some months back, when it was, oh, about 100 degrees outside (more or less), michelle and i started scheming on a shawl collaboration using her yarn and my design. we decided that december would be a good time to get started, and that we wanted to work with a snow theme—this decision was based on how well we liked the snow on cedars design.
we had long email discussions about the color of snow, what shape the shawl should be, whether i should try this tricky engineering thing i had in my mind (it didn’t work out), and what other color we might use as an alternate choice. michelle got right on it and within a few weeks had two beautiful colorways
the signature snow squall color
and cranapple, as an alternate choice.
she even delivered the latest batch to me in person, during christmas week.
once i had the final yarn in hand i started swatching. we decided that a square shawl would be wonderful. it will have a triangle version, and possibly a rectangle as well.
this shawl is a little different in that it is a mix of allover patterns and placed eyelet motifs on stockinette background.
the idea of the signature yarn was to pick up all those wonderfully elusive colors that snow
has . . . the ones you can see inside the drifts, or on each little bump in the yard at dusk.
michelle did a brilliant job of getting just that feeling in the yarn.
although using eyelet motifs is a time-proven technique, and not difficult knitting at all, it has been tricky to swatch and develop a design plan because the placement of any motif is dependent on whatever is knit into the fabric before it, what width of fabric you have to work with, and where you are going with the design afterward—everything should align in a pleasing design.
most experienced shawl knitters could probably work their way from the center of the shawl outward and place patterns as they go without too much trouble, and i have done this—you can come up with a pretty pleasing piece almost by accident. if one is off a stitch at any point, it is easy to fudge the alignment somehow and no one will be the wiser.
but now, i have to think about others and how they will read and work the pattern, and really, it needs to be perfect so that they will not have trouble knitting it. hehe.
and therein lies the rub of the design plan. it’s not hard, but it takes time.
placing the motifs in the larger areas as one swatches is, well, akin to placing a flower in the middle of a rippling pond and trying to measure its distance from the shore. you really need to see both the bird’s eye view and the closeup at the same time (and hold the thing in place, too), and if you can write and knit simultaneously with those, you are golden.
there was, of course, lots of swatching (and ripping. definitely lots of ripping)
the effect i am going for is a sort of ombré of patterns from center to hem, beginning with the largest of the snowflake motifs, and progressing to the smallest, then melting into a deep border of pines and more snow.
the yarn is quite fine—a soft (soft!!) merino laceweight. i tried a size 5 needle (bottom swatch) and it was too loose to knit comfortably on it, so i switched to a size 4 (3.5mm).
it is still looser than i’d like, but i will be knitting the piece in the round so i am fairly sure it will tighten up to just the right fabric then.
can we talk about the edging??
ok, it’s not so much talk that i want to do as gaze adoringly and drool. i love this edge. it looks so pretty with the adjoining fabric . . not that i am sure it will be that stitch pattern next to it, but it will be something along those lines
not all the stitch patterns pictured will be used in the shawl, as a matter of fact (ya gotta let me give you some surprises). but the overall look will be something like this
i don’t know yet how much yardage will be needed . . please give me some time on that. michelle has the yarn stocked in her shop, in amounts that are generous for each shawl type, and will be replenishing it regularly. but i don’t have exact yardages (or even close estimates) yet.
so here we go—off on another large big adventure, this time to the land of snow.
thank you all SO much for your patience and help during the server move. it all went very smoothly; the site transitioned quite easily; it just took some time for ISPs all over creation to pick up the new dns. and this morning i got email restored so i think we are back in business.
59 thoughts on “ok, i’m a flake”
The way that yarn blends in with the snow drift is absolutely incredible – how did Michelle do that??!!! And the edging is gorgeous. I can’t wait to see how this shapes up!
You humble me Anne, you really do! Can’t wait to see the finished product and feel free to pass along to Michelle that that colorway is exquisite!
Oh my! Michelle captured the snow color so perfectly. And your design is beyond beautiful – as are all your designs. This makes me want to knit a shawl, this shawl.
Pretty!
amazing!! I can’t believe how that yarn looks on the snow! I think I may have to knit this. I don’t know of anyone that would appreciate a gift like that though and would use it…
So beautiful! I’m on a lunch break now and I’m just so content and peaceful inside from just looking at the shawl and yarn. Must have, thanks! (sigh of contentment)
This will probably be the closest thing to real snow we’ll get down here in the South.
Wow that’s gorgeous! And I love the yarn…
I’ll keep an eye out. I already signed up for the Wooly Wonka Fibers lace club.
I think I should just stop looking at other patterns… you don’t do dish clothes do you? 😉
Oh wow. Between the patterns and the yarn colors being spot-on, it’s just an amazing project. And practically indistinguishable from the snow it’s resting on, haha.
I’m simply stunned at the way that yarn blends wonderfully with the snow. It’s funny how all the shadows and light play on the snow to make greys and blues and pinks, when all we really think of snow being is white.
And I’m blown away with how beautiful the designs are, too. You’re an inspiration to lace designers in training (speaking only for myself, of course :p) that’s for sure!
Wow! The yarn is perfect in the snow. I love the blending of the different stitch patterns. I think this will be another must-have pattern for me.
I agree, wow. It looks beautiful. A square shawl is a great idea. As usual I can’t wait to see it.
This might be my faux-snow-scarf for our sweltering Tucson winters! Gorgeous!
Mmm, happy. Very happy swatches.
Simply gorgeous. Yet another design I’m going to have to have.
Bees, Ravens and now, Snow. This is as incredibly beautiful as your last big projects, Anne. My congratulations to you and to Michelle for what will surely be a fabulous cooperative effort.
Wow!! Lovely! The yarn is gorgeous and the shawl is another amazingly beautiful creation…I hope we’ll see more in the future from the two of you!
Ice blue is one of my favorite colors. I even get a thrill from the little “ice waterfalls” that form on the rocky sides along some of the highways in New Hampshire and elsewhere. When I started having trouble getting a white yarn to match my sister’s wedding dress, I convinced her to want her shawl to be icy blue instead.
Can you tell I am excited and can’t wait for this one?
The color of the yarn is perfect; it matches the snow so well. The shawl will be another huge success! It was worth the wait.
That is beautiful…I can’t wait to see the finished product…
That looks just gorgeous–and the color is PERFECT!
NIICE! And the yarn is just perfect! Can’t wait to see the finished design-you do incredible work!!
WOW – You have just convined me that I should knit a shawl – I am in love with the beauiful yarn. Never thought I wuld like the look of snow drifts – Note I said “the look” not that I liked show!!
Oh, Anne, this is lovely! And the yarn is perfect for snow. What a great collaboration.
Wow, looks like another amazing design coming up! I love the way the yarn blends right in with your snow!
This is so beautiful! I love that yarn — the colorway is absolutely stunning (the crabapple one is also gorgeous…). A square shawl, huh? I’ve never knit a square shawl… Is that a sign? 😉
She’s a very talented dyer to copy the snow so perfectly.
Beautiful
i literally gasped when i saw the edging – that is so delicate and gorgeous. actually, all the swatches are wonderful…but the edging – that really did me in. come to think of it, i think it was the edging that really ensnared me on itrfa’a too…
your timing is wonderful too – snow on the ground, snow on the needles! and michelle did a great job with the colors – true snow.
It’s perfect! I NEED this!
Another exquisite pattern coming to fruition from your amazing mind! Michelle did a beautiful job, too, on the colorway. It just blends into the snow. I love the end 12″ of both rectangular pieces (including the pine trees). How will you decide?
How do you get drool off a keyboard? That is absolutely beautiful. I can hardly wait for this pattern!
This is one of the most gorgeous pieces I’ve seen in a very long time….and it’s not even finished yet in the post!
I love it Anne!!!! I love the snow pictures!!! Almost makes me want to move to Ohio! (almost….) And I love the snowballs at the bottom of the sample, right before the edging…. Looks like 3 giant snowballs to me!!!!
Lovely warm snow shawl. I miss snow, but not so much the cold and wet (lost my cold tolerance about 20 years ago), and what a wonderful way to get a little snow into Oakland. Another pattern to stalk!
Okay, I am having a knit(spot) fit—-I am crazy about this shawl . . . the whole time your site was down, I was thinking you were working on this. I am running to the sweetsheep and ordering a kit right now!!!!! xo
Beautiful! I love these collaborations–the perfect matches of pattern and yarn. They are so satisfying.
Every morning when I raise the shade in my second floor bedroom, I look down on our terrace/garden. These days it is covered with snow, and I love looking at the colors and shapes. There’s a huge hemlock in the corner, the occasional turkey track, clumps of snow from the roof or the back of a bench.
This shawl will be wonderful to knit and wear–even in the winter–as a reminder of everything that is beautiful about winter. 🙂
Kathleen
Oh, Anne, it is so beautiful!!! I can’t wait to get my hands on it. I am glad your transition went very well.
Oh, that is lovely! I’m here down in TX so this might be the only snow I see all winter! 🙂
Beautiful. The color and the patterns are just perfect, and I really love the edging, too. I guess I’d better get knitting to free up some queque space!
Oh my god, it’s amazing! I especially like the last pattern next to the edging – to die for!
It’s beautiful !! And the edging is just so pretty and delicate, very very nice ! I am very curious what your final pattern choice will be.
Oh and the yarn is absolutely wonderful, as I can say as a proud owner hehe 😉
Living as I do in Minnesota, I’m reminded by the yarn and the patterns of the freezing, sunlit days of winters past. We don’t have them any more, unfortunately. Now our snow turns to mush and the sky is always overcast.
I miss the cold that freezes your nose hairs when you go out, and the way the snow squeaks under your feet.
Can’t wait to capture those old winters in one of the shawls!
Umm – not a flake, but a queen. Queen Anne of the Lace – your new moniker. Amazing work!
The edging and the bottom lace are just lovely!
I’m betting this will be another winner! Love it so far!
Anne- What a team, you both came up with winners, the yarn and the shawl.
It’s time we really celebrated snow- what a great tribute!
Only one word for the pattern and the yarn, WOW!
Wow, Michelle did a bang up job on that yarn. Crazy, crazy, crazy. And the edging is adorable!!!! Looks like another must-knit project to me (still trying to refrain myself from subscribing to the Lace Club).
What a beautiful collaboration between yarn and pattern!
As always, the creativity that tumbles forth from your fingers is awesome, Anne. I have a thought about this design though — will it be flexible enough to do in fingering weight and not end up too huge? There will be a baby in our extended family in the next year or two, and I’d love to make a lace receiving blanket. It’s that edging that’s sucked me in, y’know.
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