Lace, lace, I want More.

Fire Child with the yummy goods, from Knit Picks

Fire Child with the yummy goods, from Knit Picks

Yesterday I spoke about lace weight yarn… I ordered some from Knit Picks not too long ago, right when I knew for sure I wanted to experiment making more garments with lace yarn. Fire child is happily displaying the goods. Water child was at swim practice, so he was unable to see the treasure.

Alpaca Cloud Lace, from Knit Picks, in a shade that is discontinued (The line of yarn still remains in different colors)

I was really torn when ordering. I wanted it all. Can’t I have it all? I suppose I could, and then would have the credit card companies after me. Everything in life after all is within reach, it’s merely a subjective opinion to what degree of good or bad one finds the consequences to be. And since I am looking to buy a house come spring, we needn’t go down amassing all the lace weight yarn possible! Yes, looking to buy a house.. more on that later.

This yarn rocks. I have already begun working with it.. swatching. I have 2 swatches that will make kick-hiney lacy shawls. One of them is really unique, and I am on the hunt for some beands to go with it. It will definitely be very earthy looking.. Not necessarily trendy, maybe a tad, but I definitely do think it will be something in the closet one can back to again and again.

Shadow Lace yarn

Shadow Lace yarn, "Oregon Coast Heather," from Knit Picks

This was actually my second time ordering from Knit Picks. About 4 yrs ago or so, someone gave me a gift certificate to use there. I finally used it, maybe a year or so later (Knit Picks certificates do not expire), and since this was in the infancy of my career, I did not really know what I was ordering, or what to do with it. I think I primarily purchased it based on weight and color. At that time, (and still for the most part) I like finer weight yarns (though at the time I did not know just how find this would be), and the color just blew me away. Something about those pale, icy-like colors.

It was the Alpaca Cloud Lace I had ordered, in a pale baby blue (a color that I love but has been discontinued), and then some Peppermint Heather (which they do still have). I must have had good taste. It is 100% baby alpaca, and oh so worthy being next to the skin. The Peppermint Heather I used as my experiment for the prototype of the Dragonfly Shawl. I love, love love the Alpaca Cloud Lace yarn. When ordering from Knit Picks this go around, I wanted to try some different lace… Take a look at the close-ups of the winners. As always images are clickable!

The first one is from their Shadow Lace yarn line, in the color “Oregon Coast Heather.” It is 100% Merino Wool and is very soft. It is definitely not as lacy/stringy as the Lacey Lamb that I used for the Dragonfly Shawl (I did love that about the Lacy Lamb), but I loved this just as much in its own way. It is though just as springy as the Lacey Lamb, and I can tell right now it will block just as beautifully too.  It would definitely lend itself a different way in design, making a personality all its own. This is the yarn I am using for one of the swatches that will eventually turn into a shawl, and the one I am the hunt for the perfect beads for. I will be using, at this point, wooden beads for this, hence, the earthy look. Even the stitches chosen for this shawl, though somewhat lacy, complement each other nicely contributing to the character of this shawl in its final form. Oh, I cannot wait!

Shadow Lace Yarn, "Snorkel Heather," from Knit Picks

Shadow Lace Yarn, "Snorkel Heather," from Knit Picks

Another I ordered out of this same line of yarn is the color “Snorkel Heather.” I LOVE this color. Can I say that again? I LOVE love love this color. First, I am NOT generally one to like variegated yarn. (This is not a variegated yarn, by the way). The only reason I bring up variegated yarn is that one may think in general if a person does not like variegated, he/she would not like any yarn with color changes of any sort.

I am very very choosy when it comes to yarns that have color changes, but I definitely have an attraction to these kinds of yarns. I think the affinity comes from  all of the gorgeous, hand painted yarns appearing with the advent of Ravelry, and of course the growing of Etsy. In fact, it is on Etsy I am hoping to find the “perfect” wooden beads for my shawl with the Orgeon Coast Heather lace… Let me know if you are a bead maker, or know of any nice wooden beads!

The color changes in this Snorkel Heather are in perfect harmony. Which though is why it is called a “heather.” If you click on the photo, you can really see how beautifully blended these colors are, one just melting into the next. I think for this shawl since the heathered look is not stark, but simply subtle, and will lend itself to a beautiful, open lace garment..

I can just see this being worn as a shawl, or even sarong, at sunset when walking along the boulevard, or even the beach…. a gorgeous, alluring lace, with these deep rich colors that accent the ocean. Now, if only I had an ocean by me, I could photograph it there! Oh wait, we have snow. Hmmm. Ok, well, we will figure something out.. still have yet to design with it! Can’t you see this being a very popular color this year? I can.. the deep rich colors of teal, turquioise, etc. I do not follow color trends too much, I just sort of go with what seems right for me at the time, and thankfully, the color choices always have been in sync with the times!

Shimmer Hand Dyed Lace Yarn, "Cumulus," from Knit Picks

Shimmer Hand Dyed Lace Yarn, "Cumulus," from Knit Picks

Ok, the third lace weight yarn is Shimmer Hand Dyed Lace yarn, from Knit Picks, in the color “Cumulus.” This color speaks serenity to me. Very calm, endearing.. I can see a beautiful, intricate lace pattern with this.. Maybe some small, hint-of-shimmer beads. I can see this being very elegant, or casual enough to be worn with a white tank and vintage skirt, with a gentle wind sweeping by. Can you see it?

See, I am a nut. When I see a yarn, it talks to me. Yes, it talks to me… I begin painting pictures in my head of what comes to me.. out comes the sketch book, and scratch notes about the “inspirational yarn.” I will draw what I envision in my head.

Though I am very logical, I am quite emotional too. Not in the sense I am a basketcase, quite the contrary, but in the sense that I am super empathetic, and so in touch with what I see and feel that it conveys itself through my writing, through my art and through my designs.

So anyway… time to get moving on this Saturday, get some cleaning and work done. I will leave you with a little sneak peak of something that is in testing… Happy weekend! Oh, and if you are in Level 1 on the Testing Forum, this project is open to you!

Sneak Peak

Sneak Peak

11 thoughts on “Lace, lace, I want More.”

  1. Hi Lisa…Great minds must think alike! I recently placed a rather substantial order to Knit Picks for their lace weight yarn too. I’m currently working on a few design ideas myself. I just wish Knit Picks catered to us “hookers” a little more. They’d probably have a lot of business from us too!

  2. I definitely agree. They most definitely are knit oriented! Let’s hope that new patterns in crochet with their yarn will make an impact! Which yarns did you order?

  3. I ordered 3 hanks of shimmer ivy yesterday from knitpicks. They “misordered” the yarn in Ivy (a color it isn’t normally in), so it was “only” $5 per hank. I also ordered some color cards for the shadow and the gloss.

    I am either going to make that or the Crocus Bud wrap I saw on Ravelry with the Ivy and then order more for the other pattern. (That is if I can find the current issue of Interweave Crochet — no one seems to have it).

    I got the color cards because of a disasterous attempt to order yarn from them to make the Afghan of the Sandman based on the colors on the computer. In Knitpicks’ world, the color “cream” is not ivory but beige. :)

  4. Oops, I misedited, by “that” I meant the dragonfly shawl. Which has inspired me to try lace-weight yarn.

  5. Yarn Princess: Aha! So you probably understand me when I say my hooks talk to me too! I think it takes a real creative, insightful person to not only hear the chatter, but to become part of the conversations…

  6. Jill: Oh Jill you MUST must must try lace weight yarn :) Which kind of the Ivy? Which of the lace weight yarns is it? I have seen the Crocus, that is beautiful… I think with any you will be set. Once you try a lace weight, and then block it, you will be so addicted. I know I am…!

  7. I have never tried lace weight before, but the Dragonfly Shawl is inspiring my to try some. I actually just placed an order with knit picks a few days ago, and must be thinking along the same lines as Jill. I also ordered some of the Shimmer in Ivy for this shawl.

  8. what a great package to get in the mail! you are going to be the death of my stashbusting efforts…lol!

  9. Oh goodness.. another one, Leah… You NEED to try lace weight.. Ok, good, you got some too :) We will have to start a newbie-lace-along? :)

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