Posted under shawls
Even before the consensus came in, I knew that I had to cast on for a project seeped in decadence. Why? Because this arrived in the mail on Tuesday.
That luscious stuff you see before you is Handmaiden Sea Silk in Marine. I’m having a particularly hard time getting a picture of how vibrant a colorway this is. In the pictures, the colors are all washed out. Just imagine the beautiful Pacific ocean off of the Hawaiian Islands.
Thanks to the generous Karen B., I was able to acquire two lovely skeins. I have been wanting and yearning for this yarn for well over a year now. I cannot tell you how grateful I am to finally be able to get my hands on some!
To properly showcase the beautiful colors in this yarn, I chose a relatively simple lace pattern, the Japanese Feather Stole by the indubitable Anne Hanson.
By now, I’ve gotten to the point where I live and die by charts. Unfortunately there isn’t a chart for this pattern, so I’ve been trying to readjust to written patterns. So while the pattern is simple and sweet, it’s been a challenge for me and it requires concentration.
It feels like my brain has been having to forge new pathways as I try to wrap my head around abbreviations and notations that I’ve not followed to this extent for quite some time. I’m so used to seeing the shapes the decreases and increases make within the chart, I feel a little lost and confused without having that as a map for what I’m doing.
I’m a little surprised at how chart dependent I’ve gotten. Looking back, there have been lace patterns that I’ve decided against doing, specifically because they weren’t charted, like the Rona. But to disregard patterns that don’t have charts seems very limiting. So I’m going to challenge myself and knit patterns that may not have charts, picking them for the beauty of the end result and not become intimidated by how they are written.
Not only is the Japanese Feather Stole an excellent starting point to achieving this goal. It’s also the single most decadent piece of knitting that I’ve ever had the pleasure to knit. Besides, I relish a little challenge when it comes to my knitting. ;-)
What’s been your most decadent project to date? Do you prefer charts or the “written word”? What inspires you to try something new?
Have a great weekend everyone! I hope you can treat yourself to something delightful! GO PATS!
