Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Happy New Year to me...

I cast-on for Lyra just after New Year's Eve 2008, as my holiday gift to myself, and I finished her this week. I feel this is an accomplishment, considering all the other projects I have been working on! You can see LucyFur supervising my blocking. I used a 50/50 merino cashmere 2/28 yarn from ColourMart, in a "Candy" color. I started with one 150 gram cone and I have some left over. I soaked her in warm water while I went out for dinner. I started my blocking by pulling out the four corner "expansions," and the four smaller side "expansions."
I used more pins than I care to count. Let me just say that I am glad I stockpile nice pins...
As you can see, I did the square version, where every other "expansion" is doubled to create corners.
You can see the large flowers, where you use crossed stitches to make the lovely texture.
You can see how the leaf motifs grow from the center, and my clean center start. The extra "noise" you see behind the center is just the starting yarn end that I have not woven in yet.

This was a really special knitting project and I feel I learned some new tricks. As knitters before me have noted, there is an engineering flaw in this pattern which causes some binding where the frame around the large flowers begins to curve in. I think I could correct it if I knit this piece again, but there are so many wonderful designs out there I believe I will move on!

I hope to be back this weekend with a warp on a loom (I really hope...) and some thoughts on holiday knitting. I believe we can do at least two more original projects this year before I cast-on for my 2009 Niebling. Until then, knit (or weave, or spin) on...

16 comments:

  1. That is beautiful! I have the pattern, just not the bravery to start yet. :)
    Congratulations on finishing!

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  2. It looks just beautiful! Great job on knitting and the blocking :-) I sometimes think about trying to correct the binding problem too but I have to agree that there are so many other things I have yet to knit that I'm not sure I can spare the time to work on a correction.

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  3. Congratulations on a stunning piece of lace!!!!!

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  4. I would leave a comment, but your pictures took my breath away!

    Wonderful, fabulous, gorgeous !

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  5. Absolutely spectacular.

    Mary

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  6. Fantabulous! I have this pattern also but it's a bit lower on the list at the moment ;-). Yours is inspirational; perhaps next year? Have you already picked your '09 Neibling?

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  7. it's really, really beautiful!

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  8. Wow! And you did this "on the side" in addition to everything else! Kudos!

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  9. Lovely supervisor and beautiful shawl. I have the pattern and yarn but no confidence yet. You are inspiring!

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  10. Absolutely stunning! What a nice gift to give/make for yourself.

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  11. That is a gorgeous piece of lace work. As others have said, bravo!

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  12. So beautiful! And thanks for the link to the pattern at Lacis. I am looking forward to making one of these myself, if I ever find the time!

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  13. Oh, boy, when you say 'WE' have time for 2 more original projects, I'm hoping you mean more process pieces like the Summer Sampler? I am so close to finishing mine...finally! Just part of the last (long) side of the edging left to do. It's been so much fun.

    Your Lyra is beautiful!

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  14. Gorgeous and inspiring Lyra! I have the pattern, and this will help with the courage!
    Congratulations,
    Sue in CA

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