If you've been reading my blog recently, you'd be forgiven for thinking that there has not been an awful lot of knitting going on here. But in fact there has. It's just that a fair amount of it has been stocking stitch and I figure that you've all seen stocking stitch before.
But, along with the stocking stitch, there has been some real knitting going on. You see, my best friend Jacqui is getting married in August and seeing how:
1. She's the best friend a girl could ask for
2. She made me this
I reckoned that she deserved a lace shawl for her wedding. Oh and I did ask her if she wanted one first! So we met for tea and poured over a couple of lace shawl books, we debated stoles versus triangular shawls and different kinds of yarn and drape and finally we agreed on the following combination:
It's the Myrtle Leaf shawl from Victorian Lace Today. Which you will all either already own or be in the midst of working out how to get a copy. Or you should be. But I digress. The yarn is Jaggerspun Zephyr in the colour Plum which Jacqui chose and I was lucky enough to find 3 balls of it in Stash. Mind you, I should only need 2 balls but I don't trust anyone when it comes to yarn amounts, especially not when knitting something like this.
I have to do 40 repeats and I have, so far, done 16. So I am doing quite well. The repeat is oddly addictive and I find myself always wanting to do 'just one more row'. It's my first 'real' lace project, i.e. where you work the lace pattern on right side and wrong side rows. I thought that I would find it harder than the other way but in fact, I prefer the fact that if you make a mistake you realise it on the next row rather than 2 rows later. A lot less tinking is required.
Oddly, I am finding it to be quite good knitting on the bus. At home I get distracted by whatever I am watching on TV or by conversation with the husband and so I forget to do my YOs. I don't know what it is about me and lace, but as far back as when I did the Alphabet blanket, it's always the YOs that I manage to miss out. So bus knitting it is, whilst I do my stocking stitch at home in front of the TV.
* PS: I'd like to profusely thank the wonderful Jacqueline for making me believe that I could knit something from Victorian Lace Today when I was convinced it was way too advanced for me and for greatly contributing to the shawl vs. stole debate. Now I just hope she'll be there for me when I get to the point where I have to knit on the edging....
Posted by Amelia at June 5, 2007 04:40 PMthat yarn is gorgeous and the shawl will look lovely when finished. The border is easier than you think. I've just recently finished the Victoria Shawl from the book and I dreaded the borde but once you get oging it's easy. It takes longer than you think though.
Posted by: Yarn Addict at June 21, 2007 08:46 PMIt is gorgeous Amelia, what an amazing gift. My copy of Victorian Lace Today is purely for reading/drooling over, no plans to knit anything from it, yet!
As for the trip to Colinette, sounds like a plan, email me.
What a thoughtful gift! Great idea and that plum color is lovely...
Posted by: Vicki at June 8, 2007 03:04 PMmagnifique! j'adore aussi la couleur
Posted by: vivi's mum (Brussels) at June 8, 2007 12:40 PMThe shawl is looking good & I am sure it will look gorgeous on the bride. I have to decide on a lace project from the Vic Lace book as there are so many beautiful ones.
Posted by: Ann at June 8, 2007 07:18 AMThat is a beautiful shawl. And will look beautiful over a wedding dress. What a lovely thought :)
Posted by: Laura at June 7, 2007 07:01 PMAmelia, I have just found a link to a pdf for corrections to this book, including the shawl you are making. Please email me and I will let you have it.
Linda
Posted by: Linda Dossett at June 7, 2007 09:22 AMOh, it's beautiful! I just cast on for my first project from this book, too. I'll wish you good luck with your border if you wish me good luck with mine! ;-)
Posted by: Amy at June 6, 2007 08:43 PMThe Myrtle Leaf shawl really is a beautiful pattern, and it doesn't look difficult to memorize the pattern, as you said. Actually, I don't think there's a not-beautiful pattern in that book. There are so many projects from it that I want to do! :D
You're both very lucky to have each other as friends, I'd say.
Posted by: Ria at June 6, 2007 04:58 PMOhhhh it's beautiful!! Me wants one too and I am crap at 'real lace' knitting ;-(
Posted by: Jacinta at June 6, 2007 03:49 PMWhat a lovely sweater! I am interested to see your shawl progress as I have yarn ready to knit that pattern, one day!
Posted by: Lin at June 6, 2007 01:08 PMWow ! You are doing so well with that ! It's going to be absolutely gorgeous in that colour. I love the sweater your friend knitted you too - to be honest I didn't particularly like it in the magazine but your looks much better than the original. Need to dig that Polar out of my stash .....
Heather x
Posted by: Heather at June 6, 2007 10:01 AMOh how lovely! Your friend is lucky- I only hope I have the same sense of dedication (and stamina!) when I finally cast on for my BFF's wedding shawl!
Posted by: Faith at June 6, 2007 04:15 AMMy guess is Jac will be more than happy to be sitting at your side when you get to the edging... she's probably checking air fares to London right now!
Your progress on the stole is just gorgeous!
Amelia, it is fabulous! You are a good friend indeed; it is going to be wonderful.
Posted by: Mary at June 5, 2007 10:07 PMWhat a wonderful present for your friend! The colour is gorgeous and Jaggerspun Zephyr is a dream to work with...
Posted by: francoise at June 5, 2007 10:03 PMOh how absolutely lovely that is!
Posted by: Abbey at June 5, 2007 09:51 PMWhat a good friend you are! Your lace is looking gorgeous, even unblocked! Makes me think I ought to get on with my stole!
Posted by: dawn at June 5, 2007 09:50 PMAmelia that stole is looking gorgeous! I'm waiting for delivery of my Victorian Lace Today - and like you I'm going to be knitting a stole for a wedding over the next month or two. It's a frightening thought, but it's such a compliment to be asked.
Posted by: Helen at June 5, 2007 09:28 PMThat looks wonderful! You are a champion at lace. What a lucky friend!
Posted by: hege at June 5, 2007 08:56 PMGorgeous Amelia! The shawl will be a treasure. And VLT is a lovely book, both for patterns and photos. I'm going to attempt one once I finish my Hidcote shawl.
Posted by: Carol at June 5, 2007 08:53 PM