Branching Out (Take 2)
I'm telling you because you're the only people on this planet who will find this information even remotely newsworthy but if I don't shout it out somewhere fast I'm going to explode.
I'm actually knitting lace (again) and kinda/sorta liking it.
Yes. The Original Lace-o-Phobe is a few pattern repeats into Branching Out (aka Baby Lace) (Lace for Dummies?) and I haven't totally crapped it up or thrown myself out a window. I'll admit I'm using telephone poles for needles (US8 Addi Lace) and rope (Elsebeth Lavold Silky Cashmere) but I'm doing it and I'm thrilled beyond all reason.
Does this mean I actually like knitting lace? I'm not sure. The floppy, indistinct nature of it still doesn't sit well but I'm loving all those freaky S1K2PSSO commands. They make me feel all accomplished and Zimmermanny.
I have five skeins of Silky Cashmere and I hereby pledge that all five of those suckers will be part of a Branching Out scarf before the year is out.
Honest.
Labels: Branching Out, Elizabeth Zimmermann, Elsebeth lavold
posted by Barbara Bretton at 9:16 PM
10 Comments:
yay!!!! Good for you. It looks lovely, and that is lovely yarn for that scarf. It will be gorgeous.
Very nice Barbara. If you're a fusspot like me you'll have worked out that the ends of the scarf will be slightly different. The beginning end has two pints - as u can see in your photo, while the finishing end rises in the center. A good blocking with a wire thru to make the ends straight works a treat.
Oooh, pretty, Barbara. I've wanted to try knitting lace since forever but fear I don't have the patience for it. Your photo inspires me, however ...
Start with something simple, Fran.
I didn't, but I persevered. FIrebird by the Tsarina of Tsocks is NOT an easy knit, but I did learn a lot.
I've tried Branching Out at least 10 times and never got past row 5. It's on my Life List now...
(I saw the Firebird Socks in progress - the Tsarina is in my knitting group. Watching Lisa design and knit is like watching Michaelangelo.)
It's beautiful! I love knitting lace. It's so satisfying-in a creative juices kind of way. I love that pattern too. Will have to get it.
Hey, congrats, Barbara! You've come to the Dark Side! I'm so excited to see your white lace scarf (does this sound familiar?) taking "indistinct" shape. Actually, I think it looks quite pretty and not at all floppy.
I always think of W. B. Yeats' line about "the fascination of what's difficult" when I'm S1K2PSSOing away. Of course the rest of the poem is kind of depressing so I ignore that.
Thanks for the encouragement, everyone. Why are those weird yarn manipulations so compelling? I can barely wait to purl back and do something else unholy with the yarn.
And Nancy, did you have to mention WBY? One of my four all-time favorite poets: WBY, Theodore Roethke, Robert Frost, and Robert Herrick(esp Delight in Disorder). But WBY always makes me cry.
"But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face"
I've made the branching out scarf and I think you'll be very happy with the outcome!
Teabird- I'm her Tserf. :) I envy you being able to knit with her weekly!
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