Rhapsody for Kiri
I just couldn’t help thinking of a boomerang as I photographed what I’ve been knitting the past few days:
It’s the Kiri shawl from Polly at All Tangled Up, one of the earliest blogs I began reading, and which still remains one of my favourites. Doesn’t it look like it’s about to take off?
This post is a rhapsody for Kiri. Why haven’t I knit this shawl before? Why hasn’t everybody who loves lace work? It has everything a good lace shawl pattern should. It is easily memorised, it has that beautiful rhythm that you settle into after finishing the first repeat and figuring out how the k2togs balance the SSKs, and it produces an elegant, gorgeous fabric that looks way more complicated than it actually is:
So all the non-knitters around you ooh and aah over what requires very little effort on your part. (The designer, in other words, has done all the hard work for you, all you do is ease gently into the pattern!) It has a fern leaf motif that grows surprisingly quickly: all that you see above was knitted in the last four days. Instinctively figuring out the pattern was key; although similar to the Leaf Lace and other Fiber Trends patterns, this one is turning out to be much more fun. I have been watching some dreadful old Hindi films on cable as I knit it. Although that means altogether too much mindless activity, the results are very pleasing overall! So thank you, Polly, for a lovely pattern. I know lots and lots of people have knit this and all of you probably know this, but just in case you don’t, I should mention that it’s free! (.pdf link)
The yarn is Brown Sheep Fingering Naturespun, workhorse wool in a maple-something-or-other shade. Wears like iron, I’m told (the yarn, not the shade). I brought it to make the Gracie Faroese Shawl, but like an idiot I left the book in Delhi. I found myself itching to knit lace when I got here, and voila, happened upon Kiri. Which was just as well.
Incidentally, the colour of my tongue totally matches this yarn right now, as I munch on Jambhul (Jamun in Hindi). They’re fat and engorged, and the blackish skin yields purple fleshy goodness within.
That’s a pretty color! I haven’t used Naturespun in fingering, but I like the worsted version. Brown Sheep makes great basic wools. I’m not a huge fan of Lamb’s Pride (though it’s good for knitting little toys and such), but I think their other wools should get more love than they do!
Your Kiri is gorgeous! Love that purple. I knit one last year and I think I’d knit it again. It’s just such a lovely pattern.
Your Kiri is beautiful and reminds me that I want to make one soon! Jane
Beautiful! Lace looks so funny before it is blocked.
Lovely! I really need to make one of these. I think your first photo looks like a soaring bird, or some other majestic textured thing — a boomerang is just so… flat, compared with the bumpy beauty of unblocked lace.
Ooh, that is probably my favorite color ever! Which reminds me, I’ve never knit anything in that color! Must rectify this situation :p
Beautiful color! It will be a beautiful shawl!
Just found your blog and I love it. Your photographs are beautiful. You are a knitter and make beautiful crochet thins. I send you many greetings from Austria and I am sure, that I will visit your blog again.
Best greetings from Austria – Lisi
I love your Kiri pictures, reminds me that I want one of my own! jane