Tag: lace

Knitting

My Busy Needles

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handknit blue shawl with contracting cream colored bands and lace edge
Apple Cart Shawl using Rustic Silk in Niagara Falls and Cape Cod colorways

The word of the day:  précis – a shortened version of a speech or written report containing main points and omitting minor details is apropos for this Finished Object Friday (FOF) as I am providing a partial update of what has come off my needles since May.

The most recent project ready to be mailed is the second of two Apple Cart Shawls which features contrasting bands of color, with just enough texture to keep the design interesting.  Both shawls were knit using Ella Rae’s Rustic Silk making them versatile wardrobe additions perfect for Minnesota summer evenings or any time of the year in warmer climes.  This design is one of three in a new series from Marie Greene’s stash buster collection.  Each of the titles in this pattern trio start with A and, from recent reports, the B threesome will be released very soon.

close up of hand knit pick shawl with contracting cream colored bands and lace edge
Apple Cart Shawl using Rustic Silk in Rosenberg and Cape Cod colorways

I commandeered the Ruffled Shawlette for my recent Massachusetts Pilgrimage.  It provided a lovely, dress-up accent for evening dinners and offered a hint of protection in over-zealous air conditioned rooms.  This was also knit using Ella Rae’s Rustic Silk.  It is small, easy to pack and (most important for the well-dressed traveler) wrinkle free.  If you are looking for this kerchief pattern, check out 22 Little Clouds by Martina Behm. 

handknit blue kerchief on wooden hanger
Ruffled Shawlette using Rustic Silk in Graceland

The Mallory Shawl by Heidi Hennessy features a delicate lattice that flows from the tip of the triangle to a wide ribbed base.  Knit using ethically sourced Merino wool from Uruguay, the slightly variegated green tones compliment the interconnecting cables.  The luxurious wrap, perfect for chilly winter days, was a WIP (work-in-progress) from March to September and became my go-to project between other creations. 

handknit green shawl with interconnecting cables twisted throughout
Mallory Shawl using Malabrigo Sock in a Kris colorway

A Suri and silk cowl with a complimentary headband were my first foray into working with lace weight yarn, something that I had shied away from simply due to the super fine nature.  However, in the interest of honest reporting, I did hold the Naturel and Rubia colorways double thus technically making a blended fingering weight mix. The Cooler Side of Warm cowl is designed by Espace Tricot, “a modern knitting shop in Montreal”.

Happy knitting!

handknit coral colored cowl on wooden hanger
Cooler Side of Warm cowl with blended Naturel & Rubia colorways
Knitting

Strategic Stasher

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skeins of yarn in multiple colors

While the list of survey questions is not nearly as extensive as a Myers Briggs personality test, the Knit Camp Stash Sprint quiz does incorporate aspects of actual psychological analysis.  Of Marie Greene’s three basic yarn collector types, Fiber Sentimentalist, Optimistic Acquirer, and Strategic Stasher, my profile falls strongly into this last category.  Individual traits include:

  • Well organized stash.  (I pride myself on having every skein carefully cataloged on Ravelry with important details duly noted such as weight, color, dye lot, purchase price and date, including a photo for quick visual ID.)
  • Well planned projects and purchases.
  • Likely to use exactly-the right-yarn for the job which often necessitates purchasing new yarn rather than substituting.
  • Willing to relinquish yarn if a project changes direction.  (As proof, 14 skeins found their way to new homes as prizes for the Zumbro River Fiber Arts Guild: Knitting Group’s first ever annual Winter Finishing Fest.)

During my Stash Sprint class I handled every skein with a discerning eye.  While deciding what to keep and what to give, I made some discoveries.  Fingering weight comprises a third of my reserves but then many of Martina Behm’s designs require this weight and Hitchhiker is my favorite pattern.  DK makes up the next largest quantity but that makes sense as well as it is a great weight for sweaters and my first (and to date, only) dyeing project used this weight.  I have never knit anything in lace weight yarn and gave away two skeins but sentimentally kept two simply because of when and where I purchased them.  Since my access to the Knit Camp Stash Sprint class never expires, it will be interesting to see how my stashing patterns evolve and whether, after taking this online course, if I reframe my approach to yarn acquisition.

Happy knitting!

Knitting

Amsterdam

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Vintage travel posters inspire a new exclusive fiber series from frabjous fibers & Wonderland Yarns. Amsterdam was the June limited edition colorway and, while this vibrant multi-colored skein was definitely outside my normal color spectrum, Richard and I so loved our time in Amsterdam and the colors are so reminiscent of the city-scape that it became a must have. The Windmill Shawl features a simple lace design reminiscent of the country’s many windmills to which I added a picot edging.

My Egypt travel kit is already on order from Northfield Yarn. I have wonderful memories from my trip to exotic Cairo with time in Giza and a picnic along the Suez Canal. Although the lush green tones of that skein are not the colors of my memories, then again, I did visit in June.

PS – And just because I’ve always wondered (and you might too), here is the etymology of frabjous: An adjective coined by Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking-Glass meaning splendid or magnificent.