The stole was designed by Sivia Harding, and the yarn came from Three Bags Full Yarn shop on Main Street in Vancouver, a wonderful resource.
I started the stole about two and a half months ago in April, 2007, and finished it in two weeks. Then things got in the way, and I could not show it off to my guild (WestCoastKnitters in Vancouver, BC) at the May meeting (May 1, 2007)because of a "little" medical problem. I hadn't even blocked it when my medical problem took over my life for four days, so maybe it was for the best.
A month later - the day before the next guild meeting (June 5, 2007), I blocked the stole, which turned out to be both easier than I expected and made the stole even more beautiful. I had to block it on the floor, using two large towels and 176 quilters pins. My back was hurting when I finally hauled myself back up.
So now it is time to unveil my work. It was a labor of love, made with lots of swearing because every now and again I made a little mistake that required me to unknit row after row, no lifeline in place, (tried that and hated it). With a 54 row repeat, done 12 times, there were lots of opportunities for errors, so the fact that I still completed it in only two weeks is even more remarkable.
I used Fiddlesticks 50-50 Merino-Silk yarn in Copper and 70 small orange beads at cast-on and cast-off, 3.5 mm Addi Turbo circular lace needle, and lots of stitches to produce this work. Now I just have to figure out how to display it in my apartment since I didn't make it with a ricipient in mind - I just wanted to do it.
The model is my beautiful niece Kara Pottle who was visiting me from Kamloops, BC. I took her down to the park in front of my apartment, so we could use English Bay as a backdrop to equal the beauty of the stole. It was a cool day, but she told me the stole actually kept her warm. Must be the merino.
9 comments:
Nigel, that's a gorgeous stole! I think it needs to go on my "need to knit" list..
Nigel, it's absolutely magnificent and only two weeks? And you also have a beautiful niece. Renate
That is beautiful Nigel. And when I first started knitting (and then wearing) lace shawls I was surprised how warm they are, too.
Wow Nigel, that is stunning (both stole and niece *G*)...I can't believe you knit it so fast (it would probably take me months to do). Love the colour, too - think I have found something else to add to my "to knit" list.....
Tonia
Oh, Nigel, that is absolutely beautiful work! It's not a very complicated design, but My Gawd! all those stitches!! I can just imagine you doing a YO, K2tog very automatically now -- even when you are NOT doing lace!! LOL You certainly have perseverance to get it done in only 2 weeks.
I'm quite sure that when the time is right, someone very deserving will come along, and you will have that stole to give to them. Very lucky deserving gal!
Very well done, Nigel. Stunning work. Thank you for sharing.
Lovely, Nigel!
By the way... do you still use the lace back scrubber when you shower at the gym? It's been on my mind recently, and I wonder if it has continued to be sturdy and useful. It might be something I can do with my lace sampler project.
Your Hanging Garden stole is beautifully done! Congratulations on creating an heirloom.
Beautiful stole! I think I'm putting in on my list too...
Post a Comment