To Answer a Question

Ronna said...
I also have some Elann's Pharao in the Evergreen color. You said you used #5 ndls . How many balls did it take? Your shawl is really beautiful.

Thanks Ronna - I did a double check and found that I've actually used a size 4 needle. Sorry everyone for the error, my head must have been in another project. The Pharao was really easy to work with and with the alternate nupp option that mentioned below you might even be able to include the nupps. I used a little less than three skeins - probably more like 2 1/2 (give or take)....but that's without the nupps. 3 should be fine if you do include them. If I remember correctly, there's 196 yrds in each skein.

Good Luck and enjoy the lace!! I can't wait to see your progress.

The Butterfly is Free

Not a quick finish, just a late sign up. I started the Swallowtail Shawl July 31st and found the KAL after reaching the halfway point. After putting the shawl down in frustation for about 2 1/2 weeks I picked it up again on Saturday. The nupps were kicking my tail. I love this shawl!!!

Can't say what the problem was because once I started back it was smooth sailing all the way. The "nuppiness" was fun after I overcame the original hurdle. I would not do a p5tog with the needles I used, Holz & Stein, but it was an excellent learning experience. A great prelude to the Estonian Shawl or Madli's Shawl. I moved each stitch to the right hand needle individually. This made them more uniform in size and then I purled them together to reduce the strain on the needle. A little more labor intensive but not bad at all.


I used Jaggerspun Zephyr in Cinnabar on size 4 mm needles. It measures 48" x 21.5". Just large enough to keep a chill off the shoulders. I have plans to knit at least 2 more in lace weight, one in black and the other in pink.


Thanks for letting me in on this KAL. I'm not a newbie to knitting or lace but sometimes we all meet our stumbling block. The pictures of the progress and completed shawls gave me lots of encouragement. They are all beautiful.

P.S. I blog at fiberitis if you would like to see more picks and details.

Nupps Alternative

I found an alternative to the nupps that sounds like it should work. I found it here under this listing: Swallowtail in Sea Silk by Poipill.....here's what she did:
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.
Hope this helps, I sure am going to keep it handy when I finally try that Trellis.
Everyone keep up the good work!!

I started :)

I'm on the 6th repeat of chart 2. The yarn is hand spun singles from my coop fleece. I hand painted it in light purple and brown. This pattern is super easy so far. 

I love this pattern!

I have knitted a few lace projects, not many, but I did find that this was the easiest one so far. I had bought this yarn in the scarlet so that I could do another lace project but wanted something a bit easier than Trellis from IK Spring or Summer 2006 (I forget which one). When I got the new IK the Swallowtail just jumped off the pages at me. I KNEW I had to try this one.
It had a CO that I'd not yet tried either but had no real problem with it. I did start this shawl over maybe 3 or 4 times just to get it the way I wanted and used bamboo circular needles. I went up a size by using '5' because I felt the yarn called for it. *Correction, I went back and checked and found out I actually used a size 4 needle on this project. Sorry for the confusion.
I did the body with no problems but knew there were 'nupps' ahead. I actually tried working a row or two with the nupps but actually just didn't like the way they looked in the cotton. So yes, I went 'nuppless'. But actually if you aren't familar with the pattern itself, you can't tell something has been left out and I got the idea from Polly. I know I will have to find the right yarn when I go back to Trellis so I can do the nupps on that because a gal shouldn't go nuppless her whole life right?
Anyway, I finished it up and was quite pleased with the outcome. I love the texture of the cotton and ofcourse, that gorgeous scarlet. I kept the size close to the pattern and more like a scarf than a shawl. I simple did the shawl because it was something I wanted to do. When I brought it in to work for friends to see they had a fit over it and one has offered to buy it. I made her try it on the day I brought it in because she had a black jacket on. It looked GORGEOUS on her, and she knew she had to have it. It's almost as if I had made it just for her and I think somewhere in the back of my head I was thinking of her as I worked.
I would absolutely do this shawl again! I started this at the end of July, but was working 'several' other things at the same time. But it really didn't take me that long at all to get it done once I was dedicated to this only.

Swallowtail went to the beach~

Hi everyone!

I've finished blocking the shawl last friday but I decided to take more pics of her before I post everything up. Here are more pics
of her at the beach.

new to the KAL

I've just joined this KAL and have been trying to decide which laceweight from my stash I'll use for this shawl. It's probably between Zephyr in Suede or Zephyr in Cassis, and I'll be going up a needle size or two since I have plenty of both these colors and would like to make the shawl a bit larger. I'm a fairly tight knitter. I'm impressed with all the photos I've seen so far of everyone's progress. The Sage Zephyr is lovely - a favorite color of mine. :)

alrighty!

I got the pics to load! It only took a day and a half...

So, please go check out the finished product!

www.costumechick.blogspot.com

Thanks for looking!

Finally my Swallow is moving

Finally my STS is moving. After frogging more than 10 times of my KP alpca cloud, I decided to change my yarn to Snuggly 4ply. I would keep my alpca cloud for the new project. Here is my progress.

It's blocking!

I did manage to get a lot finished this weekend! In fact, I got the whole thing finished! Wow! What a quick knit! Granted I was working on this exclusively, in the small amount of time I have to actually knit, so it should have progressed rapidly - but holy cow!

I'm in the process of putting more pictures and stuff on my blog - assuming the blogger will load them. Err.
stop on by! www.costumechick.blogspot.com

HI everyone

HI! Thank you for letting me join! It's going to be a little bit before I shart this shawl, I want to finish MS2 before I start, Also i want to spin my own yarn from my coop fleece...or I might use some yarn I ordered from HPY, we will see:)

Howdy Ya'll!

I just joined this KAL, but I am already cruising through my shawl. I am making mine in Knitpicks Bare Laceweight Merino for my good friend's wedding. She is getting married on Labor Day Sunday with a sleeveless dress - outside. She didn't think about something for her shoulders until about a week ago. I was so mortified when she said she would go to a "wedding barn" and buy something to wear. EEEK! Her dress is being custom built by another friend. I just couldn't let it happen. So, she picked this pattern, and I am knitting away...

Just a little hint of my progress. I started on Tuesday night, but it has been slowish going so far. I was compelled to clean last night, so I got very little knitting done. I plan on doing some major damage on this over the weeked.

That's it for now! Everyone's work is lovely!

The swallow has taken flight

I cast on for the Swallowtail shawl after I woke up (I'm more productive in the morning). And now it's in it's 6th repeat, the pattern repeat is quite simple and monotonous. I hope it gets more interesting as it comes to the edging. Here's a sneak of my little butterfly.

My First Shawl For 2006

I'm done with the Swallow Tail Shawl during the weekend. Took me almost 3 hours just to finish knitting the Peaked Edging Lace. You can read the details in my blog.

Obviously, this is a fun knit. Enjoy.

My Swallowtail in progress!

Hey! So excited about this KAL. Can't wait to see what everyone does with such a pretty pattern!

I cast on for mine a few days ago but because I've been moving and dealing with de-molding my stash (see my blog for details - it was the worst thing ever!) I haven't gotten real far.

I love this pattern - the cast on had me a bit confused, but I trusted it and now I 'get' it. The only thing is that I keep forgetting and dropping my YOs. Luckily, I'm pretty good at forcing them a few rows below, etc so I haven't tinked or frogged yet. If you're having the same problems with the YOs, you may want to check out this post on a my blog I did a few weeks ago for good pics and descriptions for fixes that no one will ever notice.

Now, some sleep. Tomorrow, more yarn washing.

Swallowtail Spotted

I spotted a Swallowtail Shawl in process. I wish Doreen best of luck in her progress.

Kessa has done up some pretty buttons. Take a look on the right sidebar. =)

Let's get this started

Kessa and I are starting this knitalong in abide to see more Swallowtailers. Do come in and join us, simply by leaving your EMAIL in the comments.

There's no end date to this KAL.

On the topic of lace shawl designers, I really adore the designs by Evelyn A. Clark. My very first lace project was her Flower Basket Shawl, IK Fall 2004. I look forward to starting this new project and hope you feel the same too.

Edited 10 Sept 06
If you have not heard from us, it means we are not able to add you, cuz we do not have your email address. SO PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENTS. THANKS YOU! =)