red

Mention Victorian lace, and it doesn't take me much more to get interested. For that very reason, Victorian Lace Today really piqued my interest. But I'll admit that I wasn't entirely sold until I saw this curved shawl.

It's rare for me to use the same color that the pattern calls for, but I thought the red was so perfect that I couldn't change it. I used Jaggerspun Zephyr and US size 0 needles, which were much smaller than what was called for but gave me the same gauge. I also did fewer pattern repeats, and attached the border with single joins, rather than double.

spring mittens

It is too warm for mittens. But I made some anyway.

I am determined to use up all the yarn I have by next fall, and this Jamieson and Smith's time was up. I made the Faroe Island Mittens from Folk Mittens by Marcia Lewandoski, and now I can see why this yarn is so highly recommended for colorwork, and particularly fair isle. Knitted images come out very crisp and clean, and for some reason the fabric was incredibly smooth - I hardly had to block them at all.

These are now packed up with the rest of the cold weather accessories. I'm trying to have some substantial work to show each Sunday. Right now I've turned back to lace.

cap shawl

April showers bring lots of time to knit lace.

This is the cap shawl from Victorian Lace Today. It has not been blocked, nor have the ends been woven in. I have bigger plans for this shawl - I'd like to incorporate it into a quilt that I have planned. The yarn is an organic cotton that I bought at the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival in 2007. I wish that the store had put their name on the bag or the label, since I have no idea where I got it from. The only information I have is from the tag, which says on the front: 100% organic cotton / 18/2 / 100 grams - 1650 yards. On the back it is even more cryptic: 9871 Ring / Ne 18/2 / 8.3 TPI / 50% Pima / 50% Green. I'm sure 18/2 is the yarn weight, but for those of you who don't speak numbers, I can tell you that it seems to be cobweb. Regardless of yarn weight, the shawl itself is huge. In the picture it is resting on my full size bed.