Posted under cats & socks & stash
If you suspected that in the past few days I’ve been spending most of my time on Ravelry, then your suspicions would be correct. I’ve been busily taking pictures of yarn so I can add them to my stash.
I thought I’d share what I consider to be the crown jewel of my lace stash. This Claudia Handpainted Silk Laceweight in Jungle that I got on sale. I have no idea what to do with it. It’s so hard to find a good pattern that will go with a handpaint. Any and all suggestions are welcome, but I’m thinking maybe the Adamas or the Lotus Blossom Shawl?
I have had time for some knitting though. I’m almost done with Clue 5 of the Mystery Stole and I’m nearly to the toe of the second Chevron sock.
Other then that, not much has been going on here at Chez Akamai Knitter. Oh yeah, I decided to throw Quincy out with the trash.* He got into my handspun. Gah! Luckily it wasn’t too badly damaged.
I don’t think he looks that unhappy in the wastebasket. What do you think?
*I didn’t actually put him there. Please don’t call the cat police on me.
Mikaiya on 06 Aug 2007 at 12:07 pm #
I would definitely suggest Adamas! It looks so stunning, even variegated. My first was a neutral purple, but my second was a handpainted silk and it came out just lovely.
chris on 06 Aug 2007 at 12:22 pm #
Lovely! I have that color, too. But I’m currently using her Carribbean blue colorway for the Shoalwater shawl and it really is pretty.
Quincy doesn’t look too disturbed at all to be in the trash. In fact, that little face has a tint of mischief in it!
Lemma on 06 Aug 2007 at 12:26 pm #
That is some gorgeous lace yarn. No suggestions on usage, though. I tend toward solid color yarns, so I have not looked much at patterns for variegated.
And yeah, cats will wind up in the strangest places.
Sue J. on 06 Aug 2007 at 12:30 pm #
Oh, I love that lace yarn from Claudia! I concur with Adamas. And Quincy looks so cute, even in a wastebasket. He has the most beautiful eyes. Kudos to you for being so organized on Ravelry. I just can’t see photographing all my stuff. I like all the groups, though.
Roseann on 06 Aug 2007 at 12:56 pm #
I love your chevron socks and you are in the home stretch! As for your Claudia Handpaints gorgeous lace yarn, how about the leaf lace shawl by Fiber Trends (S-2010)? The leaf sections would show off those delicate colors so nicely. I’m glad you are enjoying Ravelry and thank you for explaining it to me.
Shelly on 06 Aug 2007 at 1:48 pm #
ROFLOL Quincy really looks like he is not amused! What was that number for the cat police?????
Seriously - I have got to get back to the mystery stole..dang it - I hate a break - it takes my momentum away!
Hugs
loribird on 06 Aug 2007 at 1:56 pm #
The yarn is gorgeous! I knit Adamas with a variegated yarn, and it came out well - the pattern is simple enough to work with the color changes, I believe. Though the lotus shawl is lovely too…
Quincy’s in the handspun, huh? Has he been talking to Hannah? (I still haven’t found the gray skein of yarn she stole last week…)
debbie on 06 Aug 2007 at 4:56 pm #
quincy looks kinda contented. i love that claudia handpainted colorway and the sheen.
Janelle on 06 Aug 2007 at 5:11 pm #
I’m knitting Icarus out of that same yarn in the John B colorway. I love the color of yours! You can see my sad progress shot in my projects folder on Ravelry (bioengiknitter). The Ravelry time suck isn’t that bad once you get yourself all set up. I’m sure you’re having fun!
Hattie on 06 Aug 2007 at 6:21 pm #
The only shawl pattern I’ve seen that I really liked in a variegate was the forest canopy shawl.
http://knittingasfastasican.com/forest-canopy-shoulder-shawl/
You’ve probably seen it… ;)
Yeah I’d say Quincy looks happy where he is. Goofy thing, cats are weird like that…
desiknitter on 06 Aug 2007 at 6:53 pm #
I like the adamas shawl! Icarus or Clapotis would also look lovely, and show off the variegated shades. What a gorgeous handpaint; I would look for something smaller, like a shoulder shawl or a scarf, rather than a big shawl.
Jeanne on 06 Aug 2007 at 10:03 pm #
I have the same yarn in a different colorway and just can’t bring myself to use it! Poor Quincy - I’m sure he didn’t mean to do it!
Debi on 06 Aug 2007 at 11:19 pm #
Quincy looks like trouble wherever he is :)
That silk is lovely, can’t wait to see what you do with it!
textillian on 07 Aug 2007 at 1:43 am #
Not being a shawl knitter, my only thought would be going for a rectangular shaped shawl for the yarn rather than triangular to keep the pattern within the yarn.
It is lovely yarn. I just bought some of her fingering yarn in the Boot Camp colorway for socks (along with a LOT of other sock yarns) since my LYS was having a BOGO sale. SQUEEEE!
Bogey would be in sooo much trouble if he got into my wools. Luckily, he has not interest in it, as they do not smell like beef, chicken, or pork….
Karen B. on 07 Aug 2007 at 1:49 am #
Beautiful silky goodness, Opal. And on sale?? How could you resist…
I don’t know what your yardage is but you might take a look at Pink Lemon Twist’s (Melanie) other patterns like the Hanami scarf or the Scheherazade stole. I can attest to Forest Canopy looking good in variegated shades but I also like her Spring Things shawl (nupps or no nupps).
As for Mistah Quincy? To the “time out” tent with him :o)
limedragon :-: Harriet on 07 Aug 2007 at 1:53 am #
Love that Jungle colorway, very pretty! And haha, poor Quincy! Of course he looks happy, cats are weird, they like to squeeze into small boxes etc.
Alison on 07 Aug 2007 at 2:40 am #
The Landscape Shawl is gorgeous for handpaints and has instructions for any weight of yarn. Also look on Ravelry for “Icarus” because a lot of people did theirs in handpainted and they are very pretty. It is very pretty yarn and deserves a simple pattern to do it justice!
Robbyn on 07 Aug 2007 at 2:58 am #
Why is it all cats look contented in small spaces - even when they’re in disgrace? Such odd creatures :)
Of course it wouldn’t be home without them…
Actually, I went and refreshed my memory on both the shawls you mentioned and I think I like the Lotus blossom better. Adamas is very pretty but Lotus has more “solid” areas which I think would show off the handpaint better. I’d be afraid that in the Adamas, both the beauty of the yarn *and* the stitch pattern would be lost as they kind of cancel each other out.
What do I know - it’s probably be spectacular! LOL!
nova on 07 Aug 2007 at 3:41 am #
I think the lotus shawl is pretty, but Adamas might show the yarn better. It is really gorgeous! I can not believe you got it on sale!
Meredith on 07 Aug 2007 at 4:41 am #
Ohhhhhhhhhh, pooooooooooooor Quincy!!!! And the Cat Police would put HIM in jail, not you…or is that the Yarn Police?
I think I am going to use my Claudia silk lace (in Blue Fields, on sale…and for you other commenters, OPAL MADE ME DO IT!) for an Icarus…was just thinking about it last night as I worked on Clue 5 of MS3. That or the Syrian Shawl from VLT…both are nicely lacey and have lots of relatively plain areas where the handpainted yarn can do its thing without interfering with a pattern. I’m leaning toward Icarus, mostly because I like the border better. Whadda ya think?
**huggggggggssss** (even to the Q-Bear, naughty boy that he is!)
Meredith
knitnana on 07 Aug 2007 at 4:47 am #
How about Diamond Fantasy Shawl? I think it looks great in variegated (of course, I have mine OTN in SweetPeas Gossamer from KP.
Your Claudia is GORGEOUS….
The kitties are so funny - Quincy does not look any the worse for being put in the trash…
(((hugs)))
Peggy on 07 Aug 2007 at 10:45 am #
That yarn is yummy, I want to touch and stroke it. Send it to me, I promise to mail it back to you, eventually.
Dee on 07 Aug 2007 at 11:39 am #
The Lotus Blossom shawl would look beautiful in that handpainted color.
Quincy …..what a bad, bad boy!!!!
Jane on 07 Aug 2007 at 7:32 pm #
Beautiful handpainted yarn! It will be beautiful no matter what you knit with it! Cats and yarn. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them :-)
Jenny Raye on 08 Aug 2007 at 10:02 am #
Quincy has the prettiest (or should I say most handsome) eyes. Looks like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. Poor innocent boy ;o)
Laughingrat on 08 Aug 2007 at 2:22 pm #
Hmm…I’ve had good luck using handpaints with simple repeating lace motifs like Smiling Triangles or Gothic Leaf, and a friend made the Kiri shawl out of a handpaint she got from me and she says it turned out great (still haven’t seen a picture *pout*). So it definitely is possible to use a handpaint in a lace pattern!
Susan Pandorf on 09 Aug 2007 at 7:59 am #
Hi Opal. Just now catching up with your blog. I was going to suggest forest canopy for he Claudia Handpaint, but I see you already have one of those on the needles. What about the myrtle leaf shawl from VLT? I just naturally gravitate towards something leafy, given the color.
BTW, Duckly Uggs. How cute is that?
Blessings!