After 2 weeks, I finally got my yarn! But the pattern was giving me fits - I have no idea why, it's not difficult, but I had to tear it out and begin again at least 3 times. I kept ending up with the wrong number of stitches, not enough to complete the pattern for a row. I tinked so many times I was almost in tears. I was using the Zephyr yard in a beautiful pink Ladyslipper color. I suspect that the stitches were melding themselves together and that's why I was having the problem, I was missing or accidentally knitting 2 together in spots.
Anyway, after almost getting to the 2nd chart and finding that it was horribly messed up again - I ripped it off the needles and started all over again with Zephyr in Lilac this time. Same needles, same yarn, different color.
Completely different results - it's now going smoothly and beautifully! Go figure. Picture coming soon.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Help - which beads?
I feel like the little engine that could. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. I've finished the first chart (A) of the Spring Things Shawl. I'm still behind schedule but I still hope to make it.
Now I just have to decide which beads to use. The young woman for whom I am knitting the first one of this shawl (I've already got plans for at least 1 more) for her wedding has square crystal beads on her wedding dress. I hunted a while back (somewhere around repeat 3 of Chart A) and couldn't really find the "perfect" crystal bead so bought three "not perfect" ones and tried them today in a sample of the first section of Chart B. I can't decide for sure which I like best. 
If you have an opinion, please share it. The cubes in the middle are, I think, closest to what is on the wedding dress but I'm not sure what I think about them in this shawl. I think the clear with silver on the right is out but I'm not sure between the pearlized rounds on the left and the crystal cubes in the middle. The cubes have a nice opalescence or something which isn't showing in this photo (and this was the best photo) and they match the dress beading more closely I think. But I have to admit if it were for me I'd go with the pearlized rounds.
I'm going to cogitate for a few hours while I do something else and then if anyone has offered opinions I'll read them before deciding what to do. It's tempting to leave the sample laying around and see what the young lady herself says since I'll see her tomorrow but I kinda wanted this to be a surprise when all finished. Plus I'm not sure I can delay until tomorrow night since I am already behind and I think it's going to take me several hours per repeat of Chart B (and C and the edging at this point) to knit the rest. Which makes it unwise to dawdle much. Or be indecisive for that matter but somehow that isn't enough to make me just grow up and pick one.
Now I just have to decide which beads to use. The young woman for whom I am knitting the first one of this shawl (I've already got plans for at least 1 more) for her wedding has square crystal beads on her wedding dress. I hunted a while back (somewhere around repeat 3 of Chart A) and couldn't really find the "perfect" crystal bead so bought three "not perfect" ones and tried them today in a sample of the first section of Chart B. I can't decide for sure which I like best.
I'm going to cogitate for a few hours while I do something else and then if anyone has offered opinions I'll read them before deciding what to do. It's tempting to leave the sample laying around and see what the young lady herself says since I'll see her tomorrow but I kinda wanted this to be a surprise when all finished. Plus I'm not sure I can delay until tomorrow night since I am already behind and I think it's going to take me several hours per repeat of Chart B (and C and the edging at this point) to knit the rest. Which makes it unwise to dawdle much. Or be indecisive for that matter but somehow that isn't enough to make me just grow up and pick one.
Started Last Night
I came across this pattern being knit up for the first time on On the Needles and couldn't resist getting a copy. I had the perfect yarn in my stash already so I cast on last night. I am using two skeins of Cherry Tree Hill in a Blues/Greens potluck colorway. I plan on putting beads on it since I think the variegation of the yarn will hide all the loveliness of nupps. So far I love the pattern and the yarn. I can't wait to see everyones progress. I love how differently a shawl can look just by being knit in different yarns.
- Michelle
http://sittinhereknittin.blogspot.com
- Michelle
http://sittinhereknittin.blogspot.com
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Nupps Schmupps
Who's afraid of the big bad nupps?
Not me.
Nupps are easy. And in saying that I mean that nupps are just as easy or just as hard as any other stitch you might be asked to do in knitting. They are really no "harder" than anything else.
And this is probably also an instance of how hanging around in blogland has really helped me with my knitting. On the one hand, I learned that nupps are often feared, despised and shunned. On the other hand, I learned a few tips for dealing with the dreaded nupps.
I'll share them with you!
First Tip - maybe obvious but it bears repeating - get yourself some pointy tipped needles. I used my Knit Picks Options needles because they are the sharpest tipped needles I have. They worked out fine for me but I probably would have appreciated having some of those new Addi Lace needles which are even sharper. (In fact, I think I'll go order some after I finish this post.) You really need the sharp point for digging under all - in this case five - of the sections of the the nupp.
Second Tip - splitty yarn will probably drive you into nupp despair. I didn't have this problem with the Hand Maiden Sea Silk so this is just an observation.
Third Tip - and this is probably the most important - when you are forming the increases that make up the nupp, make them VERY loosely. More loose than you would ever think you might need. This will help you to have the room to be able to get in under the stitches when you are purling them all together on the back side. It will also give the nupps a nice, fat fullness which makes them look good.
Another observation - let's call it the Fourth Tip - it seems like the middle stitch of the increases for the nupp (in this case the third stitch out of five) seems like it is the most difficult to pick up when you are purling them together on the back side. This may just be due to my knitting technique but I don't think so. So the tip here is - watch out for that middle stitch. Make sure you are actually getting under ALL of the nupp stitches. If you miss one it could get ugly. And chances are it will be that middle stitch that you missed.
So there you go - armed with these Four Tips, go forth and conquer The Fear Of Nupps.
Sure, nupps will slow you down a bit and you do have to pay attention to what you are doing but that doesn't make them "hard" to do. In fact, I kind of thought they were fun and a clever little technique.
As an aside here - I had a couple of emails asking me if I thought two skeins of the Sea Silk would be enough for the shawl. Well - I have completed through the first repeat of the second chart and I still have a little less than half of the first skein left. I think (knock on wood!) I'll be fine.
Not me.
Nupps are easy. And in saying that I mean that nupps are just as easy or just as hard as any other stitch you might be asked to do in knitting. They are really no "harder" than anything else.
And this is probably also an instance of how hanging around in blogland has really helped me with my knitting. On the one hand, I learned that nupps are often feared, despised and shunned. On the other hand, I learned a few tips for dealing with the dreaded nupps.
I'll share them with you!
First Tip - maybe obvious but it bears repeating - get yourself some pointy tipped needles. I used my Knit Picks Options needles because they are the sharpest tipped needles I have. They worked out fine for me but I probably would have appreciated having some of those new Addi Lace needles which are even sharper. (In fact, I think I'll go order some after I finish this post.) You really need the sharp point for digging under all - in this case five - of the sections of the the nupp.
Second Tip - splitty yarn will probably drive you into nupp despair. I didn't have this problem with the Hand Maiden Sea Silk so this is just an observation.
Third Tip - and this is probably the most important - when you are forming the increases that make up the nupp, make them VERY loosely. More loose than you would ever think you might need. This will help you to have the room to be able to get in under the stitches when you are purling them all together on the back side. It will also give the nupps a nice, fat fullness which makes them look good.
Another observation - let's call it the Fourth Tip - it seems like the middle stitch of the increases for the nupp (in this case the third stitch out of five) seems like it is the most difficult to pick up when you are purling them together on the back side. This may just be due to my knitting technique but I don't think so. So the tip here is - watch out for that middle stitch. Make sure you are actually getting under ALL of the nupp stitches. If you miss one it could get ugly. And chances are it will be that middle stitch that you missed.
So there you go - armed with these Four Tips, go forth and conquer The Fear Of Nupps.
Sure, nupps will slow you down a bit and you do have to pay attention to what you are doing but that doesn't make them "hard" to do. In fact, I kind of thought they were fun and a clever little technique.
As an aside here - I had a couple of emails asking me if I thought two skeins of the Sea Silk would be enough for the shawl. Well - I have completed through the first repeat of the second chart and I still have a little less than half of the first skein left. I think (knock on wood!) I'll be fine.
I'm such a slacker
I have not knit another stitch on my shawl since I started. I want to knit on it, but I just have no time! Also, I just looked at the pattern where it says if you use the Jaeger you may want to use size 4 needles - I didn't see it before and I'm using 5s. Now I have to decide whether to frog or keep going, what a dummy!
Monday, April 16, 2007
Fate
On a whim, I picked up several skeins of the Karabella mohair in exactly the color used for the pattern picture. When I came across the pattern while searching for a project for a summer wedding, it seemed like fate to give this one a try. I'm fairly new to lace and looking forward to this challenge. So far, so good...
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Here's my shawl....
Hand Maiden Sea Silk in Glacier:
The Spring Things Shawl in situ:
The Spring Things Shawl in close up:
Ahhhh, Spring!
The Spring Things Shawl in situ:
The Spring Things Shawl in close up:
Ahhhh, Spring!
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