soaked for good results, and I’m not sure the secondary steam block would’ve done the trick. However, it looks great with or without the scallops. Congrats on the first lace! I haven’t done any of those truly scary elaborate projects yet like Deann at KR does, but I’ve done a few shawls similar to Kiri, and I love knitting the lace!
Jenon 01 Mar 2006 at 1:07 pm 6Beautiful! Yes, I love that lace pattern, too. I knit three tops & two scarf & hat sets with that leaf pattern. It is a joy.
Congratulations on your gold medal!
Lissaon 02 Mar 2006 at 12:16 am 7My, that’s gorgeous – totally deserving of the gold! It was great to see you Monday.
Lissaon 02 Mar 2006 at 2:09 pm 8Just read your latest KR post. Go gettem, honey!
love,
L