Thursday, May 8, 2008

More Bling!

Harry tossed his finished Bling shawl center at me this morning as he sashayed out of the house for his morning sauna/massage. He instructed me to photograph it (with feeling) and post the pictures and text (with alacrity). Since he is holding my ebony needles hostage, I must obey.

Here's a boring face-on shot of the center:

And a pseudo-arty shot so he can't accuse me of slighting his work...


Apparently, after crawling around the center for an hour or two, Harry is having second thoughts about the Really Wide Border. (Of course he is--he just can't leave well enough alone).

He says he might adapt the border of the Black Window Spider King for his Bling shawl. It's a more interesting knit and is slightly smaller, too. He pointed out that he might run out of yarn if he stuck with the original design and thus, I would have to go around begging for another cone of Colourmart's Japanese Maple cash/silk.

After thinking about it, I have to admit that Harry has a point. We already have the trapezoidal shape worked out and adapting the spectacular border to a triangle shape would provide an opportunity to fool around with the pattern yet again (fun!).

And finally, Harry says he absolutely refuses to endure the boredom of a knitted-on border, so he is in the throes of adapting an Estonian/ Icelandic/German border to suit the contemplated changes.


Does this litany of changes sound familiar? The gods of Shetland Knitting are poking out their eyes with tridents, lightning bolts, and swizzle sticks.

16 comments:

  1. Harry really has done a lovely job. it would be so sad to run out of yarn though.

    Oh no.... your needles are hostage??? Do we need to set up ransom?

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  2. Nah, the gods of shetland knitting honor creativity.

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  3. Yikes! He is holding the ebony needles hostage? I mean, it is a lovely piece of knitting, but the EBONY NEEDLES? **gasp**

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  4. Perhaps Harry needs to spend less money on saunas and massages and get his own, camera ;).

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  5. How beautiful! and red to make it even better :)

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  6. Bling, indeed! I do hope that the Shetland lace gods do not recover from their self-harming wrath and smite Harry, though.

    Harry has done a stunning job so far, I must say.

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  7. Gorgeous. That Harry tingles my lace senses. :)

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  8. Mmm, beautiful. Don't let him keep those needles!

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  9. Nice job, Harry! Must be nice to be a creature with 8 needle-like legs: think of the knitting opportunities!

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  10. We have to start calling Harry "He Who Must Be Obeyed!" I suppose it's just that classic artist temperment he is displaying and with all those limbs, he really can snatch those ebony needles quickly. To give him his due, that bling shawl really is beautiful. I still have more of the Japanese Maple if you need it. We can ransome the needles back from Harry with it :-)

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  11. I love the centre of the shawl but think Harry has a point about the border it just doesn't do the shawl justice....I look forward to seeing what you both come up with...

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  12. I actually like the wide border. I think it would look spectacular all blocked out, when the proportions of center to border are more obvious.

    And I'm not a fan of the pick up stitches and knit on the border approach either. Don't know why.

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  13. Thank you so much for the yarn translation. According to my own imposed rules of keeping stash constant, I need to start something else from the stash first - then buying new yarn :). And more I look at your shawl more I think about starting a lace project...:).

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  14. another beautiful job - tell Harry I *feel* his lace! I like the wide border myself, can't wait to see what he adds on next.

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