Happy Thoughts
So, first off. How does one appropriately thank her readers for the amazingly sweet comments? You guys had me smiling all day yesterday! Thank you so much!
And lemme tell ya, it was really helpful after a night of swatching the raglan increases. I won't bore you with a pic of a stack of no's, but suffice it to say I'm making progress but I still don't have the increases nailed down.
I'm too stubborn to give up though.
I am not, however, above taking off a day or two to think about this some more. In the meantime, I've been taking a good look at my stash.
Over time I've learned more about the types of yarn that I like to knit with, and which of those look good on me.
While I like mercerized cotton, I feel very self-conscious about wearing a shiny sweater. I don't like the sheen around my chest.
I bought this yarn a year ago. I love it. The colors are very me, and the gauge would knit up a nice, fine sweater. But it's mercerized.
I was considering trying to sell off the yarn but then I thought I could make something in lace out of it. I've never knitted lace out of cotton. I did some googling and it looks like people have done it successfully. I wasn't sure if you could block mercerized cotton. But even Soleil from Knitty is in a mercerized cotton. And it looks like that blocked out just fine.
So, will I be safe using this yarn for a lace project? Any suggestions/warnings/caveats?
Hello, I'm new to reading your blog :) I liked your clapotis color scheme.
On The Garter Belt site there's a new shawl that's not really lace, but still pretty lacey in look and it is done with mercerized cotton. It is not a free chart though. It is called Fanny and Wendy Wonnacott's the designer.
I think it would look gorgeous with your yarn... here's the site: http://www.thegarterbelt.com/ww_fanny.html
cheers Eva
yes, you can do something nice with your cotton, shawl is a nice ideal ---feather and fan is my current favorite. Of course swatch and my local yarn store does this wonderful thing where they knit a varigated cotton yarn and a varigated mohair. Simply beautiful
Patty
I think mercerized cotton lace would work just fine. In addition to knitting I also do thread crochet (usually using mercerized cotton) and I block those pieces very harshly and they come out great, always the perfect shape and not too stiff (unless I add starch like I do for snowflakes).
I think "sleeping on it" is a wise idea. Maybe the solution will come to you in a dream. And mercerized cotton blocks beautifully. No problem.
So far I'm enjoying my A Good Bias shrug in Knitpicks' Shine cotton yarn. The pattern itself was created in Mission Falls 1824 cotton, but the Shine looks a lot more like what you have. It seems to work well assuming your yarn has a little bit of give. The cotton sock yarn I have is really bad because there is no give. You might just knit up a swatch and see how it goes. Worst case you can make the swatch into a sachet or gift bag like I did for Mother's Day and give away or sell the rest of the yarn.
I hope mercerized cotton will work for lace, because that is what I am using to knit my wedding shawl! :)
I am sure that anything you make will look lovely. I am sorry I couldn't be of more help
Hi Jody- I just finished my first cotton lace shawl and I LOVE everything about it!! Pics are on my blog with specs. I think any pattern you choose would look awesome in that yarn...how about Kiri if you want a great free lace shawl pattern? Kiri is here:
http://www.alltangledup.com/ Polly has done a great job with this pattern.
Hope this helps :)
I made Clapotis from a mercerized cotton, and it worked quite well. It even "blocked." Not exactly the same as a true lace pattern, but I think it is a good example of the ability of it to block out and display the pattern.