A long week...

It has been a long week. The Government Department which I work in has had an almost complete change of ministerial team in Tony Blair’s latest reshuffle and that has meant all of us civil servants running around like headless chickens trying to bring the new team up to date. So I’m afraid that I haven’t had the energy to post this week. But I have been reading everyone else’s posts to get my knitting fix - parasite that I am!

Anyway, I thought I would update you on my first Print of the Waves stole (pattern by Eunny Jang ). I have managed 8 repeats this week. Not much I know but I have also almost finished a shrug in Polar. I’m knitting the stole with cobweb weight yarn and 2mm needles. It is like knitting dental floss with toothpicks! But I also have to say that this is a very enjoyable knit, it feels like a real challenge after some of the easier patterns I’ve been doing lately. I included the needles from my shrugs in the picture above just to show how truly tiny the 2mms are!

The blue threads that are running across are the lace knitting equivalent of safety nets. After every repeat I thread a piece of sewing cotton through all the stitches on the needle. This means that if I make any mistakes or drop any stitches I never have to undo more than one repeat. It makes it easier because with all the yarnovers you use in lace it is incredible hard to pick up a row if you start to undo it. By the way, if you decide to try this too, make sure you thread the cotton through the stitches using the eye-end of the sewing needle first, that way you are more likely to go straight through the centre of the stitch rather than the wool. It also makes it easier to count the number of repeats you’ve done.

7 comments:

Alice said...

Do you know what? I've really learnt a useful thing from your post! The thing about the cotton and undoing rows in lace. What a brilliant thing! I would never have known that.

When I first looked at the photo, it didn't occur to me that they're both knitting needles. Wow-what a difference in size! I tried 2.25mm for some socks and couldn't be bothered, but 2mm - cripes. Anyway, the stole is really looking beautiful. What lovely, even stitches.

Have a good weekend - sounds like you need it.....

Unknown said...

I had heard about doing this, but it is cool to see it actually being used! Thanks for the pic! And the stole is Gorgeous!!!!

Anonymous said...

This looks gorgeous. I don't know how you have the patience to knit with such fine yarn, but the finished result is definitely worth it.

dreamcatcher said...

Thanks for showing us the "lifeline" in action, that really is a good idea. The stole is looking great, but 2mm needles, not sure I'd cope eyesight-wise!

José said...

WOW!! I'm stitting and wishing!
I haven't a clue how to do this sought of knitting ... when i grow up, i hope i can be as good as you!
;)

Sarah said...

Lifeline is a much better description than saftey nets. Thanks Dreamcatcher! I was having a mental block on what they were called the other day.

nat said...

Your print o' the wave is very pretty. I made one in April with a bit thicker yarn, and i LOVE it. Good luck - it's really fun to knit!

There's an error on the border pattern, let me know if you want the correction.