Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2014

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Flutter of the Wings Shawl Knitting Pattern and Kit for Sale


Flutter of the Wings is a crescent shaped shawl worked from the bottom up without short rows. The lace pattern is worked on both the right side and wrong side but it is easy enough to memorize and knit. Because of the shape, this shawl is very easy to wear and stays put on the shoulder. You can use lace-weight yarn for lacy shawl or you can use thicker yarn (Fingering/DK) for more textured effect.

Pattern includes charts and row by row written directions. If you would like to add beads to your shawl, instructions are included on where to place the beads.




Flutter of the Wings in Rendezvous Cashmere Lace  (400 yd / 366 m per 50 g skein; 100% Cashmere) 
Fawn colorway - 2 skeins (7 repeats)

Technical Editor: Chaitanya Muralidhara

Needle:
Lace weight: At least 24" / 60 cm long circular needles size 3.5 mm (US 4).
Fingering weight: At lease 24" / 60 cm long circular needles size 3.75 (US 5).
DK weight: At least 24" / 60 cm long circular needles size 4.00 mm (US 6).

Notions:
Tapestry needle, blocking pins, size 14 US / 0.75 mm steel crochet hook for beads (optional), stitch markers, size 8 seed beads for lace weight yarn or size 6 seed beads for fingering/DK weight yarn (optional).

Level: Advanced.

Suggested yarn and yardage needed:
Any lace, fingering, or DK weight yarn (see table).



Lace weight: I used Rendezvous Cashmere Lace (400 yd / 366 m per 50 g skein; 100% Cashmere) in Fawn colorway - 2 skeins (7 repeats).
DK weight: I used Rendezvous Cashmere DK (200 yd / 183 m per 50 g skein ; 100% Cashmere) in Rossetta colorway - 2 skeins (3 repeats).




Flutter of the Wings in Rendezvous Cashmere DK (200 yd / 183 m per 50 g skein ; 100% Cashmere) 
Rossetta colorway - 2 skeins (3 repeats)


Finished Sizes (in blocking board):
Lace weight:
Across top edge: 92 (110, 128, 146, 164, 182, 200, 218, 236) cm / 36.2" (43.3, 50.4, 57.5, 64.6, 71.7, 78.7, 85.8, 92.9)"
Depth: 38 (43, 48, 53, 58, 63, 68, 73, 78) cm / 15 (16.9, 18.9, 20.9, 22.8, 24.8, 26.8, 28.7, 30.7)" 

Fingering weight:
Across top edge: 100 (120, 140, 160, 180, 200, 220, 240, 260) cm / 39.4 (47.2, 55.1, 63, 70.9, 78.7, 86.6, 94.5, 102.4)"
Depth: 40.5 (46, 51.5, 57, 62.5, 68, 73.5, 79, 84.5) cm / 15.9 (18.1, 20.3, 22.4, 24.6, 26.8, 28.9, 31.1, 33.3)"

DK weight:
Across top edge: 110 (132, 154, 176, 198, 220, 242, 264, 286) cm / 43.3 (52, 60.6, 69.3, 78, 86.7, 95.3, 103.9, 112.6)"
Depth: 43 (49, 55, 61, 67, 73, 79, 85, 91) cm / 16.9 (19.3, 21.6, 24, 26.4, 28.7, 31.1, 33.5, 35.8)"

All posts about this projects and more photos: click here.

How to Buy:
1. The Pattern only: Pattern is 28 pages in PDF includes charts, written directions and photo tutorials. Payment by Paypal and delivery by Ravelry, no accounts required. Credit cards accepted.

USD 6.00,-
add to cart


or

Shawl Collection to Knit 3 e-book (Dandelion on A Meadow, Princess and The Pea, Fox and The Grapes, Flutter of the Wings).

USD 15.00,-
add to cart


2. The Kit: You get the PDF pattern and the yarn(s).
You can choose the color of the yarn here.
Note: If you want to buy the kit, please do not click buy now button on that page, unless you want to buy the yarn only.
The pattern will be email to your email address and the yarn will be sent to your address (please make sure to update your shipping address in Paypal). Shipping cost is FREE! Please allow 10 - 20 days to reach your hand.


Sizes
Yarn Weight
Colors




Info about the yarn:

Rendezvous Cashmere Lace:
Weight: Lace
Fibers: 100% Cashmere
Yardage/Weight: approx. 400 yds / 50g
Hand Wash/lay flat to dry using bleach-free detergent. May bleed slightly upon first wash.

Rendezvous Cashmere DK:
Weight: DK
Fibers: 100% Cashmere
Yardage/Weight: approx. 200 yds / 50g
Hand Wash/lay flat to dry using bleach-free detergent. May bleed slightly upon first wash.

Monday, December 09, 2013

FO: Flutter of the Wings

This was my first shawl pattern in crescent shape without short rows. I know some people love crescent shape, and yet they feel hesitant to do short rows. So, this time I tried to design without one.

I made 3 samples for this pattern. The first one I made was using Rendezvous Cashmere Lace in Evil Stepsister (purple). Since this is a trial. I made the shawl only using 1 skein (200 yards / 50 gram) and without beads. Although it was only 50 gram skein, but it turned out quite a decent size and I really like how the shawl looked.

So, here the first Flutter of the Wings sample look like:



Pattern: Flutter of the Wings (Lace Weight - 4 Repeats)
Materials: Rendezvous Cashmere Lace 100% Cashmere (Evil Stepsister colorway)
Quantity: 1 skein (50g, 400 yards / skein)
Needles: 3.5 mm (US 4) circular needle
Start Date: 16 July 2013
Finish Date: 28 July 2013
Finished Size on Blocking Board: : 110 cm (43.3") across top edge, 43 cm (16.9") depth.

Next, I knitted the DK weight version, because I have the same yarn in DK weight and I really wanted to know how it looks like in DK weight. This time I did the smallest size (3 Repeats) because I wanted to use only 2 skeins of DK weight. Also, I used beads. Before blocking, your hardly saw the beads on the right side, but you can clearly saw them on the wrong side. I tried several possible placement to make it more visible on the right side, but no luck. So, I just hoped that after blocking it would be more visible.




Pattern: Flutter of the Wings (DK Weight - 3 Repeats)
Materials: Rendezvous Cashmere DK 100% Cashmere (Rossetta colorway)
Quantity: 2 skeins (50g, 200 yards / skein)
Needles: 4.0 mm (US 6) circular needle
Start Date: 25 August 2013
Finish Date: 28 August 2013
Finished Size on Blocking Board: : 110 cm (43.3") across top edge, 43 cm (16.9") depth.

As you can see above photos, the beads were more visible after blocking. It turned out the same size as the lace weight, and as pretty as the lace weight. I decided that 2 samples should be enough to showcase the result of this pattern and move on to new design. However, after I published the first clue and saw the spoiler of other people, I had the urge to make another one, and this time I made bigger size using lace weight yarn. 

At first I planned to put beads, however, the hole of size 8 beads was too small for the 0.75 mm hook that I had. So, I decided not to use beads. I knitted until second clue, until I saw other people's result with beads in the spoiler thread. I was such in dilemma. Should I bought smaller hook and starting over, or should I continue without beads. I was not afraid of frogging. I just did not want to stop knitting while waiting for my new hook to arrive (yes, I ordered smaller hook online). In the end, my mother in law had a small hook that I wanted, so I borrowed it from her. I restarted my shawl with beads and I was a happy camper.






Pattern: Flutter of the Wings (Lace Weight - 7 Repeats)
Materials: Rendezvous Cashmere Lace 100% Cashmere (Fawn colorway)
Quantity: 2 skeins (50g, 400 yards / skein)
Needles: 3.5 mm (US 4) circular needle
Start Date: 25 August 2013
Finish Date: 28 August 2013
Finished Size on Blocking Board: : 164 cm (64.6") across top edge, 58 cm (22.8") depth.

About the cashmere yarn, it is really soft and heaven to knit with. I really was enjoying knitting with it. The only problem with cashmere yarn is that they are very easy to break. During frogging, you really need to be careful not to snag the yarn. I didn't have a problem during blocking, though. 

I read somewhere that cashmere yarn use the fur on the neck or under belly part, which is very soft but it is also very short. That is why it is easy to break.