Bellsknits

I’ve never knit a u shaped shawl. I’m not even sure that’s a technical term. All my shawls have been triangular, rectangle and or circular. By far I prefer the triangle shape (on the larger side) for wearing but I had a sneaking suspicion that a u shaped shawl would be both interesting to knit and good to wear. I was right. Here, at last, is my Billie Holiday Shawl. She took about six weeks, knitted mostly on Tuesdays when I was at home watching the classic 70s period drama, Poldark. (thanks to Olivia! In a way this shawl feels like my Poldark shawl. Isn’t it wonderful how what we’re doing seeps into our knitting?)

I’m so used to starting on a small amount of stitches (like 3!) and building up to the long edge of a triangle. Not so with this shape. i started with over 300 (I think!) and knitted 28 rows of beaded lace before doing the plain section. The plain section took only one day because it’s all short rows, which is what gives it the U shape, I think, bringing it all together nicely. Here’s how it looks on.

We’ve just been away for a few days to a family wedding (not my family; Sean’s) on the Bellarine Peninsula and I wore this to the pre-wedding family dinner the night before. Ok, so black beaded lace doesn’t say casual family dinner, does it? But I was dying for a chance to wear it and over a black t-shirt and plain denim skirt with flat shoes, it didn’t look like I was over dressed. At least I don’t think so. It was just a fun bit of sparkle.

The yarn was given to me by a friend who made the same shawl from the same yarn. It’s Lotus Yarns Miya, which is a Mink/Merino/Silk blend (emphasis on the mink). She had some left over and sent it to me with beads. Knitting with, and wearing mink seemed so luxurious but it’s not unlike possum and I’m assured from my research that no minks died in the production of this yarn. The days of mink coats are long gone, I believe.

And it’s a great shape to wear – the added weight of all those beads means that it stays on even better than I thought. Here’s how it looks from the back.

I have a feeling I’ll be looking around for more shawls in this shape. As much as I love the triangular shawls (and boy doesn’t it sound unfashionable to say that – there’s an undercurrent of triangular shawl backlash in the water, I think) I do have quite a few and don’t need any more right now.

I’m almost afraid to mention the Crown Prince Square Shawl I’m supposed to be knitting for myself for my 40th. I might have to discuss that one with you all in a few days. I’m conflicted.

But I’m very happy with my Billie Holiday and her dark, sparkling elegance. She’s a winner.

Bells

I’m pushing projects through to completion at the moment, trying to cut down the number of things I have on the go (let’s not discuss the two projects I began this weekend….).

Nevertheless, about a week or so ago I finally finished my Hitchhiker Scarf. You know the one every second knitter seems to have made lately? It’s everywhere and with good reason. It’s a simple and effective and often striking piece. And it’s cleverly named after Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (represented by the 42 ‘teeth’ along its edge). It’s a niftily chosen name.

It was the reason I chose the beautiful handspun called Starry Night (for Van Gogh’s Starry Night painting). Galaxy. Starry Night. You get my drift. It seemed after having the yarn for a year, its moment had finally come. I’d loved it since I won it in a contest by talented spinner Margarita, or 1FunkyKnitWit. It was just a matter of time.

You can see in these photos how vividly the colourway really captures the midnight blue and the bright stars from Van Gogh’s painting. Margarita has spun it into a near laceweight. I say near because I think it’s just a little heavier than that, but pretty bloody close. It made for a lovely fabric on 3.5mm needles but alas, it made also for a small scarf. At the widest part it’s only as wide as the length of my hand. I sort of hoped it would be wider, but I’d made it to 42 teeth and also had only a scrap of yarn left.

Never mind. Small scarves can be wearable. If only I could figure out how to wear it.

Like this?

Or like this?

I’m sure come winter it’s going to spend a lot of time keeping my neck warm inside a coat, a flash of vivid blue jutting out from the usual stern coloured coats I live in all winter.

I will love that. It’s small enough to tuck in well I think and maybe down the track I’ll try another one in 4ply or 8ply, bigger needles and get something a little closer to what I hoped for.

Bells

ps does anyone else remember the old 60s song Hitchhiker? It drags on and on and I recall my dad saying he and his mates used to sing it when drunk. It was in my head often as I worked on this. Thanks Dad.

For some time, I’ve had in mind that I’d love to make a little beaded bag of some kind. I kept thinking there’d be a good moment to do so and right now, there’s a perfect reason.

A friend (who is a relatively new knitter and an even newer blogger!) is getting married this Saturday. I asked her a little while ago if she had a wedding purse, something to carry little things in on the day and she said she didn’t. I told her I’d love to make one and she said that she would love it. Patterns and yarn were discussed and hey presto, the Beaded Wedding Purse was born. It took just over a week.

I think it’s adorable. Starting out, the knitting from the top was kind of challenging. The top lace part is knit sideways and at first really had me baffled. I got there though and it looked like this.

Those fan shapes were fun to make once I’d figured them out. Lots and lots of wraps and then dropping of the wraps. After that it was a matter of picking up stitches along the bottom and knitting down from there, adding beads accordingly. I didn’t pre-string the beads (I never do!). Adding them in as I go is my preferred method.

I also made the bag about 2inches shorter than the pattern required. It seemed quite long enough, and Alys says she’s only going to carry lipstick and a hankie in it so how big did it need to be really? It’s about 6 inches in length, which is plenty I think.

The pattern has you make two long twisted cords for the drawstring but I chose to crochet them instead. Tightly. The yarn is Socks that Rock lightweight, so a 4ply, and I crocheted the cords on, I think, a 2mm hook. I wanted the cords to be nice and firm.

The yarn has a slight green tinge to it which did not show up in the photos at all, but we chose it because my friend’s dress has some turquoise in the bodice. It’ll match beautifully.

What’s even lovelier is she has an inherited bracelet which works as a reticule holder. So the bag will hang on the day from a delicate band on her wrist. I’d love to get a photo but I just don’ t know if that’s possible. So for now, we have the purse on its own, ready and waiting for Alys’s big day.

I loved making this. Really, really loved it. It has satisfied my beaded bag making itch nicely.

Bells