blackbird wingin’ in the dead of night

Posted on Posted in designing, lace/shawls, projects

it’s true; i cannot put this project down.

i had to make myself go to bed at 3am today but only because i had to get up and teach classes this morning.
really, i thought the edging would be the death of me, but, it turns out, i’m enthralled with it.
i have never loved applied edging so much (or at all, truthfully). this one is fun and keeps me on my toes so the rows are (excuse the expression) flying by. i am more than 30 percent through that last stage.

the edging as taken straight from the book only was written for one direction, so i had to chart the stitches for opposing side, which involves a mirroring of everything and a reversal of RS/WS rows. since the edge has an obvious bias in one direction, it cannot be straight around the whole bottom in (excuse the expression) one fell swoop. i’m working the “new” edge first just to make sure i reversed everything correctly.

i’m in love.

have i mentioned how gorgeous the raven yarn is?? i mean, i know you can see how beautiful the colors are, but the yarn—wow. i’m working with the merino laci, in colorway thraven
it’s very fine, very soft. it has enough twist for great stitch definition

but not so much that it feels stiff.
there is tons of yardage on the skein; no worries about running out or having to weave in ends.
and the weight . . . well it’s weightless actually.
i’m really getting close to being done with the shawl and i’ve only used about 4.5 ounces of yarn. i’m thinking the final weight will be somewhere around 5 ounces. how amazing is that?

i know a lot of you are waiting with bated breath for a final tot on the yardage, but i won’t have an answer for you til the power lady sings. it’s in the ballpark of 1200 yards.

meanwhile, the pattern testing is going swimmingly—vanessa, nan, and vicki have only had a very few corrections, and those were mostly to the wording of the instructions. sexay, right?
and the length is looking good.
the last thing on the punchlist is figuring out the name. and i’ll admit it, i’m stuck. nothing has really jumped out to grip my shoulders and shake me, saying “I’M the one!”
(i’m still wa-a-ay open to suggestions, especially those of a celtic flavor, so have at it)

next it’s on to swatching and patterning the rectangle version, which will be worked up in a different raven clan fiber and color. can’t wait!

one more look before i move on? (pleeease?)

addiction has been hard on my other knitting. during class times i have worked on some socks and mitts, and today i finished off this snow on cedars mitt in off-white handspun.

the fine romney fiber is from my friend beckie’s flock and i spun the yarn last fall in rhinebeck. mmm, nice memories in this one. it needs a nice soak and a bit of blocking to finish it off.
i am desperate to start some more mitts soon . . . my hands are already almost constantly cold. i need everyday ones. it’s hard for me to use the lacy ones for everyday . . i dunno why (upbringing, maybe?)
ahem. as soon as the raven leaves the nest.

i HAVE been playing around (a little) with this beautiful yarn from deb at fearless fibers

this is her wool/mohair blend in the inspiration colorway.
it’s a scarf underway, and soon we shall see more of it.

meanwhile i have finalized the pattern for another one of her beautiful yarns

and all seems well with it. the heel flap and turn worked out beautifully, after some minor correcting (thanks angeluna!), and i think we have a done pattern here. look for its release on the 23rd.
until then, deb is offering kits with yarn in the greed colorway shown below in the sneak-peek photo.

kits can be pre-ordered by contacting deb in her shop.

well, i better go do some swatching, or i won’t be able to get back to my edging til way later.

89 thoughts on “blackbird wingin’ in the dead of night

  1. You make me want to look at the Raven series of colors again. Much nicer in a project. Why not jump species. ‘Black Swan’ is what comes to my mind. Swans also figure in Irish mythology as transformed creatures. The sister who must remain mute while she spins nettles to knit sweaters for her brothers who have been transformed by the wicked step-mother into swans. Not that the Raven yarn needed transforming.

  2. This is one of the first shawl patterns I have seriously considered making. Lace and I don’t mix, but your patterns are so awe-inspiring (and apparently easy to follow), I’m tempted to make a concerted effort.

    As to the name, like many others, I did a little research into Gaelic names. My personal choice: “the Morrigan,” she’s a major Celtic goddess, and their Raven Goddess (she’s got so many names and purposes; one for every occasion). Plus, it’s pretty easy to remember (and to spell), and evokes images of dark, watchful silences.

  3. I need to retire.

    Just so that I have time to knit up all the stuff you dream up! This is completely fabulous. Love the name suggestions too.

  4. I was going to suggest Hugin and Munin, Thought and Memory; but I see Jill beat me to the punch. Lynne says that the name should be easy to remember and pronounce, and “Thought and Memory” certainly is that!
    Very, very beautiful. It will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine.

  5. I think you should name it : Sidhe. The Sidhe were an ancient Celtic race believed to be magical, kind of like fairies. I have read about them in some books by Laurell K. Hamilton and in the book, “Down Came a Blackbird” by Barbara Karmazin. The name of the last book made me think of your shawl.

  6. AAAAAAAAH. I love it. I LOVE it. The edging makes it…shine! Makes it take wing!!

    Wow!

    Also, do you have any photos of your Snow on Cedars mitts in the Winterberries colourway?

  7. Anne- what to say? I’m gobsmacked.

    I want that shawl pattern and the acorn sock pattern. IwantIwantIwant………

    Now that Beatle’s song is in my head- “..blackbird fly….”

  8. “The Morrigan” (or Morrigu) is the Irish raven-goddess, and I personally the “The Morrigan Shawl” has a nice ring to it. 🙂

    Bran is a good name, but a masculine one, and this shawl is so beautiful and feminine!

    “Corvus” is Latin for the raven family, but that sounds so science-y.

    Or, why not just stick with Blackbird?

  9. Looks like Jesh and Em beat me to it! I really like Morrigan or Morrigu. The raven is also associated with the Celtic goddess Morgan Le Fay, also called Queen of the Faeries, and in some stories, Queen of the Dubh Sidhe, or Dark Faeries – a race of tricksters who took the form of ravens.

  10. Like a raven, I’ve been lurking in the shadows, but now I must emerge to add to the chorus of approval. This is one gorgeous shawl. I’m awed.

    I found Briana, Brenna, and Fiachna all listed as Gaelic girl names associated with ravens.

  11. I like Morrigan too but it is the name of Jenna W’s sweater in ‘No Sheep For You’ so it already has a famous pattern associated with it. How about Morwen? She “was the daughter of Baragund of the House of Bëor and cousin of Rían. She was married to Húrin and was the mother of Túrin Turambar and Nienor Níniel. Her name in Tolkien’s invented language of Sindarin translates to ‘Dark Maiden'” Another site said, “Raven-haired mother of Turin Turambar’. I think the translation is not just Tolkien-invented either, but I’m unable to confirm that this minute via Google.

  12. I always like the “literal” source, so I went to my Gaelic (scottish)/English dictionary (yes, I actually have one, that’s another story).

    The word for Raven is: fitheach or fithich. The th is silent, and ch is the slippery “k” sound on the scots, as in loch.

    The word for black is dubh. The “bh” is pronounced “v”

    The word for wing is: sgaith

    So all that’s to say, what about Dubh Sgaith… I know, a reach, but had to do the word search thing…

  13. Beautiful! I’ve been waiting for the Raven’s for so long to make myself a shawl. I had another one in mind but now I want yours.

  14. Didn’t you name it….really… in the title of this post?
    Blackbird or perhaps its Blackbird Singing.
    if not, I propose Ravenwing…

    but the others listed above are all lovely. Poor you… you have to CHOOSE!
    me… i just have to order the kit NOW! er, I mean as soon as you put it up there.

  15. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! Did I tell you that I ordered my yarn? I did last Friday! Patience is a virtue:) I must keep reminding myself:) But hey, I Christmas to think about so I better re-focus my energy on holiday gifts and clear those out for this beauty:)

  16. I also think you should go with “Nevermore.” Sometimes obvious is best. It is beautiful. I am regretting my fluggy white dog now.

  17. I clearly need to quit my job so that I have time to knit all your amazing patterns!

    I’m a rectangular shawl kinda gal, but this trim may make me convert if you don’t carry it over to the rectangular shawl pattern!

  18. Ooh, I simply cannot wait for this pattern! As to a name, I really like Raven Wing. Simple and oh-so-appropriate!

  19. Your patterns are so wonderful. I’m just afraid I won’t live long enough to knit them all! If only I didn’t have so much Christmas knitting to do—-

  20. Delurking to say you are an evil, evil, woman 🙂 Your patterns are all so tempting but this one takes the cake. Personally I love the name of this post so why not name the shawl that or Night Raven?

  21. Normally I shun trangular shawls for their rectangular cousins. This may be an exception. This beauty must be wing shaped. Poe would be proud… perhaps she should be Christened, “Lenore.”

  22. I’m totally and completely in love!!! Never been quite this smitten before! You know, it is going to be my Christmas project (if you release the pattern in time). Have already ordered the yarn… 😉
    As for a name, I have another suggestion 😉 How about Roäc? He is the raven that Bilbo and the dwarfs talk to after Smaug has been killed (the Hobbit).

  23. I don’t blame you for not being able to put that project down. I usually don’t like working with dark colors, but I think I’d like that one.

    You did a great job!
    Knit on!

  24. It’s not just beautiful, it’s magical!

    The only name I can think of with a vaguely celtic connection is “Corbie” which is a Scottish dialect name for a raven or crow, as in the poem “Twa Corbies” (http://www.twocrows.co.uk/twa_corbies.html).

    The name’s OK but the poem’s way too sad and ghoulish for something so lovely.

  25. I have not felt such a fierce attraction to one of your projects since Starlight Evenig Wrap. I absolutely love it! Maybe enough to buy a kit! Well, I know I love it enough, but do have a rather long queue at the moment.

    As for names, I am quite fond of “Nevermore,” but that might possibly be a little bit of a cliche’. Somebody suggested “Cerridwen,” and I quite like that too.

  26. HELLO ANNE – can’t wait till that raven takes flight into my home and on to my needles- wonderful – a suggestion – two raven names -KRAA – the sound a raven makes – and RAVN – norweign magical name for raven

    happy with your patterns
    pat j

  27. So pretty! I love the edging. It looks great. As for names, I too suggest Munin(n). It’s Norse not Celtic, but I think it might be fitting to name a lace pattern after “Memory”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugin_and_Munin

    Or there’s always Rhonabwy although in the article below the mention of ravens in the story makes them sound a bit more like McGuffins than anything else. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dream_of_Rhonabwy

    The wikipedia links are because they are easy to get, not that they are necessarily accurate of course.

  28. a beautiful shawl, and it makes sense to name it for the Celtic raven goddess – Morrigan.

    Dark mother, wrap me in your wings….

  29. Gorgeous work, and so many great suggestions for names! I love the Celtic ones, but for a simpler, easier to remember name I would suggest “Ravenswing” because I like how that can be read either as “Raven’s wing” or as “Raven-swing”.

  30. I looked up synonyms for beautiful: Bewitching, stunning, striking, beauteous, are just a few. They don’t come close to describing the magnificence that is your shawl! It is breathtaking, and I am speechless. I can’t wait see the final glamour shots and for the pattern to be available! Forget Calgon, these wings will take me away!!

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