Friday 4 December 2009

In Which the Big Black Blob Blossoms Beautifully with Blocking

The Lerwick Lace Shawl is finished -- and I'm very pleased!



It was knit with just over 6 25 gm skeins of Shetland 1 ply which caused me a bit (ok more than a bit!) of concern during the knitting (at points it was threadlike thin) but it blocked out beautifully. The shawl is one of the lightest and airiest bits of knitting I've ever produced.

(Photographing the shawl has been a challenge. These few images are the best I could do I'm afraid. Black lace and overcast rainy days are not a great camera combo!)



I used 2.75 mm needles - first Kollage square needles which I hated and which eventually snapped leaving a lot (a lot!) of live stitches dangling in the wind.

Apart from the trauma of the snapping needle it was a pretty straightforward project. The pattern (from Heirloom Knitting) is straightforward enough but as I think I mentioned before because Sharon Miller likes to provide so much background and so many options there is a slight frustration when you just want to knit!




There is one motif in the pattern (the second diamond insert in the wide border) that even after blocking I don't like - it just looks a bit messy. If I were to make the shawl again I'd replace it with something else.


I blocked the shawl on the floor of my guest room which is frankly a great reminder that I'm not really young enough to be crawling around the floor for an hour or two.....Every time I thought I was done I seemed to start all over again as I 'd decide to movethe pins out 'just one more inch'!

Now that the shawl is out of the way and I've accepted (almost) that it is December (to be honest that still freaks me out)(how can it be December already???) --it is time to get busy with a few gifts I've got planned for this year. The most important is a cardigan for my mom.

Any and all classic looking (but not dull) cardigan suggestions gratefully appreciated!!

17 comments:

LittleBerry said...

Soo it's stunning... and I can't even magine that you would contemplate knitting it again when you talk about if I knit it again I'll swap....

So in less than 3 weeks we can expect to see a whole host of handknit Christmas gifts, I'm trying to finish 2 pairs of socks, hat & some bits of crocheting... you leave me in awe!!!

yarnlot said...

Really extraordinary this gossamer lace shawl...

Joan said...

It is truly a thing of beauty.

I feel like a weenie trying to finish two paltry scarves (dk yarn all the same) and a beret by Christmas. I shall keep coming here for inspiration!

May said...

great finish! Congrats! and regarding cardigan suggestions, both Anne Hanson and Chicknits have put out some cardigans I really like recently. In fact, I'm working on Miss BB now and it's going well. a little nerve racked about having enough yarn however... but that's just bad news on my part. Should know in another day or two if I'll finish it!

fleegle said...

It's incredible, Soo! Just gorgeous!

lv2knit said...

This is so beautiful -- it seems to made of a thunder cloud!

Jackie's Stitches said...

I'm so glad you're back to posting again. I've missed your beautiful knitting!

Your latest project is no exception! It is STUNNING!

Kate said...

It's beautiful. Just beautiful. :-D

Kate said...

Lovely. I see what you mean about the diamond insert looking "messy" (which I'm assuming is a technical term) but in spite of that it's a triumph.

Linda said...

That is just beautiful. I love black shawls. I am looking for a similar cardigan pattern for an elderly lady to knit herself, but she wanted some lace in it. So hard to find!

clarabelle said...

Love the alliteration! and yes, isn't black such a swine to photograph?

I think the Blob looks amazing, well done you!

K @ Tidewater Knits said...

Oh, that's absolutely beautiful. I'm always so envious of your lace-knitting ability. <3

faye said...

absolutely amazing!

Taxastrikkeren said...

It is beautiful!! Realy. I think I am a bit "shawloholik" ;-)

Taxastrikkeren said...

I forgot - "sjaler" is shawls on danish.

Gitte from Denmark

Shirley Grant said...

Wow, Your shawl is just beautiful! It looks great in black. I wish I had the patients to do something like that!

the Lady said...

Oh Soo, I wish I was someone you knit for! It's beautiful! (as is your gingerbread house!)