Saturday, March 15, 2008

CREATIVE BLOCKING




The scarf that I created after one I saw on Ravelry is done. Spidser by Anne. How clever to make a scarf out of a lace edging! I just wasn't excited to block it out with wires and pins on the bed, so a flash of inspiration has hit! Thank God for all the small fishing weights I have from weaving. We will see how successful this is, very Rube Goldbergy, but sure will dry fast!

Here it is before I wet it and hung it up!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Engeln's Spitzenstricken Trachtentuch B






I finally began this lace collar/shawl pattern I have loved for years. I bought "Orenburg" lace yarn from here during their New Year's Eve sale. Not my most favorite color, but now that I am knitting with it, I love it. The yarn itself is core spun mohair, I assume Kid Mohair, but it seems a little thicker at times. It is core spun on a silk thread, and the shimmer of the silk shows thru here and there. Thinnest laceweight I have ever knit with, and I am using Addi Lace size 3. I am doing the "B" version.
The pattern is available two places, Lacis as part of the booklet:
"Spitzenstricken Von Erich Engeln Bk 3 "

Or the pamphlet alone is available Here


In looking at the finished products others have knit, I am not enamored with the edge stiches (this is knit from the center neck down).
So - I charted out the first two blocks of the pattern using my charting font and open office spreadsheet. I HAD to chart it out, and will have to chart out the rest, the symbols he uses are so non intuitive to me.

The original pattern makes no definition for the "3" indicated on the edge stitches, though it is evident from the pattern progression that it is an increase of three from one stitch. I added a 3 stitch garter edge, followed by a YO, twist stitch, YO, and then proceed to the first knit stitch.


I also have finally gotten brave in my combination knitting style, and I am not bothering with reseating the stitches in order to twist them the usual way (knit in the back of the stitch) and am instead just knitting the as it is seated thru the front of the loop. My single twist stitches twist to the right instead of to the left, and it doesn't seem to matter.