FO: Ishbel

I finished this one a while ago, then dropped it off at Smith's to be used as a store sample. I have mixed feelings about this project - it's pretty, but I had to skip a few rows of edging because I didn't have enough yarn - something I should have forseen, but couldn't much combat because I was already making the small size and had limited (and expensive) yarn. However, it would look quite smashing with a black dress and heels, maybe at a night at the theater on a summer evening in Seattle.

You and me, Ishbel, we got a date.


Pattern: Ishbel, by Ysolda Teague, from Whimsical Little Knits I
Yarn: 2 skeins (330 yards total) of Artyarns Mohair Splash.
Needles: Addi Turbo size 10 US
Notes: I found several knots in the yarn, one of which I cut out and another that I didn't notice until it was already inches past. This yarn is beautiful, but sort of hard to work with because of the beads and sequins - mostly because it was difficult to maintain tension. That being said, the extra "stuff" in the yarn lends the shawl a lovely weight and sparkle. If I were to knit this particular project again, I would probably go down a needle size or two.

One little nitpick: because I wasn't able to maintain even tension, one line of yarnovers is noticeably looser than the other (also due in part to the difference between yarnovers before knit stitches and yarnovers before purl stitches). In general, I prefer a non-yarnover increase if they are to be worked at the beginning and end of every row, as a true lace knitting looks a little different than knitted lace with yarnovers only on one row for every two rows worked and the rest of this shawl uses knitted lace style yarnovers. I may be the only person in the world who thinks this, but I'm actually not a huge fan of lace knitting; I like the twists and sturdiness of knitted lace. Faggoting is gorgeous, but un-reinforced yarnovers just make me nervous. Snags are bound to happen, and that little extra twist is protection for delicate lace stitches.


However, all of those things are pretty small. Overall, a fun project with a beautiful result.