I finished this shawl last week, but am only now getting around to photographing it. It's Anna Dalvi's Fields of Malachite shawl from Ancient Egypt in Lace and Color in Lisa Souza Lace in the Lake Superior colorway. This was the first time I really felt compelled to knit a shawl in the color specified, but I wanted to use this yarn and I wanted to knit that pattern. I photographed it on a green blanket, though---that should count for something. This pattern was a perfect combination of easy knitting and thoughtful lace. Just when I got tired of stockinette, it was time for the charts. Just when the charts were making my eyes spin, it was time for the last few rows. Wonderful synchronicity of my moods with the design. Thank you, Anna!
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Here's a glimpse of what's on my needles (well, one set of needles) this morning: Anna Dalvi's Fields of Malachite shawl from Ancient Egypt in Lace and Color in Lisa Souza Lace in the Lake Superior colorway. I took this photo with no flash in natural light, but had to use the "enhance" button on iPhoto and then move the temperature setting a little toward the blue. The true color is somewhere between this photo and the one I took using my flash. You can see that image, and the unenhanced flashless photo, below. I've just recently started playing around in iPhoto and HP Photosmart, and it's really interesting how you can make the same photo look much, much better (even Microsoft Word has interesting possibilities). What are your experiences with programs other than Photoshop? Flash versus no flash? Digital cameras in general? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
I've got some projects in the works, one of which is an eBook I'll be giving away to subscribers to my blog. This eBook will detail methods of lace design--basically, how to use holes to draw pictures. Various decreases will be covered, along with ways to manipulate yarnovers. I'm not sure when I'll have it ready, but if you really don't want to miss it contact me with your email address and I'll give you a heads up when it's done. Oh, and today is the last day to enter my giveaway. Good luck! Knitted Lace Designs of Herbert Niebling by Eva Maria Leszner; Yasmin Syed and Mary Frances Wogec, trans., pub. Lacis, 2009 It's hard to know where to begin discussion of this book. With the history of lace? The astonishing biographical information about Niebling? Technical tips for casting on and blocking? Chart reading support? Fiber recommendations? Or with the large number of people involved in getting this version into print? I'm going to start with the designs. After all, they're what caught my attention when I first opened the book. These are what Leszner's introduction calls "ordinary works of knitting," and in many ways she's right. They are produced not with the use of magic or even bobbins, but just plain yarn and knitting needles. But the results are extraordinary. Revealed in this printing's new charts (edited and revised by Mary Frances Wogec) are the methods Niebling used to create the tablecloths pictured in this book. That's right, tablecloths. But they're gorgeous! There's a certain kind of knitting book I like. Color pictures of modeled garments with striking backdrops. Well laid out instructions featuring interesting constructions and new techniques. Informative text sprinkled with a sense of humor. This is not that kind of book. The photos are mostly black and white. A couple of the color images are out of focus and depict household items with not a person to be seen. Except for a few notes here and there, all the text is at the beginning of the book. The glory of this book is in the charts. Each tablecloth is shown in a very clear full-page black and white photo with accompanying charts. The photos are not always on the page facing their charts, but they are clearly labeled with the corresponding page numbers. And the charts themselves are a wealth of information! The symbols are well defined and logically laid out in the shape of the lace. I have yet to knit any of the tablecloths, but I have used Niebling's techniques in several of my original designs. I sat for hours poring over the pages of this book as soon as I received it. It's a slim volume--less than 100 pages--but packed with information and excellent, thoughtfully-produced charts. I highly recommend this book for lace enthusiasts, designers, and anyone interested in how knitting works. It's also a wonderful book for anyone who appreciates the beauty of black and white images. There are some amazing pieces herein! Disclosure: Kangath reviewed her personal copy of Knitted Lace Designs of Herbert Niebling. Kangath was not compensated for the preceding review. All opinions expressed in the review are the blog author's and are not necessarily the opinions of Lacis, Herbert Niebling, or Eva Maria Leszner. |
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