Monday, September 07, 2009

WOW Day 6: The Cap Shawl

Yes, Ms 2Paw, there's more! The "weekend" isn't a day of rest in the Week of Wollmeise!

Today's inspirational WM label statement: "Let your ideas fly" - very apt for this mad/inspired scheme of mine!!

I knew when I finally bagged a skein of the WM laceweight that I wanted a project which would use as much of the skein as possible - and it's a BIG skein - 1575m/1717 yards or 300g of a heavyish merino laceweight - there's a lot of knitting in this baby.
Not to mention a lot of winding. I approached the winding of the skein with trepidation. Would it all even fit on my ballwinder? Would I end up with a horrid mess of knots? Would my arm fall off from all the winding (a 500+m skein of sock is bad enough - try doing one per day for 5 days and then this monster!).
Fortunately, there were no knots, the whole skein fit on the ballwinder (just!) and my arm did not fall off. I even wound it (slowly) in one go with no rest breaks! Here it is with yesterday's Digitessa yarncake, for comparison.
I decided to do a circular shawl with this yarn (colour is Maus Jung, by the way, which means young mouse in German!). Not least because it involves little or no purling! (Anyone seeing a theme here...). I had a few in mind but ultimately went with my first choice, the Cap Shawl (Ravlink), from Victorian Lace Today.
It's hard to capture the colour, which almost tones to purple in this grey, and of course the lace itself looks pretty much just like a blob.
So far, so good (I think...). If nothing else, the colour matches my hair quite nicely! My hair will probably be entirely grey by the time I finish this!

28 comments:

Jenny said...

Wow that is really ambitious! I'm sure it will be a journey to complete. I have just started my first lace pattern Willoughby by Jared Flood and at least it have purl every second row for a rest!

Bells said...

Oh wow! You started it! I mean, you went with the cap shawl after all that discussion we had. Fantastic. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Leonie said...

That will look stunning when it is complete.

I'd say "where do you get your inspiration from?" but there is Rav and Books and Lunchtimes at work...colour me envious!

m1k1 said...

Yay. You will not be sorry you chose this I'm sure. Triffic colour, as always.

TinkingBell said...

Gorgeous wonderful and envy again for scoring some WM lace!!!

I am loving living vicariously through you!

Unknown said...

I'm glad you didn't say your hair would be entirely purple when you finished this.

One more to go!!

Gidgetknits said...

Oh!!!! I've wanted so to do that shawl. I can't wait to see how it grows!

Donna said...

Heh, you'll probably finish yours long before I finish mine, which I started the day before WWKIP day ;)
Love the yarn!

LynS said...

Wow! What an inspirational six days. What I am really impressed by is your long-term attitude to your knitting projects - taking on so much that you can't finish any of it soon, but being confident (or at least seeming to be confident) that it will all be finished sometime. Love this shawl.

kgirlknits said...

my favourite thus far :)

the colour is magnificent, what a monster of a skein, though! you must have arms like guns after winding that baby!!

Susanne said...

I agree with Kgirl, it's my favourite so far too, that yarn looks fantastic.

Can't wait to see the progress of your shawl, and the other projects of course.

Is tomorrow really the seventh day all ready? I've enjoyed seeing what you come up with each day and hope you give us regular updates now you've peaked our interest ;)

Lynne said...

I have wanted to knit that shawl since I bought the book but I don't wear shawls - especially not lace weight - and I have no-one to knit such a wonderful item for! *sigh*

You are going great guns!

Anonymous said...

*swoon*

'nuff said

roxie said...

But wait! There's MORE! I'm waiting to see what you knit on day 8. Will you take the projects in sequence. or at whim, or by some coplex system that incorporates the weight of the yarn and the projected high temperature for the day.

That young mouse laceweight is gorgeous!!

kim said...

OMG, that color is incredible! And the yardage unreal. Looking foward to your amazing progress.

MadMad said...

I am just loving this week - I get to wake up every morning to a new surprise! They've all been such great ones, too! This one will be incredible to watch grow - and such a gorgeous color!

Sarah said...

I've been away without tinternet for a few days and I have been dying to see what you've been casting on. Terrific projects all of them - Grabo will look stunning in that red - it is the very essence and epitome of redness to my eyes! The socks - sooooo pretty, that variegation is a dream just the perfect amount and this lovely grey - I'm a sucker for greys and it will be such a gorgeous shawl. Can't wait to see number 7! This is so much fun.

Alwen said...

This is great. I can't wait to see your FOs!

Alwen said...

Oh, and I forgot to say that the verification word was "redmil", spooky!

DrK said...

yay! a cap shawl! i love that you have chosen projects so totally worthy of the wollmeise, and this is a perfect yarn for that gorgeous shawl.

Geek Knitter said...

Oooh, catch me! That's going to be so lovely.

michele said...

the color does look really pretty. and you're off to a great start - i don't think your lace looks like a blob at all - i can already see how nice this is going to be.

Anonymous said...

Wow!!!!

Envy-envy-envy-envy.

Donna Lee said...

That is a monstrous skein. But the grey/purple is so pretty. It looks soft even while it's all squished up.

2paw said...

Oh it's like "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus', but with knitting. I love that shawl and Little Mouse!! Hope no little mice ever get anywhere NEAR your woolymouse wool.

Ann said...

Love the colors & it's a BIG skein. Nice choice of pattern. Don't worry, you will not be alone as I will be here keeping track of your progress & turning grey too!

Linda said...

This is just gorgeous, i love the yarn.

Tanya said...

Who needs to go to the gym when you can wind up yarn? Bingo lady arms will be a thing of the past! That will be simply beautiful.