20/12/2007

Twist and Lace Scarf and a Quandary

Twist and Lace Scarf designed by Brenda Patipa.


It's lovely isn't it? I love everything about it. I love the yarn - Poshyarns Sophia 2ply lace weight. I loved the actual knitting of it and I love the pattern. It is gorgeous to wear - so soft and floaty.

A different story with this one however. As yet it's unblocked, but the pattern instructions only suggest very light blocking and I haven't worked out how to block its cylindrical shape. The crumpled part at the top is the part that goes over your head.


It's Lily of the Valley Smoke Ring designed by Susan Lawrence. I used 3.75mm Addi Lace and Mushroom Jaggerspun Zephyr that was a present from Laura after I'd test knit her South Seas stole. Thank you Laura - I love the colour, it's perfect.

So I love the yarn, I love the colour and I love the actual pattern stitches (although with nupps on almost every alternate row it wasn't fast). My problems start when I try to wear it. I just can't make it look good on - well on me but even on my model. Look

and (don't laugh)


You see what I mean? So I don't know whether to undo it all and make a scarf using the same stitch pattern or sew the ends in, block it somehow and - well, what then? I'm not at all sure how to wear this sort of scarf thingy. And I've got a sneaking suspicion that the cast on edge -the edge that frames your face- is a bit too tight. There were no hints in the pattern to suggest this would be better looser and I just did my usual cast on but I definitely feel it would be better looser. And is it difficult to undo the cast on edge while still keeping stitches above to cast off from?

In fact I seem to be having a spate of poor project decisions. I almost finished the first of a pair of Cat Bordhi's socks - the ones that have a cat design round the ankles. But after a couple of days on and off working I realised it was looking nothing like cats - some sort of weird monster creatures, not at all what you'd want on your feet. So another frogged. Before any sort of photo...

Hopefully this next one will stand more success of being finished.

This is Marguerite from Louisa Harding's Design Collection book and I've knitted it twice before, so I know which size to make and what adjustments to make so I should be on safe enough ground here.
The yarn is Louisa Harding's Kimono Angora Pure - 70% Angora/25% Wool/5% Nylon. I've not used this before but it's knitting nicely and not shedding too many fibres.

It should be a relaxing knit to do in odd moments over Christmas time.

8 comments:

florencemary said...

Twist and Lace really is gorgeous, but I can see what you mean about the smoke ring - it's like there's a bit too much of it? Does it help to compare the dimensions, etc with another similar type of pattern (eg Ice Queen in the recent Knitty?).

The Kimono yarn is beautiful - I've admired this before - and I love the plummy shade.

Probably Jane said...

Do you think blocking severely might help? If you can get it to lie arond the neck in delicate waves it will be very useful for keeping those sneaky breezes from going down your neck and the lace really is pretty.

Piglottie said...

I did giggle at your post - monsters instead of cats ;) The scarf looks gorgeous. I agree, lovely and floaty and feminine. I have no idea how to wear the Smoke Rings one, but was going to suggest the same as Clarabelle and for you to look at how the Ice Queen one is worn on the pic in knitty. Or look at some pics on Ravelry - it would seem a shame to frog it as it really is beautiful.

Laura said...

The Twist and Lace is beautiful, feminine. I love the stitch pattern of the Lily of the Valley. I think you should block it before you decide about ripping it out, I think it'll drape better. I'm glad you like the yarn. The color is lovely! Bummer about those socks. Glad, though, that you have something on the needles that you have so much confidence in. Nothing like an old favorite. That yarn is pretty too! ;-)

Anonymous said...

I steam blocked the smoke ring I made. Just put it around your ironing board and hold a steam iron about an inch over it. Don't let the iron touch the yarn! Then continue moving the smoke ring around the ironing board bit by bit, steaming each small section 'til the lace lays flat and opens up a bit. This should also help the look of your cast-on edge.

Jacqui said...

Not sure how tight to your head/face you want the edge to be but I'd be tempted to wet bock over a large sphere - a football? or one of those foam heads they put wigs on if you have such a thing ... I don't but Susan's looks beautiful in the finished patern photos and the lace is too beautiful to frog, all those nupps!

Have a lovely christmas and a great New Year :o)

belaybunny said...

I love the twist scarf, it's very delicate and feminine looking. nice colour you've chosen for margerite too. Have a great Christmas and New Year!!

Arianwen said...

The twist scarf is lovely. Don't pull the other out!! It just looks like it needs more blocking. Have a wonderful christmas and new year.