Leaf Lace Shawl



I love this design. Very similar to the Flower basket shawl. It's fast to knit, with a repeating motif that was easy to memorize. The pattern recommended that it be knitted to 60 inches on the hypotenuse or 90 inches for the larger size.I did mine to 72 inches.

I worked on this on and off in front of the TV. I also followed the instructions foradding beads on the points. I had no idea where to buy beads with a sufficiently big aperture or a crochet hook small enough to bead with, so in the end I threaded the beads using needle and thread. It took ages to do since I had to rethread each point, but it worked.

...the biz .. Pattern Source:
Yarn:
# of balls:
Notions:
Needles:
Meterage:
Yarn Source:
Colour:
Size:
Started:
Finished:
Resting Period:
Recipient :
Fiber Trend
Shetland 2 ply (equivalent to standard 4 ply yarn)
120g
approx 40 glass beads
405 mm
approx 200m/50g
Eltham raid at Nancy Vale studio
Purple
approx 72inch wide,33 inches long
23 Octt 2004
7 Nov 2004
N/At
Christmas Present


I was alternating between this project and the man raglan. It was a fun pattern to knit and works up fairly quickly. The added benefit of a neck down shawl is that you can stop when you get fed up with the pattern.



As usual the crumpled lace phot. After a bath in warm soapy water with a generous squirt of Dawn (thanks Secret Pal), I tstretch it out. Horrors!! I must had ajitated a bit too much because it felted a little bit. The water was so filthy, that I put it through three bath and if it wasn't the ajitation that did it, perhaps it was the slight change in temperatue for each bath. Disappointed...



Although the photo looks everything from chocolate brown to black, the shawl is actually a heathery purple.

Project Notes


1. I followed the pattern instructions closely. I didn't bother wth lifelines/stitch markers. I didn't think that this pattern was complicated enough to warrant these precautions.

..! ..


2. I did a wet block and ruthlessly pinned the shawl out. I should had used a tape measure to make sure everything lined up, but I didn't bother. I stretched and tugged until the shape looked triangular.

..! ..
You can never use too many pins when you're doing this. Always use glassheaded pins (easier to find when you are taking them out or if you drop them. Quilting pins tend to work better (because they are longer) than standard dressmaking pins.

 ..! ..
Each point was rigorously teased out and pinned down. I pinned used under the beads.



3. There were only 2 ends to weave in and I was done. I left tails of approximately 6 inches, easy to thread and sew that way and they were going to stay woven in (somethig that doesn't alway happen with short ends) I had to join 2 balls and did it was a spit splice so that was 2 less ends to weave.



..! ..
I stretched it across the fence so that you can see how wide it is. Nearly 6 feet.



4. Here's a shot on THE CHAIR. Next to THE HYDRANGEA, who has yet to shed it's leaves despite my preditions
..! ..
It's much warmer than I thought it would be, and still very, very light.

..! ..
Close-up of the lace.






[close window]