Day 6

Something to Aspire to

Is there a Pattern/skill which you want to tackle in the future? Is there a Skill/Project with makes your mind boggle at the sheer time/dedication/skill ? What do you hope to achieve in the next year?

--- Something to Aspire to ---

I think the skill I want to try and even accomplish this year would have to be Lace & in particular Lace Shawls. I want to do at least one Lace Shawl before Christmas.

I've already talked about which Lace projects I want to complete so this post I'll talk about which Yarn I'd Lave to do it in... there's a couple actually so I'll compare Lace weight Yarns.

1st Choice: Rowan Kidsilk Haze

Per 25g - £8.25 (on sale: £7.43)
Shown in Shade  597 (Jelly)

A gorgeous Yarn. As with all laceweight Yarns I've never used them but I have wishes in my brain to try them before my eyes deteriorate to my mother's poor eyesight.
It's 70% Kid mohair and 30% Silk, which gives it a soft feeling and a silky sheen.
It's too bad that it's so expensive or I'd order it today to knit some sort of shawl.

(picture & price from Deramores (link))

2nd Choice: Cascade Alpaca Lace

Per 50g - $7.20 (that's £4.57)
Shown in Shade Blue Mist

A very good non-fluffy Yarn. It's not got much of a Halo (like choice 1) that means stitches are very defined and even. It's 100% Alpaca. I've never Knit with Alpaca, so I can't say what it'd be like. I bet it's Wonderful.
At £4.57 a skein I'm tempted to order 2 skeins and knit myself a shawl that covers my whole body lol. The only thing that's holding me back is the shipping. There are no UK suppliers of this Yarn, therefore I'd have to ship it from America... which is pricey.

(picture & price from Happy Knits.com (link))

3rd Choice - Madelinetosh Pure Silk Lace

Per 1000 yards (about 100 grams)

$60.00 (that's £38)

Shown in Shade Silver Fox

It's 100% pure Tussah silk, That why the light makes it look like someones managed to spin pure silver. 1000 yards is enough to make this out of it.

(below)

That's Girasole (link) and I found it on Ravelry. That's a Blanket!!!! 72 inch Diameter!!! Holy crap. That'd be so worth it; it looks like a Sun and in the spun Silver colour I think we could get a Silver Sun. That's good because I usually detest Gold and Yellow (mostly because it looks like Gold lol)

Again: no Madelintosh distributors in the UK so factor in  American Shipping costs and you're looking at a £50 skein. yeouch. It is 100% silk tho.

(photo and Prices from Happy Knits.com (link)

4th Choice - Malabrigo Lace

Per 50g - $8.80 (That's £5.57)

Shown in Hummingbird

With it's 64 colour options and great pricing it's the best so far for choice. I'm pure 100% Merino which regular readers will know is my favourite type of Fibre to knit with. it's 480 yards per skein which is enough to knit a very nice lightweight pair of socks or...

This Shawl ==>
it's Gail (link) which I found on ravelry. The Yarn pictured has variations of greens, purples, blacks and some brown too, which I think would give an effect quite close to the variations in the photo. It's a beautiful Shawl and if I ever get my hands on a skein of Malabrigo Lace I will surely knit it straight way.

Again: no UK distributors of Malabrigo, US shipping :(.

Pic & price from Happy knits (link) and Ravelry

5th (and Last) choice - Manos Lace

Per g $19 (that's £12)


it's 75% Alpaca, 20% Silk, 5% Cashmere. That all adds up to one Soft Yarn. its also one of the only Yarns I found that has a 'Natural' colour, which is close to White but looks better with a..... northern Ireland Skintone.

There's a few Taboos among knitters about engagements. A couple are about sweaters but the one I'm going for is the Wedding Ring shawl. When the groom proposes (and the knitter bride says yes) she'll order Yarn, Knit up a shawl but it can't be completed until a week before the wedding (to allow for blocking)

I can be as Large or as Small as the bride wants but some other taboos say it should be able to cover you both but that, to me with a 6ft boyfriend and me being not exactly slim: the mere thought  is giving me Heart palpitations. such a shawl is pictured over there ==>

Apparently it took 2000 yards and The bride shaved, carded, spun and Kniti t herself from her future Husband's Alpaca. Feck.

On the wedding Day The Bride can test the shawl by being able to pull it through her wedding ring. There's various taboos about what happens if it doesn't go through, if it gets torn or if the shawl gets stolen but they all agree that if the shawl passes through the ring without Harm it will be a long and Happy marriage.

I just wonder at what part you do it at......

During the ceremony  - Swearing might ensue if it doesn't go through

and anytime after that surely you'd have to take your wedding ring off..... which your not supposed to do.

If you do it before the ceremony..... no-one will be able to see it and then no bugger would believe you.

I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. :)

I think I should stop now, this post's longer than I thought it would be lol. So without further Ado;

Toodles from
Aki XXXXX