Sunday, March 6, 2011

Percy Shawl

I received a huge pile of lovely batts for my birthday, custom-blended by the incomparable Ever Improving Me. I admit to having been lazy--I didn't photograph them. But I've spent a lot of time spinning them, and one of the batts just seemed perfect for Percy. The pattern is, unbelievably, free, and a fantastic knit--interesting, non-repetitive, and adapts easily to any length.


I wanted the top of the shawl to be a bit darker in tone than the rest, so I snitched some orange fiber from another one of EIP's birthday batts and spun it up first. The yarn, a two-ply spun on Tibetan spindles, is merino with lots of lovely, sparkly angelina and firestar, which makes the shawl twinkle happily.


No matter how it's wrinkled and folded, it looks lovely:


The top portion of the shawl is a little cat's paw design. You can repeat this motif as long as you like.

The pattern then segues into Frost Flowers, which some people don't like to work because it's patterned on both knit and purl rows. I confess I enjoyed knitting these--they look so lacy and delicate.




Alas, I didn't have enough yarn to work the border nupps, so I ordered some 6mm faceted round, glittery Czech glass beads and used them in place of the nupps...


Note to Self: When calculating the required number of beads on one-half of a symmetrical shawl, don't forget to multiply by two, or you will have to sit around for another ten days waiting for the rest of the beads to arrive.

The yarn was one continuous strand--I didn't have to break the yarn to make the colors work. I just kept knitting the Frost Flowers pattern until I was into the greens and then proceeded on to the border. I did stop the Frost Flowers pattern in the middle of a repeat and just decreased away the extra stitches.

I fully intend to knit this pattern again, making it a bit smaller next time for a little scarf that will tuck gracefully into a winter coat.

57 comments:

Janice in GA said...

Wow, that's knock-your-eyes-out gorgeous! Well done!

Linda said...

Really lovely--thank you for posting those photos.

Unknown said...

I love it! It is gorgeous.

momsue84 said...

Gorgeous shawl complimented by equally gorgeous photography!

margaret in manhattan said...

exquisite! It is now moving very very far up in my lace queue; you are one talented human being, Fleegle!

Cheryl S. said...

Wow, stunning!
The colors make me think of a bowl of orange, lemon, and lime sherbet.

gayle said...

Gorgeous!
(I immediately jumped to save the pattern to my library. Imagine my surprise to find it already there...)

fluffbuff said...

That is one eye-catching shawl!
I tried to knit that flowery stitch in the yellow part once, and gave up in desperation.

mikka said...

Wow! Normally I would never consider knitting a shawl with a center increase line like that, but that's so lovely I might have to try. And the yarn colours! So beautiful!

JelliDonut said...

Talk about yarn p0rn! OMG, that is gorgeous.

Anonymous said...

That came out beautifully! I just love the fact the beads are actually visible but don't clash with the chosen colour. Excellent work!

Susan Luni said...

That's a fantastic rendition of Percy. It's amazing how much color can transform. I'm always fascinated to know another knitter's impressions of and experience with I pattern I used and liked. Percy was the blueprint for a wedding veil I knit. I faved a hank of yarn in your shop for it, but the bride insisted on pure silk (sigh), and pure ivory. It's so gratifying to see Percy as I would have liked to knit it.

Delusional Knitter said...

That really is lovely. The beads are a nice touch! Great idea.

sabelt said...

Wow, 2ply spun on Tibetan Spindle?
I would need about one year for spinning that amount of of fiber and another one for knitting that shawl...
Gorgeous work, adorable, and really, really beautiful - as all Fleegle work. ;-)
Love your blog, your pictures and your videos.
Warm regards to Roy and Harry and Rambo too.
Thank you for sharing this

yarnlot said...

Only to say that I am in love with it!

Anonymous said...

Holy crow, Fleegs, that's a seriously impressive shawl. Brilliant to spin from one batt to make one subtly shade-changing yarn! You say it's a two play--did you split the batt and spin each half separately? If so, bravo for getting the colours to match up perfectly.

granjudy said...

Oh my my. That is one of the prettiest Percys I've seen. Lovely yarn, beautifully executed Brava!

PenCraft said...

It's gorgeous! I love the color gradations!

Dorothy said...

That's just about the purtiest thing I've ever seen. And thanks for the link - it's a lovely pattern.

Feri said...

I have no words - it's most beautyfull Percy-Rendition I've ever seen. Just marvellous :)

Nik said...

The colors grab your eye and won't let go. Beautiful.

LittleBerry said...

the shawl is stunning and I love how the colours roll into each other but I esepcially like that dark orange ;o)

holly said...

Very Cool. Beautifully done and a great choice of colors.

Anonymous said...

I have never knitted frost flowers, but I love it. Always have, and someday I'll get around to knitting it.

I usually don't care much for beaded knitting, but I do like the way the beads accentuate those strong arch shapes at the edge.

knitterPat said...

Wow! This is gorgeous! I love the gradual change in colour and the colours are so sweet! Great job!:)

SpinalCat said...

Wow! Just Wow!

juliet said...

Faints dead away....reviving just long enough to say - breathtaking!!

Kelly said...

Wow...I just went to Ravelry to favorite this shawl, and discovered it's what I've been knitting for THE PAST WEEK. I don't know why the name didn't stick in my head! And obviously I've been a little slow...I did recognize the first section as the same as mine. Yours is stunning, though! It makes mine weep in jealousy.

Lorette said...

That is just spectacular. The color shifts are breathtaking.

bobbins said...

What a beauty - and such fine and even spinning. I am finding it difficult to describe how much I love it; the spinning, the knitting, the pattern selection, beads, and topped by photography that makes you want to reach through the monitor.

CeltChick said...

Very pretty, and what a good idea to use beads instead of nupps! You are just determined to get me into spinning, aren't you?

Unknown said...

Hey Fleagle. I ran across your blog while looking for my daughter's blog on BlogSpot. The name caught my attention first, and then the beautiful spinning and knitting. Your work is spectacularly beautiful, rivaled only perhaps by that of my ex-wife, who was nothing short of a master, particularly with spinning. I still have a sweater that she knitted for me out of hand-spun alpaca...apart from the memories and a few old pictures, one of the few things remaining from a marriage that commencedand ended before its time. Your work is truly lovely.

The name of your blog caught my attention because my ex was given to attaching cute names to things that were often imaginary or inanimate, such as her invisible aardvarks, and she actually named our ceramic fireplace, yes, you guessed it, "Fleagle"--it used to fleage on cold New England nights and keep us warm. Anyway, my daughter is an avid knitter and will surely appreciate your work as well. My wife has also taken up weaving and loves textures and colors, as you clearly do. Keep up the great work and the lovely, interesting blog.

March 8, 2011 9:35:50 PM EST

Kathleen Dames said...

Have to laugh about the beads. I'll be sure to remember that next time I knit a beaded project. And I think you just pushed Percy up my never-ending queue, though mine will be made out of boring, old store-bought yarn ;)

Laritza said...

Love the colors!

knittingdragonflies said...

Holy Cow! That is beautiful!!!
Vicki
Thanks for the link!

Experimental Knitter said...

That might be the most beautiful shawl I've seen.
Love the colors; the beads are an added surprise treat.

Caryn said...

Amazing! I am in awe of your spinning and knitting skills.

KPiep said...

The Green Woman just dragged me to the computer to show me your beautiful shawl. She was very excited and has already got out my wee spindle and some fiber because she wants me to get to work.

Seriously, it is gorgeous, and cheery and I absolutely love it!

Ro said...

I'm in love.

Knitritious said...

Just beautiful! It even looks soft, so I bet it is.

Monika said...

Oh wow! That shawl is stunning!

Lacefreak said...

What a spectacular shawl! I love the color progression and your spinning was fabulous.

Kista said...

Gorgeous colors, and what a good idea to add glass beads instead of dots:)

Kista said...

Gorgeous colors and what a good idea to add glass beads instead of dots!

No Two Snowflakes said...

I want it! I was considering this pattern but changed my mind, did you like knitting it? The colors are fabulous and stunning!

Mia said...

I admit and I ahve been bad and not reading blogs. The yarn is stunning!!!!!

Inspiring!!!

And I ahve printed out the pattern. What I am spinning right now might work. I will not know though until it is plyed.

Andrea said...

Wow -- that's a piece of lovely I wasn't expecting this morning while I was searching for a better knitting chart software than the one that crashes when I try to save my chart. Your colors and your spinning are astounding. Very, very nice. Wow, again.

Annie Cholewa said...

Sooooo pretty ... amazing colours ... you'll be noticed wearing that !

LunaG said...

Holy cow!!
This is Gorgeous!! The pattern was Exquisite to begin with - what you have done (handspun gradients) in the yarn, is beyond incredible.

Some day ...

*gooocha* said...

WOW!!! Absolutna perfekcja!!! Coś pięknego!!!

N. Maria said...

IT. IS. GORGEOUS!!

Batty said...

Pretty beaded rainbow shawl, I think I love you!

Unknown said...

Wow! What a rainbow Color Shawl..truly It is looking so lovely!!!!
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Lillysmuul said...

WOW! Fabulous colors!!!!
Well done!

Laritza said...

Absolutely to die for! Does not surprise me a bit coming from your hands.

Anonymous said...

i love this, and i can't get it out of my mind, thank you.

mamoucha said...

Fleegle, this is the most beautiful shawl I have seen in looking at your blog for several years. (High Praise, indeed.) The fact that you spun it, and dyed it so masterfully is stunning. Wow!!!!!!