Monday, March 29, 2010

A constant companion

This scarf has been my constant companion for just over a month. It's travelled in trains and planes and visited friends in several countries, but needed local knitting group meetings to finish its journey.

frilled shawl 3

It's the Citron shawl pattern. Technically it's very simple. Lots of knitting front and back of each stitch to increase, and knitting two together to decrease. Lots of stocking stitch - and you're done. But despite its simplicity I think this is technically the worst piece of knitting I've done in a long time. I've knitted it from a very fine Adriafil lace yarn I bought a year ago at the Wollongong knitting camp. Ravelry says it's a 1 ply cobweb yarn, and it certainly felt very fine. Because I was knitting it very loosely (to achieve lots of soft drape) every small unevenness in my knitting, every increased stitch, and every 'rescued' stitch when a stitch fell off a needle shows up in fine detail.

But despite its imperfections I love it. It's a perfect red colour (as always, impossible for me to photograph accurately) and it's soft and squashy to wear. It's the scarf equivalent of comfort food. You'll see me in it all winter.

frilled shawl 1

8 comments:

Rose Red said...

You've finished!! Wow! It looks fantastic (I can't see any imperfections!). Love it!

Unknown said...

It looks perfect to me! I love it and it's on my list. Much prefer your colour choice to the one on the Ravelry page.

Susan Luni said...

Yes, it is lovely. This is an example of imperfect knitting being the perfect thing. I used a thinner yarn than recommended for mine and I feel the same way about it--I can't wear it often enough.

Anonymous said...

oh its stunning, i agree the finer gauge really gives it an edge. of course you know no one but you will know what went 'wrong' with it!

missfee said...

Lyn it is beautiful - and it seems that you only just started it!!!!

Lynne said...

It looks lovely.

Emily said...

Turned out beautifully, Lyn - and the fine gauge really seems to work. A perfect weight for Sydney!

Anonymous said...

Love the shawl.