Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Simplicity

I've been knitting away on this very simple shawl:

Blue shawl 3

It's La La's Simple Shawl (a free pattern is available for those with access to Ravelry). It's a very regular combination of stocking stitch, garter stitch and yarn overs that I've knitted with Kauni yarn - an Estonian yarn that I imagine was originally designed with colourwork in mind - it has that prickly catchy quality of many traditional yarns. The Effektgarn version of the yarn has long colour sequences in unusual combinations. The blue and brown combination in this yarn reminds me of a favourite dress I wore in the 1960s.

Blue shawl 4

Yesterday I had a discussion with knitting friends about the advantages and disadvantages of various kinds of yarns for shawls. (I attended the infamous 'knitting playdate' with FredAstep, 1funkyknitwit, KnitNess and RoseRed - but that's another story). I'm quite happy to tolerate the prickliness of shetland style yarns because (a) I love the visual texture of them,(b) they block perfectly and hold their shape and (c) they stay on my shoulders without falling off and without having to be adjusted all the time. This last factor is the clinching advantage for me. But I do understand that others may prefer softness and drape in their shawls, and that some patterns would be most inappropriate in the prickly yarns I love.

Blue shawl 1

Thanks to Margarita for the photos - so nice to have pics of the backs of things!

9 comments:

Bells said...

i like prickly yarns too - like the wensleydale I've got. It's good for this stuff.

And that's so lovely! Nice job!

Rose Red said...

Great pics - I like how the mustardy brown picks up the moss (or is it lichen) on the rocks!

The shawl is fab, perfect yarn for it I think! I shall have to make myself a grabby shawl I think.

jp said...

I love the shawl and always admire the elegance of the "grabby" (just quoting RoseRed) ones you wear.

Great location for the shoot! The shawl looks fabulous against the greens and greys of the background.

missfee said...

love love love

and wish I had been there

Unknown said...

I love the blue and the mustard together too - very unusual but tres chic, like you in fact!

I like gold and grey together too, similar kind of look ..

DrK said...

that is just simply stunning, anyway you look at it!

Michaela said...

I was just looking through images of this shawl on Ravelry and yours truly stood out -- it's stunning!

Anonymous said...

I found after I wove some Kauni and gave it a good washing, that it softened up considerably. It only felted ever so slightly after I gave it a good hard thwacking, so you could always be brave and try that.

Aussie Maria said...

I love the colour combination in this shawl - gorgeous