Sunday 29 May 2016

Pirouette Shawl!




Here is my test knitting for Beata Kaptur. I stumbled on the her project on Ravelry and just couldn't take my eyes off this shawl. The wavy edging is just so different and striking. I commented her about the shawl and told her she should publish it. Bea replied that first she is to test knit it so I volunteered without further due and cast on a day later...
I used lace yarn held double from stash- it was mostly club yarn from 'skein'. However I've started the shawl with a yarn that was gifted to me by the daughter of my dear talented friend Elseline who passed away recently and suddenly ,way way too young. It is still such a numbing shock to me.
It is I think a fitting way for a knitter to remember a loved another by knitting her yarn ..

Very difficult to capture om my (iPhone) camera. The colour is gently changing from light blue to sage, grey and purple grey.
The shawl is not symmetrical, Bea was using short rows to shape it , adding twisted ribbing along the way and ending with a very clever wavy border of branching double ribbing with a cute picot edge just at the end sides. The border needed a careful attention to chart but ever so worth it- very striking indeed.
Thanking Bea for letting me test knit it -so very gratifying :-)













Sunday 8 May 2016

Anthro!


Here is my Anthro by  Hanna Maciejewska which was such an interesting knit for me.
I have chosen to go for a warm jacket instead of the light weight (Madelinetosh light) used by the designer. I've made a custom order with walk collection and got three skeins of 'Bliss' in Artichoke hearts, an ultra fine merino in a pale mix of dominant cold yellow with some purple-y browns. I joined the walk yarn with Rowan kidsilk haze in 'essence' no 663 to give it some halo and enhance the yellow. The fabric looks and feels warm and lush and yellow :))





The more I knit, the more is there to know and learn :) This time I have mastered double knitting with both yarns wrapped in my left hand fingers which facilitated smooth and fast knitting. Double knitting was done for the hem and cuffs, and I chose a speckle white (hedgehog sock in teacup)for the contrast inner layer.
The fitting is flawless, short rows are knitted for the back neck line and shoulder slopes.
waist shaping is cleverly achieved with well cables motive at the back. I didn't use darts for bust shaping- no need in my case ;-)


The camera exaggerated the difference in the dye lot- it is hardly noticeable.














feeling fresh as a Daisy!