soaring

Posted on Posted in designing, lace/shawls, projects

raven is off the needles but was almost immediately grounded . . . not for long though—as soon as it is dry we will get some modeling shots.

and while it is pinned down, i am soaring. it’s beautiful.

the patterns look lovely next to each other and the textures are defined

the length worked out perfectly; trust in mathematics is restored. here you can see that it blocked out to have a back length of 30.5 inches, though i am sure it will spring back a bit, as i did pull tightly while blocking this one.

the span across the shoulders and top edge is approximately 74 inches.
i love how the yarn colors evoke a deep night sky with some pretty horizontal clouds across it.

you can see that the shoulder shaping adds an interesting line to the top edge while it is flattened here; once it is on the body, this will translate into a graceful drape from a fitted neck/shoulder to a full hem.

when at first it came off the needles it was MUCH smaller and the fabric compressed quite a bit. the edges looked ruffled enough to be real feathers.

and while it was tempting to leave it as is, the fit was a little skimpy that way

so i set to work and did some stretching. and some pinning

transformation, indeed.

148 thoughts on “soaring

  1. It is absolutely gorgeous….can’t wait for the pattern! I have already ordered the yarn, so I am ready to go!

  2. Another delurker popping up to say…

    …your Raven is breathtaking. Absolutely gorgeous.

    P.S. It must be mine. *gleefully rubbing hands together*

  3. Gorgeous doesn’t even sum it up properly! The shawl is breathtaking in photo so I can just imagine how stunning it is in person.

  4. *Sigh* Oh, look… it’s my shawl! Waiting for me to come and knit it up. I am sure it will take me months, but I still can’t wait. Like MaryBeth, I live with several parrots and your representation of the wing is truly spot on.

    That realism might cause you problems though. You had best watch out when you walk out the door with it on, though! What if your local ravens mistake you for an intruder? 🙂

  5. Fabulous, Anne.

    Do you have photos to share of The Shawl in both its blocked and unblocked states? I like the looks of both.

  6. (sounds of oohs and ahs and gasps of awe!) I have to thank you for staying up late, doing all that math to make it right, telling us maybe yes, maybe no along the way and finally making it. We’re lining up in cyberspace to get this one!

  7. ANNE -the raven is exquisite beyond words , and your design skills have so ultimitely and truely been demonstrated here

    – have you chosen a name – one more THE CAILLEACH – a scottish goddess of winter sometimes appears as a raven
    yours in knitting pat j

  8. It’s perfect. Absolutely perfect. Every single design element just comes together exactly right. I can’t wait to see how you’re going to do the stole version (I keep trying to envision how it will work); I may need one of each 🙂 You must be knitting non-stop this week! Can’t wait to hear the naming decision…

  9. It’s beautiful and exactly what I pictured when you were thinking about the design! Not that I would have come up with it. 😛

  10. That is beautiful. I love that curve while it is blocking. What do you use for blocking wires? The ones I have wouldn’t curve like that. Or am I an idiot and that’s not wire at all?

  11. This is absolutely stunning, I’m in love! I must have the pattern, hope it’s for sale soon.

  12. That is stunning! I want to immediately cast on a faroese shawl, and I really want this pattern. But there’s still gift knitting to do….

    I hope you will make the pattern available?? Please?

  13. Unbelievably gorgeous. I can’t wait to buy the pattern/kit/whatever the very instant it becomes available.

  14. I have been intrigued by some of your other lovely designs, but this one floors me. I look at it and forget all my prolems. I want to knit it up and wrap myself in the Raven’s comforting wings. I can hardly wait for the pattern to go up for sale! Thank You!

  15. Your lacework is extraordinary – one more beautiful than the next. It is such a pleasure to read and learn from your knitting and blog. Keep up the excellent work. It is an inspiration.

  16. I’m the 134th reply — wow! Well, you’ve wowed us all. A beautiful artistic rendering in wool of a raven in flight.

  17. i hated the idea of faroase. you are so awesome that the finished faroese shawl is magnificent!!!

    Still….. can’t wait for rectangle; you are awesome!!!!!

  18. Anne, I’m almost speechless. I can only hope that it will look as good in silk as it does in wool.

    …wait, what am I saying? Likely only if *you* knit it…but I’m willing to give it the old college try! The only question is…Rook-y? Pallas Athena? Valkyrie?

  19. That is lovely! no matter what you decide to name it! I have some black silk/cashmere (about 1400 yards) I was saving for something else but this may be what it has to be – I went outside the box to make my Bee Fields bright red but I think this needs to stay closer to the original idea of it.

  20. OMG – amazing. it is the perfect pattern Anne. I think I will have to have this one eventually in BOTH the farose and the rectangular versions. It’s perfect.
    congrats.
    can’t wait to see it modeled.

  21. Blue Moon was pretty sharp, asking you to design for them. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s already ordered their yarn for this shawl, and is just itching to get my hands on the pattern!

    I do hope it will be available very soon! Your work is simply wonderful.

  22. Wow is the best I can come up with. It looks amazing ! I need to learn to knit lace and practice and practice and then come back and buy your lovely pattern.
    Who said knitting was lame ??? Wow wow wow

  23. Watching the designing process was a joy,the end product is absolutely fabulous, breathtaking, it looks as if it could take flight

  24. It’s delicious. This is a shawl even I would wear (as opposed to knit and give away as I don’t wear shawls.)

    I would wear it and “fly” around the world! I’d flap! 🙂 Gracefully of course. 🙂

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