Rahakiri Stole

Stitch pattern from "The Haapsalu Shawl" (p 157 - Rahakiri)

with edging from "Knitted Lace of Estonia" (p 154 - Modern 24-round lace edge)

27" x 56"

Yarn: Lace-a-licious by J. Knits

cobweb - 100% hand dyed alpaca

1200 yds/113 grams ; almost all of it

color name: Washington

[no link - I don't think still available]

Needles: Size 2 addi Lace

This stitch pattern is one of the old ones and, unlike many Haapsalu designs, contains no nupps. I thought the larger areas of stockinette would work well with this yarn and I liked that it was not directional.

In Estonian, raha = money and kiri=pattern. I suppose the roundish areas could be coins but this was not mentioned in the book.

This is the widest stole I've knit and I'm quite pleased with the finished dimensions. However the book instructs one to plan for a proportion of 1:3 and mine is close to 1:2. Still it is a good size for me. Since I knit the edging on in the round it is not a true Haapsalu shawl anyway. Perhaps one day I'll knit in the true manner, possibly if I ever do a large square.

Such an uninspired photo I know, but it does show the color fairly well and gives a reasonable idea of the size.

60"

In spite of not being fond of working with the yarn, this project is coming along nicely. You certainly can't tell much from the photo. Unblocked lace is not appealing! This hasn't been a knitting-in-public project, but if it were I can't imagine any non-knitter wanting to take up the hobby based on seeing this wrinkly thing.

I did a quick steam block of the edges before picking up all around for the edging and I actually liked the yarn much better. So much so that I was actually encouraged. Encouragement is a Good Thing and not to be underrated.

True Haapsalu shawls have the edging knit in two long lengths, casting on a large number of stitches and stitching out from the edge, bound off, and sewn onto the garter edges of the shawl. Once again I am adding an edging the modern way ala Nancy Bush and picking up stitches all around and knitting in the round. To make my life a little easier this time, I bought a long addi Lace needle - 60" long actually. Really almost as long as I am tall.

I wondered if it would be awkward to wrangle. I am not very far along yet, but so far it is working well. I do have to stop occasionally and scoot the work around the cable, but they slide easily and, with 60 whole inches, they certainly aren't all bunched up on the needle like I've had before.

Can you see I'm using a project TIN instead of a bag for this? A tin of cookies came to the office at Christmas and I slapped a Post-It on there requesting the tin when the cookies were all gone. I knew it would come in handy. It has been just perfect for this project. I could keep my chart on the inside of the lid, using the magnetic ruler to keep my place, and just pop the lid back on when I was finished for the evening.

"Correction does much, but encouragement does more. " Goethe

The Haapsalu Scarf

Kind friend and lacemaker Barbara, alerted me to some new lace books and among them was "The Haapsalu Scarf".

Be still my heart!

In the Estonian knitting tradition, rectangles are shawls and square or half-square triangles are scarves.

What the new book has that the first did not, is specific numbers for finished designs, saving you some calculations, and it repeats no patterns from the first book.

To get an idea and see some large, lovely photos from inside, check out this blog post.

It is $75. $75! Barbara's alert came the very day that I had been browsing through my knitting book library and realizing that I was quite blessed with pattern books and really need not buy any more. What timing!

In most cases, Haapsalu shawls and scarves are knitted of white yarn. If you are craving color and pattern, and not lace, then you might like to see some of the images from another fabulous new book of Estonian knitting, "Designs and Patterns from Muhu Island". Wow! [PS: it's only $130] There is also a wonderful post in Kate Davies' blog and more glimpses inside.

Something bright

Things are happening in the background here but I seem to be unable to summon the will or inclination to post anything. January malaise perhaps.

A week or so ago I pulled out some lace yarn that I have had for a couple of years or so. I bought it with a gift certificate, specifically for the color.

The color is really a dark, warm coral; an orangey-red and not the fairly hot pink that it appears in this photo. It looks a bit more true in the photo of it in the hank before it was wound and when it wasn't basking in the bright sunlight.

Since this year's Pantone color is Tangerine Tango, I thought it was high time this became something other than stash!


I've tried at least two other patterns with this yarn and haven't been happy with them. Turns out the yarn is really cobweb instead of lace weight. I turned to the beautiful book, The Haapsalu Shawl, and picked this stitch pattern which has no nupps. I thought the larger areas of stockinette stitch would work well for this.

Fingers crossed.

I am not enjoying the yarn, but the pattern is quite pleasing. I find most of these Estonian patterns to be nice to knit, intuitive and straightforward.

I'm a bit further along now and think I'm about halfway through the body section. This book, as I mentioned before, has only the stitch patterns. There is, however, a section at the front of the book that discusses width:length ratios and how to calculate sizes and edgings.

Haapsalu Shawl Day

Pattern: used motif Sofia from The Haapsalu Shawl book

Yarn: Wooly West Nordic Lites; color White Nights, 475 yd/100 gr.; 2 skeins

Needles: size 6; KnitPicks Options

Do you remember last year when I linked to the video of the ladies dancing with their wonderful Estonian shawls? I haven't been able to find a video of this year's dance, although it seems there was a dance this year. [If you find a video, please let me know.]

I did find this wonderful post with lots of great pictures. At the end of that post is a link to a black and white film made in 1937 showing Estonian knitters and fast-moving, busy fingers.
If you have 6+ minutes, you might want to watch. It's a treasure.

At last

At last
my love has come along
my lonely days are over
and my life
is like a song.

Back in early June, I finished Wendy's Summer Mystery Shawlette. Fun times. My knitting since has not been very fun or engaging until now.

This Estonian stitch pattern is just perfect and every stitch so far has been just pure pleasure. It is the kind of knitting where you wish you didn't have to do ANYthing else and when you are doing something else you are thinking about how soon you can get back to it. Yes, it is that good! And that is an especially welcome feeling when the HEAT continues to be so oppressive.

I've linked before to Britt Arnhild's lovely blog. She's visiting Venice, Italy again and has a great post with wonderful pictures of a lacemaker with her Burano lace. What a way with string!!

"At Last" is a 1941 song written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical film Orchestra Wives

Color-Less

The Noro knitting complete, I am happy to be working on something with no color changes, just plain white...one white stitch after another. Very soothing.

Back in April, I was delighted to find The Haapsalu Shawl book. What a gorgeous, gorgeous book! Even though it is by far the most expensive book in my knitting library, it would be worth it even if I never knit anything from it. For awhile there it looked like that might be the case, since this book, in spite of its beauty, has no full patterns.

Instead it has stitch motifs charted. A section at the front describes how to use the patterns to design your own shawl.

These directions are for shawls [rectangles] and scarves [squares] made in the traditional Estonian manner where the body is knit with a garter border, the edging is knit separately in two lengths, and then sewn onto the body.

I ordered two skeins of Nordic Lights yarn from Wooly West. Although the website lists this as "special lace weight" it seems more fingering weight. It is 2-ply but the 475 yds/100 gr is about sock yarn yardage. I'm knitting it with a size 6 and I'll be anxious to see how it blocks. No need to get TOO anxious as this will be a long time from now.

I considered recharting this in Excel since the Estonian symbols are different from what I'm used to using, but I thought I'd try it first and see and I'm really having no problems. I started from a provisional cast on as I think I'm going to go the modern route for the edging ala Nancy Bush. I may regret this later when I have to pick up all those stitches all the way around, but I won't borrow trouble for now.

If you have Knitted Lace Of Estonia by Nancy Bush, you'll recognize some of these stitch patterns (although not the one above). Certainly for the price and for the full, detailed directions for shawls already completely calculated, Nancy's would be the book to get. I might not have had the confidence to launch into one on my own from this book, but having made a few with Nancy holding my hand, I feel better able to take on this project.

And, as usual, I'm already thinking ahead to the NEXT one - using finer yarn.

Link to YouTube video of two Estonian knitters talking about shawl knitting.

Facing Lilies Stole

Pattern: Facing Lilies Stole
by Nancy Bush
Interweave Knits - Spring 2010
21" x 58"

Yarn: Old Maiden Aunt handpainted yarn
80% merino / 20% silk 2-ply laceweight
1300 yd/100 gr.
won from Podcaster Paula at Knitting Pipeline

Needles: Size 3 addi Turbo
24" for body / 32" for edging done in round

I am over-the-moon satisfied with this FO. It is always easy to love the latest, greatest FO the best, but this one may very well turn out to be my most favorite knit ever. The pattern, combining two traditional Estonian motifs, by Nancy Bush is just perfect. The body was a very relaxing and enjoyable knit. You may recall that I had a little problem getting that edging started. Stitches are picked up all around the four sides and the garter-stitch edging is knit in the round. The problem was entirely my own fault. The instructions specifically call for wooden or bamboo needles but I went with the slick addi Turbo ones. Lesson learned: Listen to Nancy.

I took a number of photos of the finished shawl but this one seemed to show the pattern the best. It has been quite overcast and dreary these past few days and this photo was taken indoors without natural light so you don't really get to see all the subtle shadings in this yarn.

The yarn was a dream to knit and the finished hand is heavenly. I was fortunate to win this yarn from Paula's podcast, Knitting Pipeline. I enjoy her podcasts so much! I listen to quite a few podcasts with the majority concerning knitting. Paula's quickly became a favorite.

So thank you Nancy and thank you Paula; two-part harmony.

I've grown accustomed

I've grown
accustomed to her lace
She almost makes the day begin
I've grown accustomed
to the tune
she whistles night and noon
Her smiles, her frowns,
her ups and downs
Are second nature to me now
Like breathing out and breathing in

I was serenely independent and content before we met
Surely I could always be that way again and yet

I've grown accustomed to her nupps, accustomed to her style


Accustomed to her lace

The body of the stole is complete. All nupps are done. Now all that remains (she said so offhandedly) is picking up 800+ stitches around the full perimeter and knitting the edging outward. Whew! That required another, longer needle. And a good excuse to visit the new digs of a not-so-local LYS.

Charmed, I'm sure

A couple of weeks ago, Paula, who produces the Knitting Pipeline podcast, announced a giveaway of three different colorways of handpainted laceweight yarns that she had purchased from Lilith at Old Maiden Aunt on a trip to West Kilbride, Scotland [Paula's blog post about the visit/purchase here].

She drew names of three listeners from those who left comments and I was lucky enough to be chosen. I must be living a charmed life!

Although I had left Paula some comments, I don't think I left one specifically about the yarn. I didn't want to be greedy. I do confess, however, to visiting the Old Maiden Aunt website and thinking about the yarn.....a lot.

I got to choose a color and, of course, I chose green. The color is actually named Bracken and has such perfect, oh-so-subtle shadings. There is 1300 yards of this yummy 2-ply yarn in a blend of 80% merino and 20% silk. Paula says she has learned that she doesn't care for knitting with such fine yarn.

Once I learned that the yarn was headed my way, I began a serious search for a pattern. I had, I thought, narrowed it down to a couple. Seeing all those extraordinary Estonian shawls obviously influenced my decision. The yarn arrived, I hand wound it into a lovely BIG cake, and cast on immediately for a Nancy Bush pattern from Interweave Knits Spring 2010 she named Facing Lilies Stole [bonus photos at that link]

The lily of the valley motif appears frequently in Estonian shawls because it shows off so wonderfully their trademark nupps.

I love the small Lily of the Valley flowers, but sadly like all other plants, I have had no success in growing them. My mother-in-law had several plants in a rock garden and would sometimes pick a few for a tiny vase. Until I read about it (at that Wikipedia link), I had no idea that all parts of the plant are poisonous. Yikes.

But the article goes on to say that in the Language of Flowers Lily of the Valley signifies the return of happiness Well! That is Good News!

If you like to listen to podcasts and haven't listened to Paula's yet, do give it a try. She does a great job and has interesting segments. I always learn something on her podcasts; often something not even related to knitting.

Estonian shawls

It's fair to say that my favorite and most used knitting book is Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush. I love all the patterns in it and it is easy enough to make slight modifications to the patterns to suit your yarn or design tastes.

The Ravelry group for this book has 1815 members (currently) and I love to look through all the projects. SUCH beautiful things being created and posted all the time over there.

In fact that's how I happened upon a blog and learned that August 23 was Haapsalu Shawl Day 2010. Can you imagine how fantastic that was?!

Do you have 4.28 minutes to watch a Haapsalu Shawl Waltz? OH, my! Such lovely work.

Or visit this blog and watch the not-too-long slideshow to see one knitter's beautiful, traditional Estonian shawls. As a bonus you get a glimpse of Haapsalu in the bargain.

Peacock Tail Stole

Pattern: Peacock Tail and Leaf Scarf
from "Knitted Lace of Estonia" by Nancy Bush
17.5" x 60"

Yarn: Louet Gems - 100% merino; 4-ply fingering weight
color Cloud Grey - 185 yards/50 grams - 3 skeins (555 yd)

Needles: Size 6 - KnitPicks Options

Yes, the RED DOOR is back. It is just too miserably hot to be out styling photos. I get extra points for at least sweeping away the dry leaves before taking the shot. Last weekend I noticed brown leaves falling almost like it was the beginning of autumn. I can only assume they are just burned and are giving up early. I know how they feel.

Except for knitting one extra length repeat, omitting nupps, and using a heavier yarn, I knit this exactly like the pattern. The pattern is written as a scarf using lace weight yarn and is lovely with the nupps, but I had this yarn and wanted it in a stole size. At 17.5" x 60", it came out just right using only 3 of the 4 skeins of yarn.

The pattern was very nice to knit and, with no nupps on this one, fairly quick as well. You may not really notice in these pictures, but there is an eyelet section between the edging and the body which I particularly like. I'm not as fond of the edging as some others because this one is done in garter stitch.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about this book. Maybe it arrived at the right point for me when I was more comfortable knitting lace, but I've used it more than any other. I find the patterns extremely versatile. It is easy to change yarn weights or to add or remove repeats to alter the size. Although many require that you knit an edge separately and either graft (kitchener stitch) or sew it on, I find that less daunting than knitting on a edge afterwards to live or picked up stitches. It is also easier, so far, for me to feel comfortable with having enough yarn.

Maybe it is just time for me to dive in and try the other kind.

This is going out to the grown daughter of a former coworker of JP. He requested a knit. : ) The Louet Gems is a superwash 100% merino and I think is perfect for gifting to a non-knitter.

ETA: YouTube video of Nancy Bush demonstrating knitting nupps here

Triinu Scarf

Pattern: Triinu Scarf by Nancy Bush

"Knitted Lace of Estonia"**
10" x 50" relaxed

Yarn: Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace
70% alpaca / 30% silk
460 yds/50 gr - color 2481 Misty Meadow

Needle: Size 4 KnitPicks Options circular

Once again blocking worked wonders. It was hard to feel the love for this one during the knitting. Maybe that is why it took me so much longer. It certainly wasn't the fault of the pattern which was very straightforward and easy to remember. There were nupps on only two rows and, with only three repeats across, only six at most on any row. The column of two purl stitches that separate the repeats looked especially sloppy in the pre-blocked state. Once blocked they combine with the triple decreases on either side to form graceful arcs.

Not a great blocking job on the edges, but perhaps with wear it will ease into line. Wish I knew a faster, easier, more reliable way to work those blasted wires!

At any rate, glad to have this one done. This yarn was purchased way back in Aug. 2008 from The Yarn Circle in Murphy, NC. That was a lovely, relaxing trip so there are good memories tied up in this yarn and I am glad to finally have put it to good use.

If you are ever in the Murphy, NC area I recommend stopping in at this shop. The shop was established originally to meet the needs of weavers at John C. Campbell folk school and there is a lot of depth in their inventory.

**I can't say enough GOOD THINGS about this book. I have enjoyed it so much and used it more than any other I own. The history presented in the first part of the book is fascinating (to me at least!). Nancy says this scarf was inspired by an article in the Spring 1990 issue of Triinu magazine, founded in 1952 by four Estonian women all living in Sweden after the war. Experts in Estonian national costume and handcrafts, they wanted to create a magazine to keep their national traditions alive and to connect fellow Estonians dispersed throughout the world. It was published four times a year by a series of co-editors located in different countries. Early copies were simple copied pages of type. Always issues included an inspirational message at the beginning followed by poetry, articles on art, literature, culture, and recipes and also always featured a young woman in regional national costume along with patterns for making it. Obviously a labor of love.

Lilac Leaf again

Pattern: Lilac Leaf Shawl

by Nancy Bush in "Knitted Lace of Estonia"
18" x 60"

Yarn: Jade Sapphire Lacey Lamb
100% Extrafine Lambswool - Color 225 / Blood Red
825 yds/60 gr - leftovers

Needles: Size 4 circulars

Color is a bit dulled in this picture. I think it was overcast when I took it. We've been having some cooler spring days around here. That is really welcome. So often we head directly into summer with weather just immediately hitting the 80s and only going up from there.

I knit this same pattern once before and it was such an easy, enjoyable knit that I decided to use the leftovers from the two balls of yarn to make it again. I didn't quite get all the repeats called for by the pattern, but I used as much of the yarn as I could.

I've said before, I love, love, love this Lacey Lamb yarn. It is such a pleasure to knit. So wonderful in fact that I think I should buy another ball or two....but maybe in a different color.

Groovy Kind of Love

When I'm feeling blue, all I have to do

Is take a look at you, then I'm not so blue

When you're close to me, I can feel your heart beat

I can hear you breathing near my ear

Wouldn't you agree, baby you and me got a groovy kind of love

Pattern: Madli's Shawl

from Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush

18" x 58"

Yarn: KnitWitch Mystical World - color Atlantis

80% superfine merino/20% silk - 670 yds/50 gr

Needles: Size 4 circular

I couldn't be happier with this yarn or the finished shawl. I bought one skein of this yarn back in April at the Stitches South vendor market. The pattern for Madli's shawl calls for over 1300 yards of laceweight yarn so I obviously did not have nearly enough. Because I got an entire Lilac Leaf Shawl out of less than 825 yards, I deluded myself into thinking I could squeeze this one out. But those nupps, beautiful as they are, really eat up the yarn.*

So I compromised and only knit the nupps on the two end edgings and I knitted them both first, setting aside the second one to graft on after completing as much of the center as I could with the yarn. I was able to get 28 out of the 31 repeats called for by the pattern, and it even blocked to a bit longer than the one in the book and wider as well. I'm quite happy with the size:

While knitting this I intended to give it away and had a recipient in mind. Now? I'm not so sure I can part with it.

When I'm feeling blue, all I have to do Is take a look at you, then I'm not so blue When I'm in your arms, nothing seems to matter My whole world could shatter, I don't care Wouldn't you agree, baby you and me got a groovy kind of love We got a groovy kind of love

*see an absolutely stunning Crown Prince Shawl covered in yarn-hungry nupps here on Grumperina's blog.

The Luddite Laptop

With the Brooklyn Birch Leaf socks put away, I've returned to Madli's Shawl and once again I'm making good use of the tin Kay provided.

JP teasingly calls it my laptop so it now has a name - the Luddite Laptop.

Oh, yes, we are easily amused over here at stringplay, no?

One thing I've found with these Estonian patterns, they are fairly easy to UNknit. And there is always UNknitting around here.

There is only 670 yards in this ball of handdyed yarn. It is not nearly enough.

I'm not sure what I was thinking when I decided it would do for Madli's Shawl which calls for a 1300 yard ball. So for this first Madli, I'm going nupp-less. I did knit the nupps in the two end edgings and pre-knit the other end edging so I could use every bit of the yarn in the center section.

It's a lovely pattern I think, and I hope to knit it again with all the nupps*in place.

*nupp (rhymes with soup) is a feature of Estonian lace knitting used to add texture. According to Nancy Bush, since Estonian shawls were typically sold by weight, the nupps added weight and commanded higher prices. Also, they cannot be duplicated by machine and were proof the article was handknitted.

Brooklyn Birch Leaf Socks

Pattern: Birch Leaf Socks
by Nancy Bush in "A Gathering of Lace"

Yarn: Brooklyn Handspun Signature
4 ply merino superwash sock yarn
480 yds/113 grs - color Moss Man

Needles: size 1 and size 0 dpns

Whew! Just in time! The 5-day forecast is just peppered with these threatening red-hot thermometers! I think I can safely fold these and put them away for a few months!

This is a lovely pattern that I enjoyed all the way through. It is perfect for a chart-loving knitter. The yarn was a real treat as well. It is one of those tightly-spun fancy sock yarns and I could easily get spoiled.

I even have a good bit left as the handy tin will attest.

Now I think I'll take that magnetic ruler and use it to hold up the chart for the Madli blue shawl and get back to work on it.

INSIDE, of course, with the a/c on!

Triangular Scarf in Leaf Pattern

Pattern: Triangular Scarf in Leaf Pattern

from "Knitted Lace of Estonia" by Nancy Bush

Yarn: Classic Elite - Silky Alpaca Lace

70% alpaca / 30% silk ; 1.5 balls

Color 2403 ; Cloud Gray

Needles: Size 4 circular

32" cable for edging

Wow! Happy Dance! This one was such a wonderful surprise. It was so hard to tell much about it as I was knitting around and around for the edging. This is the first time I've picked up stitches and added an edging this way and there were so many stitches bunched up on the cable, it was difficult to see. This edging, however, is very easy and every row is the same until the bind off. I can see using this same, simple edging around a baby blanket knit on the bias ala brooklyntweed.

The yarn is wonderful; light and soft and very natural looking in color. I'm sure others might be bored with the single motif repeated throughout, but I quite like the look.

Although the actual name of this one has it as a scarf, and many of the smaller triangles I've done have been named shawls, this one is much larger and is truly shawl sized. [53" x 42"]

Light at the end of the tunnel

Quite hard to tell what this is supposed to be, isn't it?

This is the Cloud Gray shawl - a triangular shawl but you sure can't tell that by the picture. I can hardly tell it myself and I'm knitting it!

I'm working the edging, in the round, on all three sides. Rounds are rather long, but the edging repeats are actually soothing to knit and every other round is plain knit.

I started this with close to a full ball of yarn and had visions of lace scarves and things I might could knit with the leftover yarn. Well this edge, on this many stitches, is a yarn eater and I'm not sure now I'll have enough. But we shall see. No need to get the cart before horse just yet.

It might be nice to have a bit of instant gratification, and these quick loopy felt flowers might be fun. I think they'd be nice to use instead of bows on packages and gift bags. Of course, I'd have to get UP to find the felt. Maybe I'll just keep knitting around and around.

Whew! Another hot, hot day. I hope you've had a good weekend.

a cloud on the horizon

Would you be surprised to learn that my new knit is a lace shawl? No? How about that it is one from "Knitted Lace of Estonia"? Still not surprised? How about that I'm not using Lacey Lamb? See! I'm full of surprises. And, hey! It isn't even RED either!

I bought two balls of Classic Elite's Silky Alpaca Lace in a soft gray they call Cloud Gray. I think it would be perfect for the Galina Khmeleva shawl pictured on the front of the current "Piecework", but just reading the instructions made my head hurt! I just felt I'd be too distracted to tackle it just now.

Instead I turned back to Nancy Bush and picked "Triangular Scarf in Leaf Pattern". This one starts at the very bottom tip and increases up. One 8-stitch leaf is repeated. Once the triangle is knitted, stitches are picked up all around and the edge is knitted on.

Something tells me that it may prove too long and pointed to be very wearable, but it sure is FUN to knit so far.

I'm certainly getting Santa Claus' money's worth out of this book and there are a couple more simple ones before I get to the gorgeous Crown Prince Square Shawl pictured on the book's cover.

(Sat., June 13 is World Wide Knit In Public Day. I enjoyed a new-to-me podcast today complete with British accent - Electric Sheep - and in episode 2 she gives a little glimpse into her public knitting encounters.)