With the start of summer, I switch my knitting from hearty hats and toasty socks to fine and frothy lace.
Here's my oldest knitting UFO, which I only work on in the hot times when I can't stand to have a lap full of wool.
This is the Unst Bridal Shawl. Designed by master Shetland lace knitter Sharon Miller (link to Sharon's Etsy store). I started it in 2010. Here's what it will look like when it's done (photo copyright Sharon Miller)
Isn't it beautiful! And believe it or not, this is one of her 'easy' shawls !!!!!!
Shetland knitted lace is patterned every row. It's on very fine needles - size 2 and down. (This one is on US 2 needles - it's 'easy', remember LOL). And the yarn is very fine spun wool or wool/silk, wool/cashmere blends. The yarn is about the thickness of two strands of DMC embroidery floss - seriously. Here's my wool (Grignasco Merino/Silk 2 ply) on top, and two strands of floss on the bottom.
And this isn't the finest lace yarn in the stash! I eventually want to tackle the 'Princess Shawl' and also the "Queen Susan" (not designed by Sharon, but by one of her students. I got to help test knit that one.) I hope that one of those will be a "ring" shawl - a full size (6 foot by 6 foot approximately) piece of knitting that can pass through a wedding ring.
For lace knitters these types of shawls are the 'masterpiece' type of projects - like goldwork for embroiders or a Baltimore Album for quilters - expensive, long term, 'only work on it when you are well rested' type projects.
I have the center panel finished and have picked up around the outside for the diamond border.
Doesn't look like much, right? That's the thing about lace - especially fine lace. The stitches all collapse together and it looks like a bowl of ramen noodles.
But when it's blocked, stretched wet under tension, it opens up, flattens out and becomes glorious.
I don't know how I'm going to report on this for Slow Sunday Stitching because it will look basically the same for the entire summer. Maybe by chart rows? Oh didn't I mention, the border is three huge pages of charts about the size of two sheets of legal paper end to end each. And then there's a sideways knitted on border that only binds off one stitch for every two rows. But we are a LONG way from there!
Here's my oldest knitting UFO, which I only work on in the hot times when I can't stand to have a lap full of wool.
This is the Unst Bridal Shawl. Designed by master Shetland lace knitter Sharon Miller (link to Sharon's Etsy store). I started it in 2010. Here's what it will look like when it's done (photo copyright Sharon Miller)
Shetland knitted lace is patterned every row. It's on very fine needles - size 2 and down. (This one is on US 2 needles - it's 'easy', remember LOL). And the yarn is very fine spun wool or wool/silk, wool/cashmere blends. The yarn is about the thickness of two strands of DMC embroidery floss - seriously. Here's my wool (Grignasco Merino/Silk 2 ply) on top, and two strands of floss on the bottom.
And this isn't the finest lace yarn in the stash! I eventually want to tackle the 'Princess Shawl' and also the "Queen Susan" (not designed by Sharon, but by one of her students. I got to help test knit that one.) I hope that one of those will be a "ring" shawl - a full size (6 foot by 6 foot approximately) piece of knitting that can pass through a wedding ring.
For lace knitters these types of shawls are the 'masterpiece' type of projects - like goldwork for embroiders or a Baltimore Album for quilters - expensive, long term, 'only work on it when you are well rested' type projects.
I have the center panel finished and have picked up around the outside for the diamond border.
Doesn't look like much, right? That's the thing about lace - especially fine lace. The stitches all collapse together and it looks like a bowl of ramen noodles.
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| A hint of things to come..... |
But when it's blocked, stretched wet under tension, it opens up, flattens out and becomes glorious.
I don't know how I'm going to report on this for Slow Sunday Stitching because it will look basically the same for the entire summer. Maybe by chart rows? Oh didn't I mention, the border is three huge pages of charts about the size of two sheets of legal paper end to end each. And then there's a sideways knitted on border that only binds off one stitch for every two rows. But we are a LONG way from there!
It looks beautiful! I adore this pattern and I knit it a few years ago. The finished shawl will be such a heirloom and testement to your skills. Enjoy!
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