Thursday 27 October 2011

The Pale Cast of Thought

About a month and a half ago I started knitting Sharon Miller's "Bressay Hap Wrap", a free pattern from Rowan. I do like the design, but should have read the instructions carefully before casting on. After some consideration I have decided to frog what I've made and modify both the construction and the pattern. Here are the two main modifications:

Original design: four outer borders knitted separately with their corners sewn together.
Modified version: stitches for outer borders picked up around the centre section and knitted in the round to avoid seams.

Original design: all garter stitch.
Modified version: a combination of garter stitch and stocking stitch, partly for variation, partly to show and compare the difference in a single garment. (I'm bringing this project to Saturday's lace knitting workshop at GarnGalleriet.)

Encouraged by all the positive comments on my previous post I returned to Litet nystan to add even more to my stash of Shetlandsuld. Thank you! :-)

Ron and Francesca asked about Shetlandsuld, how it compares to Jamieson & Smith and Isager's Tvinni. I have actually never worked with J & S, so I don't know. I'd say Shetlandsuld is slightly rough to work with (which I like - not very fond of slippery yarns) but a lot softer after washing and blocking. It is quite similar to Tvinni, but thicker.

Ron also asked about the picot edge. First, I knit a few rows of stocking stitch; next a "knit two together, yarn over" row (even number of stitches); a few more rows of stocking stitch.

It is possible to fold and sew it in place, but I prefer knitting it in place through the cast-on loops: not only does it look neater to me, but it is also over and done with. I knit through every second loop, the ones about the yarn-over holes - I have found that doing so accentuates the points.

knitting the picot edge in place

6 comments:

Liisa said...

Good tip on the picot edge! I find knitting in every cast on loop makes the edge a bit thick and "bulky" so I'll try your way next time.

Carolina said...

That's a nifty way of doing the picot edge. I will have to try that. You are a person of great moral fiber to frog all that knitting!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tutorial. I now wonder how you joined in the black. It really looks like the red is under the cast on black edge. Or is my eye deceiving me.
Ron

Victoria said...

Hi Ivar, the course today was great, the room was filled with frustration and contemplation. Wonderful. And I will steal the pattern of the Bressay Hap Wrap for my first laceknitting project, I think its lovely.

ylva said...

Long time no see ! Gosh! you have made a lot since I popped by! Everything is lovely aspecially the birdsweater and I do would like to have your stash!!!

Anonymous said...

I think I have figured it out - you purled a row in black before the corrugated rib???
Ron