Chappysmom: Baskets for Flowers

July 30, 2007

Baskets for Flowers

The pre-blocking photo

The blocking photo. (Not the best shot since the gray blocking board kind of washes out the subtle sand-and-sky colors of the shawl, but still.)

The post-blocking photo.

The detail photo.

The "this is all the yarn I had left" photo. Not nearly enough for another pattern repeat, so I stopped at just the right time.

So, to recap. This is Evelyn Clark's Flower Basket Shawl from Fall 2004 Interweave Knits, which yes, I've made before. It was ideal for this, though, because it's a straight-forward lace so that variegated yarn didn't matter that much, it didn't require massive yardage, and it's a fast knit. I mean, both times, it only took me about two weeks. This is as close to "instant gratification" as I think you can get for a lace shawl.

I made it in the yarn I spun myself from BFL roving from Vesper, in "Pacific." This was my first time knitting lace with my own handspun, and while, yes, perhaps it was just a little on the variegated side an took away ever so slightly from the lace pattern . . . I don't care. It's gorgeous, and it was a pleasure to work with. All the way through the process--the roving was a dream to spin, and it was a soft, cushy treat to knit once it was yarn.

In other words, I'm happy!

Posted at 06:14 PM | Permalink

Comments

Lovely shawl! That design's been on my short list for a while now. Maybe it's time for me to start a new project (heh, heh).

Posted by: Meg in North AL | July 30, 2007 at 08:04 PM

You have every right to be happy - that came out gorgeous! I think it's so cool that you used yarn you spun yourself.

Posted by: michelle | July 30, 2007 at 08:27 PM

So pretty! This new blog set up has me so busy I haven't read any blogs in a bit, or knit much!

Posted by: lisa | July 30, 2007 at 09:03 PM

Lovely. One day I might knit that pattern

Posted by: paula | July 30, 2007 at 09:32 PM

Lovely from start to finish, my dear. Would love a pic of you modeling it--or is it a gift?

Posted by: lorinda | July 30, 2007 at 09:46 PM

Beautifully done! :-) This is a very inspiring example to follow. Your handspun is gorgeous, and I love the way the variegation reveals the structure of the shawl. Lovely! :-)

Posted by: Beth S. | July 30, 2007 at 10:05 PM

Great job. Wear it proudly.

Posted by: Carole | July 30, 2007 at 10:06 PM

Beautiful. I love seeing pictures of the lace before and after blocking. It really is magic.

Posted by: Sheila | July 30, 2007 at 10:21 PM

Wow! I am so impressed. A very balanced yarn and it looks great in that pattern. Congratulations!

Posted by: deb | July 30, 2007 at 10:45 PM

i love it! if i ever get enough spun (and kept!) to do one, i'll keep this one in mind. i've done it before myself, but that doesn't make it any less a classic

Posted by: minnie | July 30, 2007 at 11:18 PM

Very pretty!!! I'd like to knit some lace with my own handspun someday. FBS is a good choice for that.

Posted by: Beth | July 31, 2007 at 12:33 AM

The yarn is lovely in its own right and it is a perfect complement to the pattern. It looks lovely, well done (especially for stopping knitting at the right time!)

Posted by: Caroline M | July 31, 2007 at 02:25 AM

It beautiful, and there's nothing like a shawl in your own handspun. Congrats!

Posted by: PumpkinMama | July 31, 2007 at 08:25 AM

That is absolutely stunning. Just... wow.

Posted by: Chris | July 31, 2007 at 08:39 AM

I don't think the yarn takes anything away from the shawl pattern....you have every reason to be happy with the way that turned out!

Posted by: Marcia Cooke | July 31, 2007 at 09:19 AM

Absolutely beautiful! Nothing like making something from your own handspun. Nothing at all. Bravo! :)

Posted by: Jessica | July 31, 2007 at 09:22 AM

It's gorgeous, Deb!

Posted by: Kristi aka Fiber Fool | July 31, 2007 at 09:43 AM

You did a great job spinning and translating that into a beautiful shawl.