I had a really busy September, what with my sister's wedding, jaunting around in DC and Austria that I'm still downloading photos from my camera.
I finally got myself a copy of Interweave, and went to Sarah Elizabeth's site to sign up for the FlowerBasket Shawl Along, but it was too late. The sign-up was closed.
What the heck, I can still knit-along even if I'm not officially part of the knit-along. So I did just that. Somewhere over the Atlantic on Thursday night, I cast off the last stitch.
I know, it looks a crumple mess, but lace is like that when it comes off the needles. It was sitting in the sink for 20 minutes, soaking away before the great block-up.
Here's a preview of it, all pinned out. You don't get to see it unpinned until the weekend, when I take it outside for the photo shoot.
Here's a close-up
Christmas knitting
and.. . while still over the Atlantic, I started my Christmas knitting. This is my 3rd sock from the Six Sox Knit-along. The fluted bannisters are being knit-up on the GGH Marathon that I got from Austria. I'm not breathing a word about who they're for. It's top secret. To my knowledge the recipient doesn't know about my blog, but I have been *found* my several people that I didn't think would find me, so better safe than sorry. It's a nice stretchy, rib suitable for men-socks.
and my sister's wedding ?
went swimming well. We had a Catholic ceremony in St. Patrick's Old Cathedral , which has the distinction for being the original Cathedral of the Archdiocese of NY and one of the location for the filming of theGodfather. Afterwards, there was a traditional Chinese banquet and tea ceremony.
Unfortunately, the church was located right by the Feast of San Gennaro and streets were all blocked off. My poor sister had walk half a block in her white dress, in the rain to get to the ceromony.
The Tea Ceremony
The traditional wedding tea ceremony is composed of 2 parts. The first part is performed by the bride to her parents. This is an offering of thanks for her parents for their guidance in raising her. The tea is poured into earless cups and served with both hands. The bride kneels throughout the ceremony. The tea is hot (but not boiling hot) and the bride must take care to not spill any of it. First, serving her father, then her mother. Following that, all the senior members of the family.
The second part of the ceremony is performed by the bride and groom. The tea is laced with lotus seeds and 2 red dates. Lotus in chinese is pronounced as 'lin' very close in sound to year, seed is pronounce 'jee' which is close in sound to heir and date, pronounced as 'jo' sounds like 'early. This was to assure that the newlywed couple would produce an heir early in the marriage and every year. The dates and lotus seed make the tea sweet, providing for sweet relations between the bride and her family.
The tea is served again with both hands, by bride and groom first to his parents (father first) and then subsequently to all the immediate family, starting with the most seniors (great grandparents, grandparent, uncles etc.). With each cup of tea, the bride addresses the family member by their formal name.
Second Uncle, please drink this tea. Upon drinking the tea, the family member offers the bride a red envelop and in most cases a piece of gold jewelry. the bride is assisted by a few chosen women (happily married), who will get a red envelop from the bride. Only members of the family more senior than the groon will be served team and the tea drinkers are seated while the groom and bride kneel (bride on left, groom on right)
In the more egalitarian (i.e. modern version), the ceremony is merged so that the bride and groom serve both their families. All senior family members and siblings are also served tea. Familiy members in lesser seniority are served with the bride and goom standing. Only married people need to give red envelopes.
Posted by atu at October 11, 2004 09:35 PM | TrackBackYour shawl is absolutely gorgeous! Beautiful job!!! :-)
Posted by: Eilene at October 14, 2004 04:51 AMDear Polly
The flower basket shawl is beautiful - but what else could it be at the hands of such an expert:-)).
Thank you for telling us about the wedding and the tea ceremony. As Ida has asked, will you be posting weddng pics in due course?
Jen
Posted by: Jennifer at October 13, 2004 06:41 PMThis is a wonderfull Flower basket shawl. It's on my list as well, and i look forward to try knitting it, but yours is really handsome. I join my voice to the others asking what for a yarn it is? It looks superb, esp. when blocked.
The sock looks very comfy :-)
Thanks for these details about chinese culture, yoo as they are always very interesting and charming ;-)
Beautiful shawl Polly and I too really enjoy reading your stories of Chinese culture. After these photos I'm sure there will be an upsurge in Flower Basket shawl knitting! Pretty socks too but just looking at them today (37 degree F predicted for today and it's already very warm here at 7 a.m.) makes me run for the comfort of a cool place.
Posted by: Lesley at October 12, 2004 10:09 PMThe shawl is beautiful Polly and I like the yarn you're using for the socks - tho' you do realise everyone you know will now be wondering if they're for them !
You've had such a busy month you must be shattered. I'm amazed you have still the energy to knit :0)
Posted by: Heather at October 12, 2004 08:43 PMLovely shawl. Wish I could do a blocking like this.. and luckily it wasnt confiscated in security..
Will you show pictures from the wedding?
IDA
getting rain in your bridal veil brings good luck! i always enjoy reading your descriptions of chinese culture. keep up the good work!
the shawl is fantastic. my magazine should finally be in the mail now; i'm making it too!
Posted by: kris at October 12, 2004 09:07 AMI love that shawl and would love to make it one day. Which Interweave issue is it in?
We have similar traditions here too.
The tea ceremony is also a traditional welcoming for the bride into the groom's family. Without the tea ceremony a couple is not considered married.
The gold given to the bride is for her, traditionally the groom cannot touch that gold. It is the woman's security against for a rainy day.
Posted by: mona at October 12, 2004 04:17 AMWonderful knitting and I had been wondering how the wedding went!
Poor bride (zilla) in the rain! It will be a happy memory, though, and a good story for those yearly heirs to enjoy!......xoxo Kay
Posted by: Kay at October 12, 2004 02:10 AMHi Polly. Your Flower basket shawl is gorgerous. Well done !
Chinese wedding ceremony is very complicate ! You explained it well. Here in Hong Kong, the bride usually receive lots of gold and jewellary from the seniors after serving them tea. Is it also apply to American Chinese ?
Posted by: Eva Shiu at October 12, 2004 01:58 AMPolly, I love to hear about your traditions, absolutely fascinating. We've heard about the groom and the pig and now the happy couple and the tea ceremony, amusing and touching in turn.
Fantastic shawl, your knitting is perfect as usual. May I ask where you got the pattern from? It is speaking to me, knit me, knit me, knit me...........
Posted by: Louise at October 12, 2004 12:54 AMbeautiful shawl Polly, didn't see that one on the needles!
I'm about to block the peacock feathers (as in, this next week) - it's the most exciting part of knitting lace, watching the pattern emerge.
Hope to see it at Libertys!
Dawn :)
Posted by: dawn at October 11, 2004 11:59 PMwhew that is one shawl... all you people making these cool shawls making me want to make one. Even though I am terrified by the thought of lace!
I have heard the jokes that go along with the tonal nature of chinese. Um and as for that second part of the tea... that fertility is more than the Irish and Latin twins in my family!
Posted by: stinkerbell at October 11, 2004 11:07 PMGorgeous Flower Basket shawl.
Posted by: Emma at October 11, 2004 11:02 PMyou know, two of my friends got married in the past few years, and in both cases one or both bride and groom were chinese. i couldnt make it to either, but heard mention of a tea ceremony. i was very curious of what it ACTUALLY entailed, other than the couple serving tea to their family. thank you so much for writing that up :)
Posted by: alice at October 11, 2004 10:58 PMOh, it's gorgeous! Sorry about closing the knit-along, but I had to (busy, yadda yadda). Can't wait to see your photo-shoot! :-)
Hi Polly
I made this shawl using Jaeger Alpaca but yours looks much finer. Which yarn did you use?
Hi Polly
I love the shawl! I also love the insight into your traditions - more please
yvonne
Posted by: Yvonne at October 11, 2004 10:29 PMbeautiful shawl! wonderful job!
Posted by: froggy at October 11, 2004 10:10 PMOh, I love your Flower Basket! What yarn did you use. The color is beautiful.
Posted by: Jackie at October 11, 2004 09:49 PM