Friday, April 23, 2010

Big blanky for me!

I bought this great yarn (Karabella Margrite, an 8ply/DK 80/20 merino/cashmere blend) when an Australian online yarn store closed down a few years ago - there were only 5 balls in the red, an awkward amount for a project - not enough for a garment but too much for most accessories - but I couldn't resist. Like all good knitters, I knew the yarn would tell me what it wanted to be eventually.

Then when I saw DrK's huge red Shetland Triangle (Ravlink), I knew that I had found the project for my yarn. Just not the time to cast on...

Until one day in December last year, I had the knitting blahs, so I decided it was time, time to start my own huge red Shetland Triangle.

Details
Pattern: Shetland Triangle Lace Shawl by Evelyn A Clark, from Wrap Style. A lovely, easy, beautiful pattern, which uses the fir cone lace stitch pattern which I love! Looks like a blobby mess pre-blocking...but apply water and a some Soak wool wash and magic happens.
The pre-blocked size was 144cm/57" across the wingspan, and 65cm/25.5" deep.
Post-blocking, I achieved a wingspan of 190cm/75" and depth of 98cm/38.5". Fabulous!
Yarn: Karabella Margrite, 4.5 x 50g balls. This yarn is expensive, but has amazing yardage (154yd/141m per 50g ball)! I ended up doing 13 repeats of the body pattern and tossed up whether to do another, but really didn't want to end up short of yarn, and I'm glad I made the right choice, I wouldn't have had enough for that extra repeat.

Sticks: 5.5mm KP Harmony Options

Time: 9 December 2009 - 9 April 2010. While the beginnings of the shawl went quickly, I thought it was never going to end - those final rows were quite long! But I got there in the end!
And I'm so glad I did, I love it! It will be my lovely winter blanky shawl. If only it would actually get cold here - we're in mid-Autumn and still having daytime temperatures of 25C or higher (that's 77F for my US friends). Not that I'm really complaining. But this weather is not so good for the knitwear!

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

god thats gorgeous and i cant believe how soft and smooth that yarn is. this really makes me want to knit another one of these, im sure its my favourite shawl pattern ever. beautiful work!

Anonymous said...

love love love it! It's perfect. One of the best shawl patterns ever written. Now we both have a red shetland triangle! Isn't it just fabulous?

And you have a dummy! When did you get a dummy?

Gidgetknits said...

Oh, that's glorious!!! Just the thing to wrap up in. I'm waiting for the cold too so that I can wear my big blanky shawls again. Nothing quite like pottering about in pjs and a big shawl, is there? (Oddly, word verification says nonjam... it has problem with jammies?)

2paw said...

Oh it's gorgeous, I have always had a hankering for one too. It will be deliciously warm and I just love the lace pattern.

Michelle said...

Nice one RoseRed! And it's red! And warm! And so very you! Love seeing how it grows too.

LynS said...

Lovely. Everything about it. Lovely.

Anonymous said...

Oh my god that is sublime! How utterly beautiful! I really need to get hold of that pattern.

Should I be wishing you cold weather then?

kgirlknits said...

GOR-geous!

hope the weather takes a dramatic turn, just for you ;)

Sarah said...

Oh that is just heavenly - me want!

mooncalf said...

ooh lovely - I must have been planning to make this shawl for years now. Every time I see one as lovely as yours it scootles nearer the top of my queue. Great choice for the season too!

MadMad said...

Shetland Triangle is one of my favorite shawl patterns - and yours is a gorgeous one! What a great idea to make it nice and big! Love the color, too!

catsmum said...

loveitloveitloveit

Linda said...

Jeepers, that is gorgeous. I love that red, just lovely!

Donna Lee said...

I love large shawls that wrap around you not for show but for real warmth. That one is not only warm looking but beautiful.

Geek Knitter said...

That is soooo beautiful!

Mereknits said...

Absolutley Beautiful!!!! It looks like it was made for a knitting pattern book. WoW!

Aussie Maria said...

Absolutely stunning!!

Alrischa said...

Guess what? I love it! Who wouldn't? It's fantastic and beautiful...

Anonymous said...

Ooooh, gorgeous! That color is to die for. I hope it cools off soon so you get to wrap up in its deliciousness.

Carol said...

This is absolutely gorgeous and couldn't have been in a better colour.

Ann said...

It's gorgeous & so pretty. It's a good size & I am sure it will keep you warm all winter.