Next On The Needles
I always get such a fantastic feeling when I complete a project like the Ishbel Shawl. Partly because it was something new to me to knit and partly because it actually turned out looking good. Muddled knits and "oh well"s come off my needles in abundance but things that really turn out are not the casual norm, much as I wish they were.
So when I finished Ishbel, what do you think I did? Did I do the good girl thing and march over to one of my UFO baskets and get right to work? Ha! Yes, I absolutely should have - but I didn't!
I've had a couple of skeins of plush Wild Geese Fiber's Peer Pressure wool/alpaca sock yarn in a dark grey sitting beside my desk since the summer and I reached the point of No Resistance! I have wanted to tackle an Elizabeth Zimmerman Pi Shawl ever since I read her Knitter's Almanac years ago but just never had the nerve to cast one on. I'm sure there are some of you who have knit tons of them but it has only been recently that I have developed a taste for knitting with finer gauge yarn. Chunky and Aran weight yarns were my preference for years and even I was smart enough to realize that a Pi shawl knit in that would weigh an unwearable ton (or tonne if you're metric! LOL!)
The added incentive of finding 3 free EZ Pi Shawl patterns free on Ravelry (thanks to Mwaa Knit Obsession) pretty much pushed the idea to the front burner. I came very close to casting on with actual lace weight yarn but I refused to knit with needles smaller than 3.5mm so that put the grey sock yarn in the winner's circle! I didn't want my shawl to look like fishing net, I want the holes from the lace to actually be a visual feature!
So, armed with my copy of Knitter's Almanac, the obligatory DPNs for casting on, 3 different lengths of circs (16" 24" 29") and the Mwaa patterns (I want to use lace stitches from all 3 shawls) I settled in one evening and made a start. I only had to do the cast on twice to get it right, which I thought was an encouraging start. I didn't do any lace at all for the first 3 "circles' because I wanted them to be the strongest part. Once I was safely on the 16" circs at 144 stitches I started on the first lace pattern and used my new orange stitch markers. My favorite part so far? NO purling!! So sweet! I'll keep you posted as I inch along! Cheers all!
So when I finished Ishbel, what do you think I did? Did I do the good girl thing and march over to one of my UFO baskets and get right to work? Ha! Yes, I absolutely should have - but I didn't!
I've had a couple of skeins of plush Wild Geese Fiber's Peer Pressure wool/alpaca sock yarn in a dark grey sitting beside my desk since the summer and I reached the point of No Resistance! I have wanted to tackle an Elizabeth Zimmerman Pi Shawl ever since I read her Knitter's Almanac years ago but just never had the nerve to cast one on. I'm sure there are some of you who have knit tons of them but it has only been recently that I have developed a taste for knitting with finer gauge yarn. Chunky and Aran weight yarns were my preference for years and even I was smart enough to realize that a Pi shawl knit in that would weigh an unwearable ton (or tonne if you're metric! LOL!)
The added incentive of finding 3 free EZ Pi Shawl patterns free on Ravelry (thanks to Mwaa Knit Obsession) pretty much pushed the idea to the front burner. I came very close to casting on with actual lace weight yarn but I refused to knit with needles smaller than 3.5mm so that put the grey sock yarn in the winner's circle! I didn't want my shawl to look like fishing net, I want the holes from the lace to actually be a visual feature!
So, armed with my copy of Knitter's Almanac, the obligatory DPNs for casting on, 3 different lengths of circs (16" 24" 29") and the Mwaa patterns (I want to use lace stitches from all 3 shawls) I settled in one evening and made a start. I only had to do the cast on twice to get it right, which I thought was an encouraging start. I didn't do any lace at all for the first 3 "circles' because I wanted them to be the strongest part. Once I was safely on the 16" circs at 144 stitches I started on the first lace pattern and used my new orange stitch markers. My favorite part so far? NO purling!! So sweet! I'll keep you posted as I inch along! Cheers all!
Posted by Gloria Patre at 2/2/2011 10:48 PM 
Categories: Shawls
Tags: Elizabeth Zimmerman pi shawl knitters almanac
Categories: Shawls
Tags: Elizabeth Zimmerman pi shawl knitters almanac
I don't like knitting with lace weight either, but you still use at least 3.75mm needles if you do. Some use even bigger needles for lace.
I need to make a Pi shawl too. I made one tiny one with left over yarn once, and I loved it. I saw the free pi shawls on ravelry and they are beautiful!
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I absolutely luv working with small needles at a fine gauge. Big needles and yarn just feel clunky and hurt my hands. I must warn you...lace knitting is extremely addictive!
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