I seem to have found favor with the yarn gods this week :)  Yesterday, prowling around in the thrift shop with my dad (on his never-ending hunt for unstained silk ties at $1.00 or less), in the middle of a towering display of stuffed animals, I found this:

16 balls of Laines du Pingouin Angelique.  It’s a 2-ply (fingering weight?) blend of 50% wool, 40% angora and 10% nylon.  The balls are only 14 grams each and there is no note of how many yards or meters of length :)

I know Pingouin has been out of business for quite a while now and that this isn’t new yarn.  But I’d love to know a little more of its provenance than I do.  I spent part of the morning trying to chase down Pingouin yarns - and there is information out there.  But nothing on this particular yarn.  I can only make a couple of surmises.  Given the nylon content, the yarn’s production was post WWII.  However, I have never seen yarn packaged like this, in a carefully stapled, heavy cardboard box with dividers to give each little ball its own section.  I don’t imagine that kind of packaging extended much past the late 60s.

The only thing on the box label that isn’t on the ball bands is the note that this yarn was distributed by the Bernhard Ulmann Company, but looking that up only led me to Ulmann’s yarn company - Bucilla.

Do any of you know anything about this, or know where I might go to find out?

The yarn itself is beyond luxurious feeling and is in very good shape.  It’s not dirty or musty and hasn’t been a moth playground as far as I can tell.  And there’s enough here to make something really nice and really soft.  The color is my only objection - beige is so…beige?

Maybe a little red/orange in the dyebath - just to shift things into a warmer range?  How does angora dye, anyway?

And then there was this:

I had read about this yarn, but never seen it before.  This is not vintage stuff and is currently available - at least on line.  It was tucked into the same display as the Angelique and, since it was decent wool, in decent shape, I couldn’t just leave it there :)  I have already started a pair of house socks for my father with this.  You may remember I made him a pair a few years ago out of Woolease.  He loves them and uses them all the time in the cold weather.  I just thought he should have an alternate pair and charcoal is so his color…

It’s very springy and fun to work with and I love the associations, both musical and literary :)

16 balls Angelique + 3 balls Peer Gynt =

<$10. Whee!!!

Chatters is definitely on for Saturday night.  Drop in if you have the chance - the Christmas decorations are up :)

Sunset Tiles

 
Concept

This is an entrelac shawl intended for warmth rather than laciness.  The body is done in stockinette blocks in three different colors and is worked from the top down beginning with the standard triangles transitioning to the standard blocks.  On each tier, one block less is worked than the tier before and the shawl is worked down to the point, the final tier - one block.  Stitches are picked up around the edges and the border is knitted on in garter stitch using the main color.  The edging is crocheted in the contrast colors.

This particular shawl is big because I want to use it like a coat.  Coats make me feel restricted and confined; shawls are much better, not to mention having many more options as to how to wear the garment :)  At this size, it will also make a reasonable throw as well - wide enough (when turned sideways) to snuggle under :)  Worked in worsted weight wool on size 8 US (5 mm) needles, it’s about 83” wide and 45” top the top edge to the point.  It wouldn’t be difficult to down-size if you prefer something a bit smaller.  Simply start with fewer triangles and work fewer blocks.  Alternatively, DK weight yarn and size 5 or 6 needles would also reduce the size - if not the work :)

A good familiarity with entrelac is necessary to work the shawl.  This tutorial, All Aboard the Entrelac Express may help if you’re new to this technique.

Materials

Worsted weight yarn in three colors: 1000 yards MC (main color), 250 yards CC1 (contrast color 1), 200 yards CC2 (contrast color 2).

I used Berocco Ultra Alpaca in Lavender Mix for the main color.  The two contrast colors are anonymous wools from a bargain bin.  You may remember that the orange yarn was a yucky mustard color when I initially brought it home :)  I can recommend the Ultra Alpaca - it was lovely to work with, soft and comfortable and knits up very nicely.  There was also not a single knot in (5) 215-yard skeins.

Size 8 US (5 mm) circular needles in both 60” and 32” lengths

I used Knitpicks Options interchangeable needles and simply switched the cables once the width of the piece had sufficiently narrowed.

Size 8 US (5 mm) straight needles - you only need one and a double point with a point protector on the end does a dandy job :)

Size 8/H (5.00 mm) crochet hook

The usual peripheral assortment: Tapestry needle, stitch markers if you like ‘em, scissors, etc.

Gauge - 4 stitches/inch (not really pertinent and only noted for the curious)

Measurements

Across top - 83 inches
Top edge to point - 45 inches

Terms

K - Knit
P - Purl
K2togB - Knit two together through the back loop
P2tog - Purl two together.
S1 wyif - Slip one stitch purlwise with yarn in front

Pattern

With MC and 60” circular, cast on 180 stitches.

First triangle:

P2, turn.
K2, turn.
P3, turn.
K3, turn.
P4, turn.
K4, turn.

Continue like this, picking up an additional stitch on each purl row until your row consists of P15.  Do not turn.  The first triangle is complete.  Create the next triangle the same way and continue creating triangles until you have 12 all together.  Bind off last triangle.  Do not break yarn - 1 stitch remains on needle.

Tier A

With front of work facing you, pick up 14 stitches down the side of the triangle.  Turn and purl back.  Now, turn and K14.  Then, K2togB, combining the last knit stitch with the first stitch on the following triangle.  Turn and P15.

Continue in this fashion until all of the stitches have been assimilated. 

Once you have executed your last K2togB, don’t turn.  Pick up 15 stitches along the side of the triangle (remember on the first block of the row, you had one stitch left over from the bind-off) and proceed as before.  You will have 11 blocks on this tier.  Bind this last block off purlwise.

Tier B

Pick up 14 stitches purlwise down the side of the triangle.  Turn and knit back.  Now turn and P14.  Then P2tog, combining the last stitch of the block with the first stitch on the following triangle.  Turn and K15.

Continue in this fashion until all of the stitches have been assimilated.

Break MC and join CC1.  Repeat instructions for Tier B block for 8 more blocks.  Cut CC1 and rejoin MC.  Do the last block and bind off knitwise.

 
Alternate tier one and tier two using diagram for color placement.

Hints:  Tier one blocks will always be entirely MC.  Tier two block will always begin and end with MC with the blocks between knit in either CC1 or CC2.

Switch over to the 32” circular when the 60” gets too long to be convenient.

When you finish the last block - the point block - bind off.

Border

With right side facing and beginning at upper left of shawl with 60” circular, attach MC.  Pick up 15 stitches in each block - every stitch in the bound off blocks and every other stitch in the selvedge edge blocks.  Don’t make yourself crazy - the border is plain garter stitch and the number of rows doesn’t matter so long as the stitches are evenly placed and each side of the shawl is graced with approximately the same number :)

At the top right, when you’ve finished picking up the stitches, cast on 15 more.
K14, K2togB combining the last cast on stitch with the first picked up stitch on the shawl.
Sl1 wyif, K14.

1. Sl1 wyif, K13, K2togB.
2. S1 wyif, K14.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you have knit up all the stitches on the right-hand side of the shawl and have reached the point.  Beginning from the outside edge:

Sl1 wyif, K13.
Turn, K14.
Sl1 wyif, K12.
Turn, K13.
S1 wyif, K11.
Turn, K12.

Continue this way, working one less stitch each iteration until you do:
Sl1 wyif, K1.
Turn, K2.

This is the first half of the miter that will get you around the point.  Now you want to work your way back out and to do that you simply reverse the process:

Sl1 wyif, K2.
Turn, K3.
Sl1 wyif, K3.
Turn, K4.

Continue on this way until you are back to 15 stitches and then begin incorporating the picked-up stitches up the left-hand side of the shawl as before:

1. Sl1 wyif, K13, K2togB.
2. S1 wyif, K14.

...until you have come all the way up the left-hand side and incorporated all the pick-up stitches.

Bind off.

 
Edging

Attach CC1 to upper right corner of shawl and, with right side facing, chain 1 and then single crochet down the side (one sc in each stitch), three stitches in center stitch on point, and up the left.  Cut CC1.
Return to the upper right corner and attach CC2.  Chain 2 and then half double crochet in each single crochet down the side, three hdcs in center stitch of point, and hdc in each sc up the left side.  Cut CC2.

Weave in the ends and block or not as you choose.  I like the slightly three-dimensional look of the entrelac, so I didn’t block this one :)

As always, please use yarns and colors that please you :)

Also please, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.  I have found entrelac very simple to do but very difficult to describe and while I hope very much that this is clear, I am aware that it could possibly be better.

And also, as always - have a good time!

Happy Monday after Thanksgiving!  Hope you all had a wonderful holiday :)

It was quiet here, but pleasant.  On Thursday, dad and I went to a local restaurant for dinner (we both had turkey).  I wound up bringing most of it home as the servings were more than generous.  On Friday, Myria and I had our own little celebration with Myria’s awesome rosemary/garlic chicken - one of our favorites and something we hadn’t had in quite a while :)  It’s a very simple preparation - all you need is a roasting chicken (5.5 - 7 lbs), some fresh rosemary and some garlic cloves. 

We get the rosemary in a little packet in the produce section of the supermarket, the garlic too for that matter :)  How much garlic is entirely up to you but we usually use two whole bulbs.

Peel the garlic cloves and rinse the rosemary and the chicken in fresh, cold water.  Now, as gently as you can, push the rosemary sprigs and the garlic cloves under the chicken skin.  Do this all over the bird until all your herbs are used up. 

Place the chicken in a 5 quart crock pot (see, it does get used for something besides dyeing once in a while!) and set on low for a couple of hours.  Move the setting to high for the next 5 - 6 hours and - just as if you were cooking this in the oven - the chicken is done when the little timer pops up :)  This is incredibly yummy and you won’t believe how good your kitchen will smell :)

We had rice and asparagus with this and it was an awesome feast!  In fact (pardon me while I drool), we have leftovers in the fridge that I will probably raid this afternoon!

I have finished the entrelac shawl, by dint of exclusive work Saturday and Sunday - but I am having a difficult time writing the pattern.  Rest assured I will manage it, but it’s rather slow going at the moment.  Entrelac isn’t difficult to do, but it’s a bloody bear to explain :)

The pattern’s coming - I promise :)

It seems as though, when I’m not obsessing and not getting in my own way, I actually can accomplish something :)

As the weather gets colder (we even had some light snow yesterday) the fingerless mitts are getting used more and more often and I find I’m having a slight problem that I didn’t have in years past.

They itch :(

The Someone-stole-the-fingers-from-my-gloves Gloves, which were the first mitts I ever made and have been my faithful companions for three years now are suddenly unbearable.  I imagine my skin has gotten dryer and more sensitive but it seems so unfair.  I really loved these mitts.  Even the Glacial Gauntlets are a bit scratchy, though not nearly as uncomfortable.  However, those are pretty light weight and I often want something a bit more…snuggly?

So I went stash diving and found a ball plus a bit of baby alpaca/cashmere sport weight which was the gift of a friend a while back.  This stuff is incredibly soft and doesn’t bother even my neck, let alone my wrists.  I broke out the size 5 US (3.75 mm) DPNs and off I went :)

I won’t bore you with yet another mitt pattern - you all know that stuff anyway.  This is just a seed/rib combination that I cribbed from the cuffs of a favorite sweater.

Multiple of 7

Round 1: *(K1, P1) twice, K1, P2*; repeat around.
Round 2: *K2, P1, K2, P2; repeat around.

The gusset variation this time is just a yarnover increase for a tiny bit of laciness.  On those gusset rounds where you’re not increasing, it’s just a K1, yo, K2tog on the right, knit across the gusset to the last three stitches and SSK, yo, K1.

My Gawd are these nice!  All the warm and snuggly you could want in addition to being softer than a kitten’s ear :)  Just exactly what I was looking for.  They are a little bit loose - a size 4 US (3.5 mm) needle would have been a better option - but it’s not a problem.  When and if I ever make these again, I’ll remember to go down a size on the pins :)

But, that isn’t the only thing - though this one isn’t a big deal either :)

I finally decided on a border for my entrelac shawl - simple garter stitch (15 sts), knitted on around the diagonal edges.  I will add a bit of the interior colors to the edges once the border is done.  I’m not a big fan of garter stitch as a rule, but I like the way this is working out and it couldn’t be simpler.  I had also forgotten how springy garter stitch can be - this border has body!

I’m going to take the rest of the week and the weekend off, so no post Friday and no Chatters Saturday night.

I wish you all the warmest and happiest of Thanksgivings.  Stay safe and have fun :)

See you next Monday!

For now, the castle is shelved.  I have dithered over it all weekend, to the point of starting a prototype three times!  I took a bunch of pictures this morning - but none of them look like anything.  Despite thinking about lace and how different things will (or won’t!) go together, things look…well…childish and as though they were just thrown together - like I didn’t know what I was doing. 

Which I don’t :)

I still love the idea and I still want a wool blanket - but perhaps I’ll do the blanket now and save the castle for some other time.

It’s funny how, when you get going on one thing, you loose track of everything else.  I haven’t worked on another project in a week and believe me - that’s extraordinary.  The last time that happened was with the Meanderthal Shawl back in July which, in contrast to this, actually produced something :)

Ack!  Pay no attention to that grumpy knitter behind the curtain.  She needs more coffee and a steady diet of small, easy projects for a while :)

Potholders, anyone?

See the “Knitting Chatter” button on the side bar for more information.

Bring your knitting :)

So I’ve been swatching…

...and I’ve come to the reluctant conclusion that while a lace castle was an interesting idea, it won’t look the way I want it to look - solid :)  You’d think that would have been a duh wouldn’t you?  It isn’t quite out of the question, but after spending yesterday looking at pictures of castles and going over every lace stitch pattern I can find, I don’t see that it would be feasible.

Not unless I want a blanket-sized castle…  That might be an interesting idea for a lace shawl done in frog-hair yarn (thanks Barb!) on microscopic needles but it’s not what I had in mind for the blanket.

Between searches, while I was mulling things over, I worked out a couple of things..

The first attempt at a window didn’t come out so hot…

The second came out much better.  I envision these as tower windows (God knows where they’ll actually end up!) and I even like the seed stitch texture for the tower(s).

It would, however, be entirely too much for the castle I think.  This was a preliminary swatch for the castle texture -

- but I think it would be way too busy unless the castle was (again) blanket sized.  I considered several things and am still thinking about others.  I want something that suggests stone but doesn’t so dominate that the texture is the only thing the eye sees.  While I was playing with a door concept, I tried throwing in random and occassional purl stitches onto the castle walls to see how that would work…

It’s not perfect, but I think it’s a step in the right direction :)

While I was swatching last night, we watched The Man From Earth.  The movie has an intriguing premise which, unfortunately, gets piddled all over by illogical arguments and unwarranted associations. Dan Brown would love it.  It is however a perfect knitter’s film in a couple of respects.  It is entirely set in the main character’s living room and there is no action of any kind.  It’s all dialogue - so you never have to look up from your knitting.  However, if you do - try to get a good look at the vest the older woman is wearing.  It’s a beautiful piece of entrelac :)