This post should have appeared yesterday – I took my finished and blocked Radiance Shawl out with me whilst I was shop-sitting, so that my friend Jo could take some modelled photos, but I completely forgot to ask her to, so I’ve had to make do with the usual mixture of arms-length shots and the very dodgy self-timer on my camera. My parents have offered to buy me a new camera for my birthday in May, I’m going to make sure that it has a decent self-timer!
Anyway, I blocked the shawl on Thursday night – I pinned it along the top, then wondered about the bottom, with the ruffle, I didn’t want to stretch it out. In the end I just stood the boards up and let it block under its own weight, although slightly bizarrely it actually shrunk back up – the ruffle was on the floor to start with, but it lost a couple of inches when it dried. I stood the boards in front of the radiator in the hall, and it was dry in about an hour!
It did seem to work, the ruffle’s still nice and wavy.
I was a little bemused by the fact that even at the end, the ball of yarn didn’t seem to be getting any smaller, and when I weighed the shawl I realised why – it only weighs 56g, so I’ve used just over half my yarn. I did do two more rows of garter stitch at the very end, it could have taken more, but I wanted to get on with it.
The picot cast off was a bit tedious (it took about four hours I think) but it’s made a pretty edge, although you can’t see it too well in this photo.
This isn’t the best photo, but it was the only one that was in focus!
The final measurements are about 55” wide by 21” deep, so it’s a nice sized shawl. I used about 675m of yarn, which is less than the recommended 823m, but it seems to be about the same size as the pattern. The yarn is a Fyberspates laceweight, possibly Fairy Wool, but it was a gift without a label, so I’m not completely sure. The pattern is Radiance Shawl, by Helen Stewart, and I’d highly recommend it, it’s one of the best written patterns I’ve seen, with a very handy line-by-line instruction section, so you can tick off rows as you do them.
In other news, my handspun Citron is coming on nicely – I took it with me yesterday and got quite a lot done between customers.
Just another eight rows to go before the ruffle, then I’m going to do that until I run out of yarn.
And – I have more pretty fibre, again from Picperfic. I just couldn’t resist those pinks and greens, they’re definitely one of my very favourite colour combinations.
50% BFL, 30% baby alpaca, 20% tussah silk. Yum.
I LOVE it. I think blocking it under it’s own weight was a good plan. The ruffle has turned out beautifully. I think I may have to knit this pattern next. My yarn is begging to be used and this pattern is perfect.
Thank you! And go for it – but have something else on the go at the same time, those long rows need a bit of variation :)
It’s gorgeous and such a great shade of green for spring…
You’re right, it hadn’t occurred to me how spring-like it is!
Your radiance shawl is very pretty indeed but your handspun citron knocks my socks off! It’s so pretty! good job.
Thank you! The handspun is actually a bit dodgy in places, it being a very early one, but it’s looking okay I think – I’ll just call it rustic if anything shows after blocking ;)
oooh Radiant is…. well radiant! ;) – I adore the colour and it’s blocked out beautifully.
Thank you! I’m very pleased with it :)
Very clever. Like the intricate detailing of your radiance shawl and love the colours in the handspun citron. very zesty.
Leah x
They’re both quite easy patterns really! The challenge is more keeping going when the rows get long….
A 4 hour cast off! Blimey – I hope you stopped for refreshments!! It is lovely! I don’t know whether to thank you or curse you after following your link to Picperfic!!! Gorgeous fibre, so no doubt will be enhancing my stash before too long, you enabler you!!
Oh, I stopped overnight! Four hours at once would have just been too much…
Picperfic has some gorgeous fibres, and she’s lovely too – and she has a nice blog.
Oh my!! Radiance is even lovelier blocked. Beautiful :)
Thank you :)
Oh gosh, lovely!
I have a remote control for my (Nikon) camera which only cost about £15 or something. Even better than a self-timer I think because a) you know exactly when it is going to click and b) it focuses when you press it rather than when you set the timer going.
oh my word – am in love with radiance! I never thought I liked ruffles until now, but the bottom of that shawl hangs so beautifully, clearly laceweight ruffles are in a class of their own!
Woah, is that the yarn I gave you? If so, it is Faery Lace. It looks incredible all knitted up! I could never have done anything that nice with it.
It is, thank you again! I love the way it’s knitted up :)
I *thought* you’d said it was Faery Lace, but I can’t find that on Rav – just Fairy Wool, which is laceweight, but seems to be a singles yarn, whereas this is definitely a 2ply, hence my confusion….