Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Hangin' Around

So, ONE of the projects I am currently working on is the Print o' The Wave Stole by Eunny Jang. See, Jeni was loverly and brought me back some nice lace weight merino from Rhinebeck last fall. She also brought me a nice pattern but somehow I couldn't put the pattern and the yarn together in my mind. I like the pattern AND the yarn, but somehow they needed to be separate projects. So, I finally realized that I had enough of the yarn to do the Print o' The Wave. Splendid! I cast on and, well, let's just say I kept screwing up. I think the first few rows were UN-knit more than they were knit. I know that there is someone at Bobaknit who can vouch for this. Anyway, seems what I really needed was just a little one on one time with this project and this weekend I finally got the hang of it! Yay. :)


I have now completed almost 6 of the pattern repeats and can now say (was not the case before!) that I like this project. Actually, I seem to be developing a thing for lace. I find it relaxing and incredibly fulfilling. Somehow as I get to know the pattern I become aware of the movement of the stitches and end up watching a dance of yarn rather than follow a pattern. It's pretty cool. It almost seems like a musical piece to me. It has a rhythm and a form and a structural logic that brings beauty. Pretty amazing really.

So, now I need some advice though. I am thinking of tweaking the pattern a bit. The original calls for two pieces to be knit and then grafted together in the center- so that the pattern mirrors and flows from the center to either side (flows/waves...oooh! A motif!). BUT, I am considering just sticking with this pattern until I reach the TOTAL number of repeats and then putting the border on. The border is the same all the way around, in other words it does not "mirror" and flow down each side. So, it seems to me that this makes a little more sense as a whole. Comments? Questions? Does this make sense, or do I just sound like a rambling fool?

It is going to be a lovely shawl/stole (but what am I going to do with all of these lace things!!!!?)

12 comments:

Pikku- Kettu said...

I think quite many have knitted the shawl that way, since grafting the center panels is a pain. I think that it would look just as good with only one center panel.

theknitist said...

wow, it's turning out to be absolutely gorgeous! I don't have an opinion about the direction of the flow. I think it would look great either way. And after all of the lace grafting you did last month, I bet it's not looking so fun, huh?

Anonymous said...

I like your plan to just flow in one direction only since the border doesn't flow from the center any way. The shawl looks lovely so far. Makes me feel like getting back to lace again.

Bogie said...

Knitting in one piece sounds like a plan to me. IMHO I don't think that stitch pattern screams for symmetry about the middle.

Jean said...

Ooooh, gorgeous! Looks like perfect yarn for the pattern, indeed. I think forgoing the center grafting sounds like a completely reasonable modification. The stole will be beautiful either way, so knit it the way that will make you happy.

lill4my said...

i agree with knitting it in one piece (well cuz i am doing the same thing, duh;)) but the ladies at mason dixon also made it, and knitted it in one piece i think, you can check it out there.. i think the grafting looks alittle funky...

the yarn is gorgeous, and i'm glad you are getting into the groove with it!:)

Teenuh said...

I think it would be beautiful knit in one piece. It would be nice to have the continuous stream of the pattern instead of the join. I may do the same, I've gotten some nice laceweight yarn lately that would look beautiful in this shawl.

P.S. I hope your mouth feels better!!

Anonymous said...

I did it in two pieces, and the bonus is that it's not so huge. Grafting the whole thing took * maybe * an hour.

There's an error in the edging chart, ping me when you get there. I'm halfway through the edging. :)

(formerly) no-blog-rachel said...

That is just gorgeous! Hope you're feeling better -

Romi said...

Ooooooh. Purdy. :)

hannahbeekuhns said...

oooooooooh.. pretty

HoJo said...

Your POTW is lovely. I love the light color. It was great seeing you again last night.