I found my next project! I can't wait to cast on.
Hurrah!
I was making my way home from a (frankly) rubbish morning at work. Feeling pretty despondent I uncharacteristically stopped in a the newsagent to see if a trashy magazine might help me feel better. Unfortunately they all seemed to contain Jordan or her latest husband on the cover so I chalked it up to more proof of my rubbish day and turned to leave. (Apologies North American readers but I am not going to explain who Jordan is - you are better off not knowing).
As I was making my way towards the door I caught sight of the latest The Knitter magazine and decided to take a look -- even though I haven't been tempted to buy one in about a year.
I flipped through the pages - and there it was: The Queen Susan!
Beautiful shawl. Tick!
Interesting knitting. Tick!
Will fill many many many many months of knitting. Tick!
Named after me! Tick! (well, sort of - errr - not really, that bit is just a coincidence but it makes me happy)
Of course now I need to order the estimated 6000 (6000!) metres of laceweight. (For you non-knitters out there - most shawls I've made are 1000 metres, some like the Lerwick are over 2000 -- but I've never ever ever tackled something quite this big.)
The Queen Susan is a Shetland shawl pattern that a group of knitters on Ravelry -- co-ordinated by the ever so amazing Fleegle -- recreated from a 100 year old photo. They have published the pattern as a free pattern with a request that you donate to the Shetland Museum.
This little bit of serendipity is further proof that my inspiration was dry because of my blog reading negligence!! I am fairly confident that when I do begin my catch up - I'll find lots more about how the pattern came together on Fleegle's and other blogs.
9 comments:
I've been secretly watching this in the Ravelry group *is lurker*. Will be following your progress with great interest as I've no chance of knitting it myself til wee one starts school. ;-) It's such a beautiful shawl!
I saw that, blinked and just went to myself "know your limitations"... but I'll be more than happy to watch your progress on this!
It must be the issue for named projects though - there's a project in that mag called Loch Maree, and my middle name is Maree, because my Ma is a sentimental old soul and named me after the loch... shame it's a tight fitting bobbly lacy sweater in blue, all my nightmares come at once!
You can purchase cones of Zephyr at Sarah's Yarns. They're only 5,040 yards, but you can order an extra 2 oz. It comes in lots of colors!
I look forward to your progress, I@m not ready for attempting this yet!
I don't know how much detail of the history and creation of this shawl is mentioned in the Knitter article - but Fleegle's website has a lovely post.
http://fleeglesblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/queen-susan-shawl.html
The pattern on Ravelry is over 70 pages long but there is lots to read as you go along. It's worth joining Ravelry just to get this pattern. I'm looking forward to seeing your posts as you work this magnificent project.
6000 metres?!!!! I will watch you knit it and dream that I could ever have such courage as a knitter.
it's got your name all over it - quite literally!!!
Just delurking to tell you that I've cast on and knit the first 10 rows of QS. It's not hard but, boy or boy, is this going to take some time. I watched it being born on Ravelry and as soon as Fleegle's posse got thru the first copy of the full pattern, I downloaded. Now the question is, does this heirloom get passed down (no close female familey members) to someone who will throw it in the washing machine; do I have it mounted and framed (it'll be about 7feet/2.5meters) or do I have it buried with me?
You are probably way ahead of me now--I am beginning the sixth center repeat. Can't wait to see yours!
I appreciate your support about the book. Wish I could get up some energy to do something with it. I stir it around every so often, but not much progress, I'm afraid.
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