3 August 2017

Today I have restarted this. I have put aside the attempt started in August 2010 because I know my knitting skills and lace work have changed over the ensuing years, indeed the original is far too short since I had not noticed that row 48 - 51 is part of a repeat section, so my shawl would be suitable for a child’s doll!

I have not even attempted to unpick but just put aside attempt one, we all know kid silk is like burrs in the grass to unpick I ordered more yarn and hope so much that being natural, the additional 3 skeins wil not be noticeably different. I ordered plenty since so many people have commented on running short of yarn, so my original order has now become 8 including the one skein write-off.

In 2 hours this afternoon, I have set up the pattern, wound the wool got as far as row 10. I know this will slow as the number of stitches increase, but it’s a positive start. Everyone seems to dread the border, I quite like doing borders and having completed the mammoth border on my lace Honeysuckle jacket, which was mega, and my pink Hap shawl border, am geared up and looking forward to it.

The most stitches I have had on my needles for a shawl edge was 1600 on my Stephen West shawl which I called flight of Fancy, I designed my own border for that shawl, so I am not fearful of the border…….I hope I am not going to be eating my words

29 October 2017

I have been back at this after quite some weeks off, and now
working on the repeat section of rows 48 -51, a tedious section as so many plain knit and purl rows, I get positively overjoyed to reach row 51 each time and have a lace row. The end of the main piece now seems within reach. I would like to add tiny seed pearls to my border on each point, so I have been looking into that.

20 April 2019

Back at the border, my how the mind forgets the pattern which it had learned. A bit of a fiasco trying to recall how I was doing the border, despite copious notes and the large chart I had made with my charting software. However, after a few false starts, I am back in the saddle with this and pressing on. I will not be putting this down until it is done and dusted now. I have the incentive of a lovely shawl pattern I am itching to start, but no, no no, I must not start this new shawl until this cape is completed.

I have taken some pics today of progress on the never-ending border, displayed on Dorothy, my dummy. Also some close-ups, out in the sun of how I have worked the tiny seed pearls into the border design, they are just glinting in sun with the blue cushion behind. They are meant to be very subtle and just catch the light and no more, I thought they might add a little weight and swing to the lower hem of the cape too, and help to keep it hanging nicely when worn.

7 May 2019

I am eating my own words, the border along the lower edge has gone on and on, but I am now ready to turn the corner and come up the left front. have forgotten how to do the single & double joins to give a smooth transition around the corner! Note to self see my Craftsy class, Laura Nelkin Lace from the Inside Out, lesson 8 Cyclo edging, Chapter 6 corner edging, This does not look how I turned the corners before, mmmm.

9 May 2019

Hurrah it is finished. Ends sewn in and very lightly blocked as I do not want to make it too long. Photos taken in the garden.

So, this was originally started in August 2010, and this restart one in 2017. I added tiny seed pearls to the edging.