(First of all, thank you for your comments. And thank
you for coming for a visit. As some of you might know, if you follow my
Instagram, I have a new little puppy (monster) in the house and she has kept me
busy for a couple of weeks. Hence the
absence from the blog.)
Most of my knitting October was spent following
Stephen West’s Mystery KAL Texture Time. It was a LOT of knitting, concentrated
knitting, but … so worth of every single hour.
Although I had my doubts while
doing the final edging, these little pebbles took forever to make, and I was
almost too tired of knitting yet another row of 600 stitches but managed to steam
through to the last stitch. I love the outcome. It is graphic, it is
interesting, it is brave, it is balanced and huge. I get to enjoy it for one
more day and then it travels away with my daughter… I showed it to her and in
an instant, she said: it is for me, isn’t it!
I showed you all the yarns earlier, it is Tosh Merino
Light and I will put all the information to my Ravelry page soon.
I loved this MKAL and here are the reasons:
I trusted
the designer. I believed through the whole process that in the end
everything will fit together, and all the ends, elements and choices will work.
I kept telling myself, when there were more than 30 ends hanging in there, not
to worry, but just let go and enjoy and see what will become of them in the end.
I knew that this was Stephen’s 9th MKAL, so I knew he knew what he
was doing.
I struggled with the brioche part little bit because
it is something, I have not done in 30 years and even then, in one color only.
I did not mind all the braids, they looked so beautiful from the very beginning,
and one of the clues felt like a vacation.
I loved the
yarn. It did feel little bit expensive to buy the yarn at
first, because I was not sure if my
choices were right, if I would end up not loving the texture in the end,
but I loved it from the first stitch. The softness and the colors.
I loved the
colors. Of course, I could have been braver when choosing the
colors, but I know me and know that in the end, I will seek for harmony and
just followed my instinct. I was tempted to pick rose instead of white mohair,
but am I glad I picked the white.
The design
itself was interesting. Every clue brought something new and just when I got
tired of knitting the previous clue, there was a new one and something new to
learn. The shawl is symmetrical, both wings are the same and I was worried of
getting tired when making the second wing, but… the second time around, I could
enjoy the process and I already knew what I was doing.
I learned
new things.
First: Stephen showed me a whole new way to look at
yarns. They don’t have to match, you can work with almost anything, pair different
yarns and just knit away. No need to stress, just enjoy the creative process
and trust the process. If there is a question, there is an answer.
Second: New techniques. I have never done 9 stitch yarn
holes. Nor Brioche with four colors. The shape of the shawl is all new.
Third: Ends don’t always have to be woven in, you can
let them hang loose or braid them. Make them a design feature!
All in all, this KAL felt like an adventure holiday. I
feel so brave and refreshed and rested from my rut and way of thinking. I loved
the process and I do love the result. Best knit for a long, long time.
Wool with you,
Lene
(And I have to go and let this go out now... and see what the puppy is getting into... she is Piisku, such a lovely little monster!)
I can hardly find the words... I absolutely love it. Wow. The colors, braids, stitches, everything. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteOh my! Lovely...absolutely lovely!!
ReplyDeleteI love your shawl. Its stunning :-) deborah
ReplyDeleteThe shawl is stunning and your daughter is beautiful even from the back! Wow, what a testament to your knitting and Stephen's designing. A knockout!
ReplyDeleteannie in California
The shawl is fabulous!!!
ReplyDeleteJust gorgeous! Love the colors you chose.
ReplyDeleteI just love your shawl, it´s something I don´t have words for. It´s a killer, a stunner and pure perfection.
ReplyDeleteIt.Is.Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteYour shawl is stunning, no matter how much I love my daughters (and I do!!!) I'm not sure I would let them have it!!!
ReplyDeleteThis shawl looks absolutely cozy! Glad you enjoyed both the process and outcome.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I can't find you on Instagram and I can't find a link in your sidebar. I want to see your new puppy! Could you share your IG link please? Thank you!
The shawl is gorgeous and the colors perfect together. I still like a muted or subdued palette and grays and blues are my favorites. The model is also beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSo very beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your photos and comments. The shawl is stunning. It makes me want to take a Stephen West KAL. It makes me think I missed a wonderful opportunity in this particular shawl. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteStunning! I understand why your daughter immediately wanted it.
ReplyDeleteVoi ihan älyttömän kaunis! Ja nuo kuvat on niin ihanat!
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering...the length of the shawl is perfect for your daughter. Did you adjust that at all? How tall is she?
ReplyDeleteannie in California
LOVE YOUR SHAWL!! Next post, can we see the new puppy?
ReplyDelete