Wing o' the Moth
Thursday night I cast on for Wing o' the Moth with the newly acquired Kidsilk Haze in the lovely Hurricane color. The pattern is from Knitspot. I discovered Anne Hanson's blog a few months ago and had been waiting to have a few lace projects under my belt to tackle one of her patterns. As it turns out, Wing o' the Moth is not a complex pattern, at least so far, and Anne's instructions are fabulous, including detailed charts and written step-by-step directions. I have her BeeFields triangular shawl also in my queue, but that one is a little more complicated.
These pictures are poor quality, but you get an idea of what it's like to knit lace with mohair. It's murder! I love the look and feel of the yarn — it's gorgeous — but my eyes are getting twisted trying to see what I'm doing. I've had to tink a few rows already and it was a nightmare. Mohair doesn't like to be frogged, I tell you.
Still, I have eight out of fifteen repeats of the fir cone motif for the body and if I can keep this up, I should have the shawl ready by the end of the month. Since I am a sucker for punishment, I already have five balls of KSH in Blood color for another, yet unspecified, shawl. Not BeeFields, that's for sure. That one will have to be knit in wool.
Comments
Ahem...I think I sent you that link - no wonder you wanted to kill me! I am very good at spending your money, eh? Your shawl is another stunning piece of lacework! Is there a state fair in your area...you should enter some of your work. I'm sure you would take home a blue ribbon!!!
Posted by: Kate/Massachusetts | September 10, 2007 2:24 PM
Ooops, forgot...this isn't a shawl or made in laceweight yarn but if you move to Boston, you'll need a couple! :-)
http://brooklyntweed.blogspot.com/2007/08/hemlock-ring-blanket.html
Posted by: Kate/Massachusetts | September 10, 2007 2:27 PM
Lovely yarn, lovely pattern, and a beautiful job you are doing! KSH *is* difficult to work with, but makes the most elegant garments on the planet. It makes me look like a knitting genius. I personally use only wood or bamboo needles with KSH, because anything else is just too slick for me to manage. But I like very pointy needles, so I've been thinking about trying to sand my blunt Clover bamboo needles down. Does anyone else have any experience with that?
'Wing o' the moth' shawl is on my short list of projects, too. I can hardly wait to see how yours looks when it's blocked. Have fun, and knit carefully!
Posted by: Beth | September 10, 2007 3:41 PM
I love her as well. I have the bee stole and a couple of others on my list.
Posted by: theresa | September 10, 2007 5:31 PM
I've got some alpaca in my stash that I'm waiting to use due to the 'fuzz' factor. I can't imagine mohair! That's how to challenge yourself though right? Afterwards, I'm sure you'll feel like you can tackle anything ;)
Posted by: May | September 10, 2007 6:28 PM
Anne's lace work is gorgeous! I frogged mohair once - ONCE. If you look in my stash you'll notice - no mohair. Yep - chicken that's me. No shame here. *smile*
It looks gorgeous and I notice a couple of lifelines there. Oh to be as relaxed as the furball there, sigh.
Posted by: Barbp | September 10, 2007 6:36 PM
looks like a good start! the pain is worth the outcome. I also have the bee fields pattern...trying to decide what to use...maybe Schaefer Trenna? There's MY cat again still worn out from the heat!
Posted by: karen | September 10, 2007 8:03 PM
Just lovely! What color did you go with? You are motivating to finish mine, and that's no small feat.
I'm going to knit Bee Fields too, but the stole rather than the shawl. Large shawls unfavorably accentuate my bu**!!
Posted by: Leeah | September 10, 2007 9:05 PM
Isn't it mohair (or angora?) that you freeze before frogging? Never tried it, but one of those fuzzy yarns is supposed to yield more easily if chilled.
You're making excellent progress, and the KSH is worth the bother. The finished shawl is going to be exquisite.
Posted by: Sylvia | September 11, 2007 12:13 AM
Oh I have this pattern in my queue as well as several of her others. Yours is looking beautiful so far! I just finished a project with the Kidsilk Haze and it is a pain in the butt... I found it helped to work under an Ott light and wear my granny reading glasses so I could see the stitches better and not accidentally knit some fuzz. As for frogging and tinking, I had asked for advice on Ravelry and I'd say the general consensus is that it's very difficult with the Kidsilk Haze and best to try to avoid. So knit slowly and think how beautiful it will be when finished :)
Posted by: Kimley | September 11, 2007 7:08 AM
That is stunning yarn. I am using mohair/silk also, but maybe mine isn't as sticky as yours. Race you!
Posted by: fleegle | September 11, 2007 10:24 AM
The Moth is a magnificent shawl--probably my favorite triangular design ever. Love it. Mine was huge, though, so watch your needle size!
I agree about the Bee--that one needs to be knit in something smooth. Imagine it in silk! Or at least merino/tencel...
Posted by: Beth S. | September 11, 2007 11:06 AM
This is going to be such a gorgeous shawl! That's a really cute pattern and that yarn, well... (ps: I finished my shawl!)
Posted by: Nonnahs | September 12, 2007 10:45 AM
mmm, love that color. LOVE.
Posted by: anne | September 12, 2007 11:05 AM
I haven't knit a stitch in weeks (not deliberately so, just too much going on) but your pictures are making me yearn to get back to it a.s.a.p.!!
Posted by: Karen | September 13, 2007 12:35 PM