One way or another I was not going to let this shawl defeat me. When working neck-down, it's very, very difficult to estimate how much yarn you'll use up when you get to the bottom of the shawl. The rows get longer and longer and it's very easy to get caught short. Normally, the thing to do, would be to go out and buy more yarn to finish off the edging. Since I was trying to make BNG, still awaiting a name , with the front-runner being Maoiri, to use the same amount of yarn as Sharon Miller's birch, my over optimism meant that I had to rip back 15 rows of greater than 400 stitches in kid silk haze. I seriously needed a stiff drink after that!
Somehow, I managed to do it without make a total mess of it all.
Here she is... too late for an outdoor photo and she deparately needs a blocking. I haven't decided on wet blocking or pin and spray yet.
I'll post the pattern up next weekend, after the photos and blocking so I can give some accurate measurements.
The second ball of kid silk haze took me just over 7 hours to do (7 hours 12 minutes), but that's because I had a 4 hour continuous block of knitting time last Sunday. The third ball took me 11 hours 10 minutes, but 2 hours 8 minutes were spent labouriously unravelling. So new birch should take approx 24 hours to do. Mind you, if you run short of yarn, go out and buy another ball, this stuff is murder to undo and you have to be gentle or it can get a bit bald in spots.
So how much, KSH did I have left, after casting off...? Not much.
That brich ng is beautiful!
And the colour is lovely too!
Birch NG is beautiful... I have the 2 balls of KSH Jelly (wonderful color) and I've been wondering what to knit with it. I also like your leaf lace shawl. Such patience with lace!
Posted by: MJ at November 24, 2004 09:27 PMPolly, I can't reach you via your E-mail adress, could you please contact me, I have a question for you.
Thanks in advance.
karen who is waiting for Birch NG too ;o)
Polly, I can't reach you via your E-mail adress, could you please contact me, I have a question for you.
Thanks in advance.
karen who is waiting for Birch NG too ;o)
yep, I thing we're numerous to wait for the Birch NG explanations... lol
*drool drool*
Posted by: Tokaya at November 24, 2004 09:47 AMBeautiful obviously. I will have to unravel what I have done so far and cast this one on. Or I might steal yours :) A. x
Posted by: Amelia at November 23, 2004 12:01 PMYou really did cut it close! Beautiful Shawl. You are very knit to knit those!
Posted by: Eilene at November 22, 2004 10:11 PMbravo again like stephanie i am thinking the same things this shawl looks great ..i know the coulour because i get all the shads card of rowan yarns
have a nice day
p.s i waiting too for the pattern many thanks for this
Posted by: monique at November 22, 2004 11:18 AMI've got some cherry tree hill alpaca lace to use and this just might fit the bill. I love these gorgeous shawls you're doing, and so quickly as well.
Posted by: Tracy at November 22, 2004 10:18 AMPS. I think it is a beautiful shawl - you ARE very clever.
Posted by: Jill at November 22, 2004 09:26 AMEver since you got me started on the leaf shawl I thought you had sadistic tendencies. Now I think you have masochistic ones as well ----- ripping back all that KSH? In a lace pattern? Mad........
Posted by: Jill at November 22, 2004 09:25 AMBRAVO! This really looks stunning, and in this colour, very refreshing and gay in this turning to grey weather. The ripping of KSH is a real pain, though. I hope you did get the drink to help you get over it ;-)
Posted by: Stéphanie at November 22, 2004 08:48 AMGreat shawl in lovely colour ! Well done !
Posted by: Eva Shiu at November 22, 2004 08:11 AMLOVELY! Can't wait to see the pattern! :) And I am pretty sure I should quadruple the time requirements. I've seen in person how fast you knit!
Posted by: Kristine at November 22, 2004 03:26 AMWonderful, Polly! I can't wait to knit this up!
Posted by: Susan at November 22, 2004 02:45 AMBeautiful, but you know that. Can't wait for the pattern!!
Posted by: chris at November 22, 2004 12:45 AMHi Polly,
It looks wonderful! What a shame that the colour doesn't show true!
I'm curious to know how you keep track of your hours of knitting!
Dawn :)
Posted by: dawn at November 21, 2004 11:49 PMPolly, Maori looks fantastic, well done on finishing it. Ripping back over 6000 stitches? I think I would have been learning some basic Anglo Saxon if I had had to do that, and the stiff drink would have had to be a double.
Looking forward to your finished pattern.
Posted by: Louise at November 21, 2004 11:42 PMWell done ! It looks fab. :0)
Posted by: Emma at November 21, 2004 10:07 PMPolly, the shawl is really great - so chic and sofisticated! Congratulations!
I can't wait to get the pattern.
Ack! Tinking all those tangly mohair stitches, I hope you **did** get that stiff drink you mentioned -- you deserve it! Love the color and the shawl looks fab.
Posted by: sequinK at November 21, 2004 09:39 PMLooking really lovely Polly and I am looking forward to the pattern in due course. I love knitting shawls but don't wear them! Future family heirlooms perhaps and when I'm dead and gone the grand-daughters may start a whole "new craze" with granny's old shawls.
Posted by: Lesley at November 21, 2004 08:25 PM