Bands of Angels lace shawl---Blocking

And Bands of Angels lace shawl I designed in memory of my father has been complete for a while now but just have not blocked it.  BUT, HERE it is drying.

I will share a few pics. I apologize for the blocking pads. These are el cheapo foam from Home Depot that I thought would work for blocking but definitely I struggled with it due to the join. They are huge. I could have used 3 of them.

On my wish list is knitting blocking mats from Amazon for sure.

I have never used blocking wires and I could have used more T pins but this is my shawl drying now.

The picot bind off is not blocked appropriately. I have to get more T pins so I can open up each picot area for a more finished look.

Otherwise, I'm pleased with it.

After soaking in a gentle teaspoon of wash and cold water for 30 minutes, I watched this shawl GROW! Of course lacework will do that.

The number of eyelet rows represents the number of months my daddy was sick with West Nile virus until he died. I knew when I designed this that what I had in mind was the last look on his face and what he could have seen upward as a host of angels. Hence, the name, Bands of Angels.

This is actually the "wrong side" of the shawl. I do not weave in my ends until AFTER blocking.

I love the yarn colorways.

Used Madelinetosh Lite in Antler (cream) and Hosta Blue (green blue/teal)

I definitely designed this to also have an angel wing effect.

I really enjoyed this light fingering weight from Madeline Tosh. One of my favorite brands.

In review, after soaking the 100% merino for 30 minutes in cold water, there was NO bleeding of colors or dye in the water. This is a good thing!

Here are a few pics before blocking. I know I had a couple of questions about whether blocking is always done after knitting. And again, sometimes I do not, depends on the object. But all lacework, I do because it opens up the design considerably.

I didn't measure the before blocking but after blocking the size is

19 inches x 60 inches

Mr. Darcy and I finished a Netflix marathan all day yesterday of 7 seaasons of a program and I cast on another project. I will be sharing that soon.

Over the weekend we enjoyed making fettacinni alfredo, pork chops, salads, and some fresh strawberries sliced up with ice cream and cake.

Summer is definitely here. It's steamy, not too terribly hot just humid from all the afternoon rains.

Soon to  have some fresh tomato sandwiches for lunch with lots of mayo, salt and pepper..

Yesterday morning, I enjoyed reading (listening)  the first half of Anne of Green Gables. I love that book!

You can actually go to You Tube and look up Anne of Green Gables read along and someone reads this audio with emphasis on characters kind of like Audible.

Click here to enjoy a good 4.5 hour read for part 1 while you enjoy busy chores or needlework.

There are so many quotes from this book I would love to use in a cross stitch design. 

From one kindred spirit to another,

Jennifer

Yarn Bee from Hobby Lobby FAIR ISLE Knit Scarf

Happy Memorial Day to All!!

At the Homestead this weekend was lots of rest. Yup, saying WAS because we are going out to shop some sales some time during the day. Mr. Darcy had flashbacks of Thanksgiving Day at the mall but he said he needed to go anyway to get some professional attire for work.

 Kate Spade here I come!

Also been reading alot with my new glasses for glaucoma. The computer contrast with these are sooooooo much better. It takes all the blue light out and helps so much.

While at my last eye appointment I had a 1: 40p appointment and they called me back at 5:30pm. I was prepared as always though big glasses and knitting project in hand. As the nurses called patients they would comment on how I knew to come prepared. They have a hot tea and coffee machine and I just always know it's a 3-5 hour deal there so I had a blanket scarf around me in case the AC was too much, knit project bag complete with lotions and notions, and a tote bag full of my Ipad mini with kindle, and much more. The lady beside me finally asked if I brought dinner in that bag too.

While sitting there, I cast on a vanilla knit project, because I have to have one of those for TV knitting or when I just knit for the process. I cannot do lace counting in shawl work while watching TV. Just way too many mistakes.

So I cast on with this yarn from Hobby Lobby that was in my stash. What sold me was a swatch that HL had beside the yarn in the fair isle print. Gorgeous!

I wanted to do a simple stockinette material but I knew it ALWAYS curls. And this one is doing it too.

However, I have learned that it takes more than 3 knit stitches on a border to stop the curling and as long as I learn something from what I'm doing that's the point.

Yarn BEE---Brand
Fair Isle in colorway Red /Blue multi
80 % acryllic and 20% alpaca

see here for ordering

Using Addi Turbo number 7 needles. I LOVE those

What do I think so far?

1. I don't care for acryllic as much anymore and prefer merino/silk/cotton/cashmere but this is really a pretty good yarn considering quantity and that 20% is alpaca.
2. At first, if you look closely there is about  2in white hairs throughout the ball of yarn. Funny I though this was Abbie hair but finially I figured out it was part of the yarn itself.
3. I LOVE the self striping and fair isle effect
4. I LOVE the shades of blue and red and gray and off white in this.
5. Dang it, I didn't nail how to make it not curl again. I can lay it flat for pictures but oh my the curling.
6. Reinforces that I love nice yarn shops with expensive yarns but I also like Hobby Lobby's yarns in my stash too.
7. Mr. Darcy is eyeing this project way much and thinks it looks really good. I think he is hinting to have it for himself.

The most random is that I picked out a Blue Red mindless TV knitting project for Memorial Day weekend. I promise I didn't reach in my stash on purpose for color coordination. However, may be our gut instincts from what to pull from stash is really what is in our heart.

Through a 15 hour watching of Greys Anatomy old episodes yesterday with Mr. Darcy I got here:

Have a great day!

Jennifer