Here my brother assists until my mom points out that I'm going to have trouble pulling the inelastic silk over the top of the bottle. Luckily it's dad to the rescue with a wooden dowel.
He takes over holding the yarn, a task he used to perform for his mother and grandmother back in the old country. Note he's wearing the handknit socks which were last Christmas' present.
Once the gorgeous silk was wound I wasted no time in casting on for the Forest Canopy Shawl which I'd been dreaming of since I saw WendyKnits' version. I knit away on it during the week between Christmas and New Years, and was thrilled to finish casting off at 11:37pm on December 31st. I also got a set of blocking wires for Christmas and I was so excited to use them that I forgot to take the obligatory pre-blocking photo in which the lace looks like cat puke (although if my cat puked up something that colour I would be very very concerned). This will have to do for the pre-blocking photo:
After leaving it to dry overnight I awoke to this beauty (gorgeously photographed by the boyfriend's new digicam).
And since knitters love pictures here's a shot of the edging
And a detail of the leaves
Heather's hubby went a little crazy playing with the settings on the camera which resulted in this artsy shot
And, of course, no finished object post is complete without a picture of it being worn
(Please ignore the squinty eyes; I'd just gotten new glasses)
The flash really lights up the shine in the silk. I think the colour is most true in the first picture of me wearing it.
This was a beautiful yarn to work with. It's thin but not too much so, more like thin sock yarn than lace weight. It's so soft and shiny; I think it's spoiled me for other lace yarns.
The Forest Canopy Shawl was a great pattern. It's perfect for a first lace shawl or for someone who has been burned by lace in the past (damn you Swallowtail with your stupid nupps! I will conquer you yet!). It's an easily memorizable pattern and very customizable. I will definitely knit it again.
12 comments:
That shawl is just amazing. I am going to have to get the pattern myself. I think I qualify as someone burned by lace. On a completely unrelated note, I am going to look for more Birch yarn today.
And nice new glasses!!
It's fast, fun and easy! What more could you ask for in a lace shawl pattern?!?
Good luck picking up more Silky Wool. Think how happy you'll be to have that bad boy done.
I think I've finally grown to like my glasses. Thanks for helping me pick them out :)
ooOOOooo! So pretty! And the shawl is nice too :)
I love your new glasses!
Thankee! :D
that's very pretty! it's the perfect morivation to get me to pick up my Shetland Triangle again (which has been sitting neglected due to the fun flu-like symptoms of a stupid, sudden throat infection. not sexy! not fun!!)
Poor Jane :(
Feel better soon!
The shawl is absoloutely georgeous. I have never touched sea silk, but I'm making it my mission to track some down when im move in three weeks.
Beautiful shawl. The artsy photo does look like the ocean!
That is one pretty shawl, and I love your new glasses. Was it a fast pattern or are you just a speed demon? :)
A little a column A and a little of column B :)
Actually I think it was a fairly fast pattern because I don't usually get much knitting done at home since my family is very distracting. The nice thing is that I could memorize the pattern and then knit while socializing.
lovely shawl!! did the forest canopy really take only one skein of sea silk? ....I have one skein of sea silk waiting for a project....
Gretchen: it really did only take one skein of Sea Silk! I added in an extra repeat of the pattern and I probably could have done one or two more! It is my new favourite yarn for shawls.
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