Monday, December 18, 2006

Monday Musings

A Barrel 'o Fun with Entrelac

Well, the challenge has come to an end. Congratulations to all those who took the plunge - as I discovered, three weeks is actually a pretty short time to squeeze in some new learning along with all the Christmas knitting, shopping and wine-guzzling :-)

I did manage to knit my (very) small sample of entrelac though, applause please!


Thoughts on entrelac:
- It definitely looks better in self-patterning yarn, though I found I needed longer colour repeats than this yarn gave me (LL sock in 'child's play').
- I found the instructions a little confusing, but I think that was the fault of the instructions rather than entrelac per se. For a start they didn't include abbreviations and there were terms I had not come across so I had to guess. They were also a big fan of the 'repeat for remainder of rectangles' when actually the instructions didn't quite carry.
- I have become quite proficient at knitting backwards. NO way was I going to turn around for all those little rows (eew!) Do you turn? Or knit backwards? I generally knit backwards on edgings too if they are not too wide.
- Having sworn never to do entrelac, and broken that vow for the challenge, and sworn I would never do it again, I can't let it go. I am not at all happy with this swatch, the squares are wonky and for some reason there is a multiple of five at the end instead of six (yes that's what the pattern said but they didn't explain why). I can't leave it there so one day I will pick it up, find some better instructions (perhaps a la mum) and get it sorted before finally laying entrelac to rest.

So, the challenge.

Seven people took up the challenge with lace being a bit of a theme!

Hannah was the first to check in with her sample which you can admire here, she is making the lace scarf from the DB silk book.

Heather was going to try some lace but has been fighting bushfires for the past three weeks so I will let her off.

Michelle, Cazzie, Bronte, Cherie and Jacqui are still to check in - can't wait to see what you made!

Stay tuned for the next challenge, and remember, there's no such thing as "I could never...."

Ciao! Diane

Last week's Monday Musings

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5 Comments:

At 4:56 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've never tried entrelac. Maybe I'll have a go after christmas. Your swatch looks great. Love the colours.

 
At 11:10 am, Blogger Heather said...

Now you really can say "Never say never"!

 
At 10:50 am, Blogger Hellbelle said...

Entrelac is on my list of things to learn. I am afeared of this knitting backwards thing that you speak of.


By the way, you have been tagged! visit my blog (& Auntie Noo's!) to find out more!

 
At 9:40 am, Blogger Cazzie said...

Hiya, Cazzie checking in :)

My attempt at knitting with laceweight failed miserably - decided I was trying to knit with too big needles - will try again soon.

On a positive note - I did succeed in doing a mobius cast on as described in Cat Bordhis book and knitted a mobius scarf in Colinette Giotto which I am really pleased with.

The small shawl that I was going to knit with the laceweight has now been cast on with some sock yarn....

Love your entrelac - I so want to have a go at Lady Eleanor from ScarfStyle at some stage....

 
At 8:48 am, Blogger Michelle said...

Not sure I will be doing continental at the moment, though you did teach me provisional cast on, I am going to knit my first lace project, and I will be learning the mobius cast on as soon as my Knit Picks needles arrive. Thats a few new things, no?

 

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