September 06, 2003
Gotta get a bigger bed!
It doesn't fit! I blocked my "Elizabeth" Faroese shawl this morning, and did get the job done, but I need to find a better solution than blocking on my bed. I went over the edges on three sides. Putting a king size bed in this apartment isn't an option. Maybe some sort of foldable blocking board.
It took me an hour and a half to block the shawl, using my Zonta wires and a lot of patience. I laughed at my goal last week to block on Tuesday morning before work. That was never going to happen!
Here's a detail of the back panel, which I think may be just a little wide. If I could start over fresh, I'd make it four repeats wide instead of five.
And here's a detail of the shoulder shaping: That straight line down the middle of the somewhat leaf-like form falls from the neck the shoulder, and then the diamond at the end sits right on the shoulder cap. I'll get a picture of this on the body when I model the shawl. I had always wondered just what it would look like, and was impressed all over again with the ingenuity of this shoulder shaping.
This is a a not-so-great photo of some new blocking pins that I bought from someplace (sorry, I don't remember where). I remember looking around to find pins that would hold the Zonta wires but wouldn't catch on the threads of the lace (like my T-pins often do). I was most impressed with these, they worked brilliantly. I think I might have found them at Woodland Woolworks. At least I do know that they're "blocking pins" and made by Clover!
I'm anxious to try it on again now that it's been blocked and see how that changed things. I think in my zeal to get the shawl big enough, I may have gotten it a little bigger than it needed to be. This is especially good to know as I embark on my Mother's shawl (soon!), as her shoulders are a little narrower than mine. My next goal is to have her shawl started and ready for her to try on for a fitting when I see her the last weekend of September. That will mean having the shoulder shaping complete, and the back panel as wide as I'm planning to make it.
I'll start adapting my Kinzel charts for a Faroese-style shawl this coming week. I feel like I'm more or less "on schedule." Hope so, anyway!
My current audiobook: The Ponder Heart by Eudora Welty
Posted by Shelda at September 6, 2003 09:11 PMLooks gorgeous! I can't wait to see pictures of it being worn.
Posted by: Lizzi at September 6, 2003 10:23 PMDear Shelda:
Oh! Oh! Ooooh My Goodness!! Just beautiful!!
For a larger and versitile blocking area why not try to find some of those relatively inexpensive but very large interlocking squares suggested by several members of the Knitted-Lace-List. I just saw some finally appear in my local Cosco Store and they look sturdy. Unlocked they don't seem to take up a huge amount of room (under a bed would do--now if only I had some space left there!). They are used for playroom "floors" and there are versions that have numbers and letters on them. The one's I saw were a solid color which is better for me -- much less hectic looking.
BFN--Yours, WendyE
Tampa, FL
Aloha, Shelda:
What a beautiful job you did. Your shawl is just gorgeous. Congratulations.
I use Styrofoam sheets I got at Home Depot to block my lace. I duct tape them together to get them as big as I need them. I just blocked by Forest Path Stole on them:
http://www.pagebypage.com/forestpath.htm
I take them apart when I don't neet them and store them under the bed.
Aloha, and congratulations again on completing your shawl.
Darilyn
Posted by: Darilyn at September 6, 2003 11:51 PMWow. This is just gorgeous-can't wait to see you model it.
Posted by: Barbara at September 7, 2003 10:04 AMGorgeous stuff Shelda! Absolutely stunning!
Posted by: Dot (Australia) at September 7, 2003 05:36 PM
Shelda it's gorgeous!
Those Clover blocking pins can be found at elann.com if you're looking for more.
I am so impressed! Maybe someday I'll be able to turn out a shawl as beautiful as yours. Please hurry with the pictures-I can't wait to see you wearing it.
Posted by: Rose at September 8, 2003 05:57 PMI stumbled onto your blog on the way to something else, and I'm loving it! Your work is beautiful, and I'm enjoying your comments and pictures.
Thanks, Lark
Posted by: Lark at September 21, 2003 10:12 AMHi Shelda,
Just lovely! Did you say where you got the pattern? My friend, Judy, is looking for a good pattern, and this looks like it!
Dana
Posted by: Dana Foss at February 19, 2004 02:46 PMThanks, Dana! This is the "Elizabeth" shawl from Myrna Stahman's excellent book, _Stahman's Shawls and Scarves." I'd love to make just about every shawl in it ;) Amazon isn't a good source for this particular book (says it's out-of-print and available only for huge sums), but that isn't the case. Hopefully you can find it at your LYS.
Posted by: Shelda at February 19, 2004 02:55 PMI like your site :)
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