New Yarns

In the last post, I told you about a few new things to expect in this coming update and promised to share some more news soon. Well I have two new yarns that will feature in the update on the 17th August 2012 and here's some details to get you excited.

The first base is a beautiful new Merino Lace that is 100% superwash and works up a little like a light fingering as it's a bit heavier than a laceweight yarn. This is a singles yarn so will be soft and lustrous to work with. Ideal for shawls and finer knits. 

'Robin's Egg' will feature in the update

The other base is another 100% superwash but this time is a Silky Merino Lace. The Silk and Merino mix is 70% Merino and 30% Silk spun into singles. Again, it's a slightly heavier laceweight as there is 600m (656yd) per 100g skein. This would be ideal for a larger shawl and is actually the base I used to knit up my Echo Flower Shawl. 

Remember, for full details of each update, sign up to the newsletter or keep an eye on the Ravelry Group's News Thread.

Testing...

When I get a new base that I'm interested in stocking or a new colourway that I want to introduce, I really like to test it out and see how the yarn feels or the colour knits up. It's a really nice part of the creative process of dyeing as I want knitters and crafters to love the end product as much as the first moment they laid eyes on their skein to work with.

In the next post I'll be sharing some specific details about two new bases I will be including in the next update. There will be an update when I get back from holiday, on Friday 17 August at 4pm BST. Please keep an eye for news on the Ravelry Group's News Thread as this may well be our very first update on the new website. I will also send out newsletters with spoilers when I get back so make sure you're signed up. 

In the meantime I want to share some news about the colourways I've created and have been working with to test the colours. One of the new colourways that will be featured in the update is called 'Robin's Egg', a delicate and cool blue that I thought would be beautiful in a lacy shawl. This is also in a new base that I'll be telling you all about next post.

I cast on an Echo Flower Shawl, which is a free pattern by Jenny Johnson Johnen and enjoyed it immediately. I found the shawl really quick and easy to work up despite the heavy lace and it only took me about a week to complete. The shawl is knit top down and I worked 11 repeats of the chart and I realise now that I probably could have managed one more repeat as after I completed the repeats I had 50g of yarn left. I'd hesitated because the edge is full of nupps which I know from experience can really consume yarn, but I probably could have squeezed in another 1 or 2 repeats. Keep an eye on my Ravelry projects page for it to appear soon.

There's also another colourway coming, 'Twig' but you'll have to wait for the newsletter to see that one...!

Off the Needles

A while ago, we held a Lace KAL in the TUT Ravelry Group and I wrote about my choice to knit the Crocus Shawl, a pretty big lace challenge for me. The Crocus Shawl is designed by by Hiroko Folkmann Drost and is an Estonian Lace inspired shawl which I initially found very intimidating despite its beauty. 

I think I must have underestimated my skill level as I loved working on this project and really enjoyed the whole experience. I worked this up in Heavenly Cobweb, the new base that I think worked really well on such an intricate lace pattern. It is supremely soft and the end result is breathtaking.

I had a huge sense of accomplishment once I finished this shawl as it was by far the most complicated knit I had ever completed. Having now finished it, I feel completely invincible and feel I can take on more challenging knits in the future. I've already worn it a lot as I'm so proud of the end result. 

What finished item are you most proud of?

FO Parade

Over on the TUT Ravelry group, we've been enjoying some very inspiring knitalongs. The Lace knitalong has just finished and ran from 1st March - 30 April 2012. The rules were simple: in order for your project to qualify it needed be any lace pattern or laceweight yarn from The Uncommon Thread. The results were amazing, just take a look at some of the beauties that were shared.

Knitasaurusrex completed a beautiful As You Wish shawl in just one skein of Posh Fingering. This shawl was a test knit for the designer, Boo Knits, and the colourway featured is 'Quiet Folly'. The long ripples in the simple pattern repeat of this shawl really show off the subtle variations in the colour of this yarn.

Lizoid worked up a really stunning Semele in two skeins of Silky Merino Fingering. The pattern is from Asa Tricosa and is offered in a range of sizes. Lizoid worked hers up in the colourway 'Dartmoor', a wonderful green tone that seems to suit the green foliage in her garden! Lucky Lizoid also has plenty of yarn left over so we expect to see more lovely green projects in her future.

Raphael used a club colourway to work up a truly amazing Silhouette shawl. The design is by Diana Rozenshteynand is a simple lace repeat on a top down shawl that gives a lovely lace finish. Raphael worked hers up in Silky Merino Fingering in the colourway 'Cerulean' and enjoyed the knit so much, she's cast on another already! It looks absolutely perfect for warmer days ahead.

Stringygirl's Henslowe in BFL Sock is absolutely lovely. This vibrant shawl uses the ' Jonquille, Mais Pas Gentille' colourway and makes great use of the stitch definition that comes from the BFL's plied texture. Henslowe is designed by the very talented Beth Kling and is a wonderful elongated curve with lacy edging. Another great knit to head into summer with.

Another green project that got a lot of attention was Audephil's Holden Shawlette. The Holden Shawlette is designed by Mindy Wilkes and makes use of a single skein of fingering weight yarn. Audephil worked hers up in another club colourway, 'Habitat', this time in Lush Twist a wonderfully bouncy MCN blend.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Lace KAL and if you would like to see more inspirational projects, please pop along to look at the thread here.