Swallowtail Shawl KAL

Christmas Eve Swallowtail

2006-12-24T15:07:00.000-05:00

I'm fairly pleased with how it came out. I think the blocking could have been better, and some of the nupps aren't as lovely as they could be. But still, it was a fun knit and an excellent learning experience.

Peace on earth!

2006-12-21T07:21:00.000-05:00

This is the last of my holiday knitting--a present for my mother-in-law.

After all my ridiculous problems with this shawl, I started worrying about how it would look. All of yours were so beautiful, but this--this--I mean, honestly, the thing looked like a total rag.

I was knitting with 100% silk from Woven Gems, bought at the Virginia Fall Fiber Festival. How would the yarn block out? Would the silk hold the block? If this thing wasn't really beautiful, I was going to be annoyed after all we went through together...

I shouldn't have worried.

More pics on my blog.

Thanks for this inspiring knit-along!

Finished!

2006-12-15T20:34:00.000-05:00

Here is my Swallowtail shawl, done in a dark plum Misti Alpaca on size 5 needles. Pre-blocking:
...and done!

This one is for me

2006-12-10T15:51:00.000-05:00

Yarn : Jaeger Matchmaker #741 Mineral
Needles: Size 3 circular
Dimensions: 53" across the top, 24" top to point
Mods: Just the yarn. I am very happy with the result.

Back to where I started

2006-12-08T11:27:00.000-05:00

In my last post to this KAL I told you about the stupid mistake I made late in the game and could not recover from--and how I frogged the whole shawl. Well, finally, despite an absolutely ridiculous number of idiotic mistakes (chronicled on my blog for the last few days), I am finally back to the point where I frogged before. I'm hoping all the silly problems are behind me and that I can make some decent progress now. Seeing all the beautiful shawls shown on this KAL has definitely helped!

Now You See Em, Now You Don't

2006-11-19T08:01:00.000-05:00

Two pictures, hours apart. I tried my best with the Swallowtail's nupps, but even when knitting them extremely loosely on the RS, and doing sl2, p3tog instead of p5tog, on the WS, I found them very hard to do. I had a devil of a time getting that very last (or first, depending on how you look at it) knit stitch onto the needle for the p3tog. Trying to make that happen really made my wrist hurt, too.

Still, I persevered and made it to Row 7 of the first Lily of the Valley chart. Then, somehow, I dropped a nupp and that was that. I couldn't figure out how to re-create the nupp. I took it as a sign to let the nupps go, decided to rip back to the lifeline. The shawl's now moving along nicely, sans nupps. I know the Lily of the Valley motif won't be nearly as pretty without them, but they just aren't worth the aggravation.

Despite my nupp woes, I do like this pattern! I can't wait to post a finished picture.

Done~!

2006-11-10T03:33:00.000-05:00

yarn: one skein of Trekking XXL, #77
needles: Susan Bates Silverado 16-inch circs - size 5 for the body, size 9 for the bind-off
width: 49 inches
height: 23 inches
date started: October 27
date finished: November 02 01

This truly was an easy and enjoyable knit. :)

The yarn for this originally started out as a sock (because durr, it's sock yarn) , but I really wanted to see how it would look in a shawl. I have to say that Trekking is okay to work with, but I was pleasantly surprised at how this particular colorway just worked in this project. The striping is nice and subtle.

This picture was taken with a flash to bring out the stripes:

Blocking the shawl

2006-11-09T16:39:00.000-05:00

I received my blocking wires from Heirloom Knitting yesterday and immediately got Swallowtail ready to block. I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK and it shed a lot of colour while washing, the water was only the lightest of pink and see-through after the 5th rinse.
Now all I can do is wait :)

Done

2006-11-05T12:57:00.000-05:00

After a long wait before I was able to start, it is ready to be given as a present. I love this shawl.

Yarn: Misti Alpaca Lace #3720 Mauve (leaftover 17g-5/8 oz)
Needles: size 3 Addi wooden circulars
Dimensions: 47" across the top, 21" top to point
Time to Complete: 10 days
Mods: None. Didn't found nupps to difficult, maybe because I knit in the portuguese way.

Now I am going to finish the one I starded using Jaeger Matchmaker.

Starts and Fits

2006-11-03T10:43:00.000-05:00

On a cross-country flight, I cast on Swallowtail. After spending a couple of minutes reading (then faking) the cast-on, all went swimmingly. Before we left the west coast I had finished the first lace section and was ready for the lily of the valley section. The silk yarn was heavenly.

On the flight back, I started the complicated business of trying to purl 5 together. I began thinking I should have put in a lifeline--something I have never done before. I always panic when learning a new skill, then get a few rows in and everything clicks, nothing seems hard. You'd think that would give me confidence when I approach that learning curve on a new project--but it hasn't.

But forward I went. I pulled out the extra sock needle to help me and kept dropping it underneath the seat in front of me. Very frustrating. Finally, I started getting the rhythm down.

And I realized I had made a terrible, terribly stupid mistake. In my panic about the p5togs, I had neglected to notice that the two sides are not identical. The lilies tilt in to the center to make them symmetrical. How had I not seen that, or just plain known that of course it was true?

Purl 5 together is hard to do. It is even harder to undo.

Cobwebby-laceweight silk yarn does not allow one to see what one is doing well, either.

So I ran an after-the-fact lifeline, at least as well as I could, through the end of the earlier section--guessing which row was which occasionally. Then I frogged to that line. And I stuck it in a bag and left it to meditate on its misdeeds for a couple of weeks.

Last night I tried to get it back on the needles successfully--but such was not to be.

In a fit of frustration, I frogged the whole thing....

Ah--time for a fresh start. Luckily I have another flight coming up soon!

The Purloined Letter

Finished :D

2006-10-31T14:43:00.000-05:00

I just finished my Swallowtail shawl. I thought it was easy going until I got to the nupps, but after some practising they weren't too difficult anymore. At one point I had to frog 3 rows (towards the end of the Peak Edging chart...) because I had made a mistake which I could not fix without frogging. But hey! It's done :)

Sorry for the lack of photos. I will post pics when I get my blocking wires!

happy knitting, it's such a delightful shawl to knit :)

Question about Misti Alpaca Laceweight

2006-10-27T15:28:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone. Here's my Swallowtail in progress, along with a couple of other things. It is coming along nicely--a very pleasant stitch pattern to knit.

For those of you who have used the Misti Alpaca Laceweight, or a similar yarn: do you feel there's enough in the skein to increase the number of repeats without running out of yarn? I'm trying to decide if I should follow the pattern as written or try making a larger shawl. But I only have one skein.

Thanks for your thoughts on this!

Swallowtail Done!

2006-10-26T19:37:00.000-04:00

After 1 month + 1 day I give you a completed Swallowtail!

It really shouldn't have taken me that long, but I was distracted by other things... (knitting ADD, you understand). Here are the specs:

Yarn: KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud in TidePool, 1 hank
Needles: size 3 Clover wooden circulars (24")
Finished Dimensions: 60" across the top, 28" top to point
Time to Complete: 31 days
Mods: Nope! Other than the different needle size and yarn, I did it exactly as written, fiddly beginning and crazy nupps and all! I had to use a tiny dpn to do the nupps.

I would definately make this again, perhaps making it in a slightly thicker yarn and perhaps adding the extra rows as has been blogged about to make it bigger. It is definately cobwebby-lacey, and I anticipate not being too warm! Great for spring or fall, not so good for winter. I am also considering doing it in fingerling, as I have seen some very nice ones out there in blogland... :)

There are more photos on my blog: http://ladyknitterly.blogspot.com

Cheers!

New here :)

2006-10-26T09:45:00.000-04:00

Hi! I just started knitting the Swallowtail shawl, after seeing it here, and I was just looking for a nice gift for my boyfriend's mom. The yarn I am using is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK which is really soft and knits up beautifully :) I have just started on the Lily of the Valley pattern. Is anyone else here using a thicker yarn than lace and fingering?

Waiting to start

2006-10-23T14:53:00.000-04:00

My name is Paula and I am from Portugal, so don't mind my english ;O)

This is my first lace project and the first time I have join a KAL.

Since the world of lace is new to me I decided to use the yarn that the patterns calls for. But it is taking so long to arrive ( backorder ) that at the moment I'm just experimenting with some fingering yarn from a LYS (the white and the lighter green) and some Jaeger Matchmaker merino 4 ply #741. But I'm not certain if lace works well in these yarns ... so I will probably keep on knitting with the Jaeger untill the Misti Alpaca doesn't arrive.

Want to join?

2006-10-16T18:40:00.000-04:00

Email me at bronxie@gmail.com and I'll send you an invite and add you to the list

Swallowtail Languishes

2006-10-15T14:54:00.000-04:00

Alright, I should have been finished with Swallowtail a long time ago, considering how much progress I made it its early days. But, things happen, and then you miss one deadline, and then another... Right now I am in Round 4 of the Lily of the Valley Border 2, which means 22 rows to go (I think). One difficulty I am having is that the nupps are super tight! I am using bamboo circulars, and the points are not that pointy, but I like using them for laceweight yarn (it doesn't fly off the needles at every opportunity). I know I am wrapping the yarn too tight, but I can't seem to stop! I have ended up using one of my tiny size 00 dpns to knit the nupps. It is no problem using this method, but it does take longer since I have to switch needles every time I come to a nupp. Ah, well, it's too late to switch methods now!

Swallowtail Started

2006-09-30T23:31:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to say hello y'all! I learned of this KAL through Opportunity Knits, (who doesn't have a swallowtail shawl...yet...) and I had to join! I started my Swallowtail on September 25th with Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud (Tide Pool) and am currently a little over 1/4 done with 11 full budding lace pattern repeats completed.

I look forward to picking your brains and gleaning helpful hints from all of you, as well as seeing all the completed shawls!

Fingering Weight?

2006-09-28T09:37:00.000-04:00

I am casting on for Swallowtail today and need some advice. I have decided to knit this lovely shawl in Brown Sheep Fingering in Lilac, but I am concerned about being able to do the nupps in this heavier yarn. Has anyone used fingering weight for this? If so, were you happy with the results? I would like a larger, heavier shawl-hence the use of fingering weight. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much, and I have loved seeing everyone else's progress and completed shawls.
Sue J

The Wedding Shawl Challenge: 15 days left!

2006-09-22T14:59:00.000-04:00

I've been knitting furiously on my Swallowtail. So far, I've completed 14 repeats of the Budding Lace chart! Now, I'm planning on knitting a *big* shawl, not a "shawlette" as per the pattern. Since I'm using the recommended yarn (Misti Alpaca) and the recommended needle size (US 4), I know I'm going to knit more repeats. The question is, how many more?

So, I tried blocking on the needles:
You can see that I knitted 10 repeats, blocked, then knit 3 more repeats. Ah, the magic of blocking! Each repeat measures 1.1" x 1.1".
Here's a full shot of what I've knitted so far:
Now, there's been a discussion already on how to increase the size of this shawl:

Sia from Finland used larger needles and knit the recommended 14 repeats. Her blocked shawl measures 85 cm x 177 cm (33.5" x 70"). Look at her gorgeous pictures of the shawl in a storm! (She did calculate that if she had wanted to make the shawl bigger, she'd need an extra 120 st, that is 195+120=315 st of Budding Lace. Ouch).
Risa is using the same exact yarn I'm using, and 14 repeats. I'm waiting for her to block and measure her shawl. We need pics, Risa!
The blogless Mary Tess used her calculus skills and realized that 19 repeats of Budding Lace would lead to 11 repeats of the Lily of the Valley chart. Jeri independently came up with the same numbers. Mary Tess also figured out that if you work 16 repeats of Budding Lace, then 4 decreases, you can fit in 9 repeats of the Lily of the Valley chart.

Call me crazy, but I'm shooting for 19 repeats!

The Swallowtail Challenge!

2006-09-19T15:01:00.000-04:00

So here's the deal: I bravely offered to knit a wedding shawl. I don't know if this makes me crazy or the best friend ever. But this is *the* occasion to get carried away, right? And I wasn't the only one, others were volunteering to do things for the bride ("I can do the invitations!" "I'd love to make the cake!" "you could get married in my garden!" etc). I think we overwhelmed the bride a little... In a good way, of course. :)

Anyway, my words just sunk in this past weekend, when the bride realized that she did, in fact, want a lace shawl. I emailed her a list of links: the Flower Basket shawl (which I've made), Icarus, the Lotus Blossom shawl (which I also made) and the Swallowtail shawl. She picked Swallowtail! Smart bride.

Now, I didn't tell you that I cast on for this shawl before I even got my issue of IK (I begged Iraida to loan me the pattern). In fact, I bought the yarn --Misti Alpaca Lace in a dark sage green-- when the preview went up on the IK website! And I even cast on for this project. And then.... Well... Other projects were calling to me, see?

But now, it's going to be all Swallowtail, all the time. The wedding is in 18 days!! I'm going to post pics so you can monitor my progress. And make bets on whether or not I'll make the deadline.
(Oh, and did I mention I wanted to make the shawl larger?).

Veronique

Page layout

2006-09-14T07:46:00.000-04:00

I finally figured out how to post member names/blog sites on the side bar. Later on tonight I'll be adding everyone's name and site. If for whatever reason I don't have your site I'll be emailing you. I think knitalongs are more interesting when you can see member blogs. I can't wait to see more shawls. I'll be wearing mine today. Oh yeah I almost forgot, there's something wrong with this page's rss feed. Anytime I update it doesn't show up on my bloglines. Does anyone else noticed this prob?

Lace Newbie

2006-09-13T10:09:00.000-04:00

Hello all. First let me say thanks to Bronxie for starting this KAL and getting me to confront my misgivings about lace. I actually started mine a couple of weeks ago. I just grabbed some sock yarn out of my stash because thats the closest I can come to "lace-weight" yarn. I ended up picking Koigu in a blueish varegation. Right now I am on the last row of the 14th repeat of the first lace chart, then it's on to the nupps that I've been hearing so much about.

I thougth I'd be brave so I didn't use a lifeline but I did make a big boo boo. When I started, I used an unmarked ball of Koigu from my stash. I ran out of that ball last night somewhere on the 12th repeat so I had to go back to my stash to get the other hank I had. Well, I'm in the process of moving so of course all my sock yarn is boxed up. I wanted to continue knitting so badly that I just picked up the first hank that resembled the yarn I was using. Well guess what, it's not the same color and I didn't firgure this out until I had done a complete pattern repeat.
I'm not ripping it out so I guess I'll have a two tone shawl which doesn't bother me one bit. Here are some crappy pictures taken with my camera phone (sorry). Hopefully my next post will be an FO so I can wear my shawl to the Knit Out this weekend.

Chante

Swallowtail finished

2006-09-08T06:30:00.000-04:00

Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark, Interweave Knits Fall 06
Yarn: Løve Kido Multi (71% mohair, 29% polyamid, 25g/240m). Alltogether 44 g.
Knitting needles: 5 mm
Measurement: 85 cm / 177 cm

Some more pictures in my blog www.kadentaidot.blogspot.com

Count me in

2006-09-05T21:40:00.000-04:00

I started the Swallowtail shawl too. I'm using the Misti Alpaca laceweight in a moss green color. I'm about halfway through the second chart and getting ever closer to the nupps that I just don't want to do. I don't have any pictures of it yet, but will post when I get one.

Risa
http://crazyfiberlady.typepad.com

Another new

2006-09-03T13:57:00.000-04:00

Hi there, I also have already started knitting on Swallowtail using Multi Kido mohair yarn from Love Garn (71%mohair, 29% Polyamid, 25 g / 240 m, the yarn is pretty much like Kid Silk Haze from Rowan). Shawl will be quite a small. Do you have any idea of if the shawl gan be made bigger by making more repeats of some pattern? I still would like the pattern changes to "mach" (each pattern have different amount of repeatable stithes). I hope I made myself clear while English is not my strongest language.

New Here

2006-09-01T18:27:00.000-04:00

Hi, all,

I'm new! I've started the Swallowtail Shawl using Lorna's Laces Helen's Lace in Aslann.

I'm making it for a friend (and co-worker) who's getting married on November 18. She's wearing a champagne dress, so the Aslann is a perfect choice for color.

Fin

2006-08-20T17:58:00.000-04:00

I had so much fun knitting this I really didn't want to finish. Made from a lace merino cone I purchased at school products.

Swallowtail Shawl in Shetland wool

2006-08-17T02:30:00.000-04:00

Shawl is done.Superfast knit
Yarn: Shetland wool 2/8 (250metres/50gm) equivalent to 4ply or fingering weight.
Width 64inches
Length 29inches
Original specs were 49 inches by 23 inches
Weight 100gms( used coned yarn and did not weigh at onset)
I knitted the shawl without any modifications on straight bamboo needles

The nupps were only tricky on the first row , trying to yank the yarn with a micro mini crochet hook looked like it was going to get really painful
I just knitted the KI,YO sequence with some slack , so the P5tog was easy to do on the reverse.

Possible to get a larger shawl by tweaking the pattern repeats.But this make a great size for wearing with suits.
I see a few more shawls this winter
Further pictures atelier chez moi

Swallowtail in Sea Silk

2006-08-14T11:37:00.001-04:00

Swallowtail Shawl

Pattern by Evelyn Clark for Interweave Knits Fall 2006

Handmaiden Seasilk, one skein in Ocean colourway, there appears to be enough left over for a lace choker

Addi Naturas size four, significantly dyed by the yarn.

Cast on August 5, bound off August 13.

I made no changes to the pattern... although I found P5TOG to be impossible to say the least. Instead, I slipped three as if to purl, purled two together and slipped three over the P2TOG. Maybe my needles weren’t pointy enough, meh. In theory, this shouldn’t look any different anyway.

Sorry Jessica and Emily — she’s about to be dropped off at the county fair and will come home on Sunday, hopefully with a ribbon. She’ll make an appearance at the Stitch ‘n Bitch next week!

Crossposted in my little corner 'o the web.

another swallowtail is born

2006-08-12T23:56:00.000-04:00

Thanks for letting me join. I just got my fall IW this afternoon and couldn't wait to start the swallowtail. I decided to check the net for any errata (is there any? patt. looks good to me) and found this KAL.

I've done 3 repeats of chart 2. I'm knitting with knitpicks gloss, in burgandy, on size 6s (4.25mm). I'll be switching to circs as needed. More details on my blog including expected stitch counts after each repeat of chart 2.
www.soapquiltknit.blogspot.com

Button

2006-08-12T20:36:00.000-04:00

I made a button. If you post your KAL on your blogs take this button as well :)

Hi from across the pond

2006-08-12T09:53:00.000-04:00

Thank you all for the invtitation to join your KAL. I am Abi (a knitter and sewer) from across the pond.(Great Britain)
Started the shawl this week as soon as my Interweave Knit landed on my doormat.
I am using a 2/8 Shetland wool ( 250metres/50 grams) on size 4mm bamboo needles.
Would love to know what other are using.
Cheerio

Thanks

2006-08-09T21:31:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the nupp help. I was on my second nupp when my lace started breaking from purling the nupp. So I went back to my life line and have decided to bind off instead of purl the 5 sts. I'll probably do it with a smaller needle since I'm a tight knitter.

Nupp help!

2006-08-07T20:40:00.000-04:00

I've googled nupp stitch but can't really find anything helpful. Can someone out there help me figure out how to do a nupp stitch? How come I can't find a vid of someone getting their nupp on?

Welcome!

2006-08-06T20:03:00.000-04:00

I've been googling (is that even a word? LOL) the Swallowtail Shawl from the Fall 2006 Interweave Knits since I started working on it almost two weeks ago. I know a lot of bloggers want to make it but probably haven't started yet. It's such a fun pattern that I decided to start a KAL. Email me at bronxie@gmail.com to join.