Lunna Voe Shawl, Lace Blocking Tips, and Recap of Ysolda's 2015 Shawl Club

Lunna Voe the Final Installment of Ysolda's 2015 Shawl Club ~

Leave it to Ysolda to design something traditional and timeless and yet somehow modern too.  This is Lunna Voe the final shawl from her 2015 shawl club and I'm very sorry that this club has ended. 2015 was Ysolda's very first yarn club and her future clubs will not be the same.  Gone are the exclusive club colorways, exclusively spun yarns, and the sense of being part of a small group of adventuresome knitters willing to take a risk on the unknown.  Despite these changes I have signed up for her 2016 club as I was very happy with the beautiful yarns and patterns from 2015 and expect more of the same in the 2016.

Design Inspiration for Lunna Voe Shawl

Included with this yarn was a picture with a note from Ysolda written on the back explaining how the picture inspired the color and design of the shawl, to wit:

No one can capture the light and colors of Scotland on yarn quite like Lilith of Old Maiden Aunt.  For this colorway, on a Shetland fibre base, she was inspired by this photo taken by Jeni Reid at dusk in Shetland.  Lilith says the coastline reminds her of a hap shawl edging.  My design combines traditional elements of hap and fancier lace patterns.

Parenthetically, the photographer, Jeni Reid describes taking this picture at dusk near Voe, Shetland (hence the shawl's name "Lunna Voe") and, like Lilth, she was struck by the shoreline as resembling the edges of a Hap Shawl.  There is something magical and mysterious about the Shetland Islands and the women who knit so many beautiful shawls and sweaters to keep their families warm and provide the family with extra money.  This shawl is one that I'll particularly treasure as it gives me a connection to that history as it could easily have been knit and worn by a woman living in Shetland centuries past.  Today many of the hap Shetland shawls are knit from wool blends and not a pure Shetland wool.  That Ysolda chose to use a pure Shetland wool dyed to capture regional colors makes this a very special piece. 

Creative Lace Blocking Tips ~

Lunna Voe is a hap shawl and, as mentioned above, is a design indigenous to the Shetland Islands.  It is knit in a laceweight yarn and, as is the case with all lace, requires blocking to showcase the beautiful pattern. Blocking lace has both a technical aspect and a creative aspect and I am going to share my tips on the creative aspects of blocking lace.  If you need help with how to technically block lace I refer you to Yarn Harlot's tutorial which is how I learned to block lace along with countless others.

Once you are comfortable with the technical aspect of blocking lace it is time to explore the creative aspects of blocking lace.  It is through the creative blocking process that you finish a shawl so that it expresses your individual taste and personality.

What do I mean by the creative blocking process?  This is the process where you decide what you want your shawl to be.  Do you want a shawl that is formal and dressy or soft and feminine?  Do you want your shawl to be long and narrow, or short and wide, or more like a crescent?  Do you want the edges to be crisp or to have a natural roll for a more rustic look?  If you know in advance what type of shawl you want then the blocking process goes from technical to creative as you bring forth that character from your shawl.

For example with the Lunna Voe shawl I wanted a soft and casual wrap that I could throw on as a layering piece so I used a very soft block on the lace.  A soft block is to gently lay the fabric flat and smooth the fabric with the palm of your hands without much pulling.  This is in contrast to a firm block where you firmly pin out (stretching open) the lace to create a whisper thin fabric that shows off a distinct lace pattern.  To compare the two styles of blocking using this shawl as an example I refer you to the picture that came with the pattern (see firm block for the Lunna Voe). You can see that these two different styles of blocking created two very personalities in the shawl.  Mine is a very rustic and casual shawl and Ysolda's is a formal and dressy shawl.  The only difference is that I used a soft block on the lace whereas Ysolda used a firm block to create a crisp and sharp design and a beautifully elegant finished piece. It's just a matter of personal taste and how you want to wear your shawl.

The creative blocking process is one of my favorite parts of knitting.  I like to sit down with a large pile of pins and slowly let the shawl's personality emerge.  It's not at all unusual for me to block a shawl or be half way through blocking and decide to remove all the pins and start over because some design element of the shawl was not emerging as I wished.  I don't rush this process because like most finishing work it is what makes the difference between having something artistically handmade versus having something that looks homemade.  

I hope you will use the creative blocking process to bring forth the inner personality of your shawls and increase your satisfaction with your handknits.

Pattern Details ~

Lunna Voe designed by Ysolda Teague (Shawl No. 6 from 2015 Shawl Club); 1 skein Old Maiden Aunt Shetland wool 2 ply laceweight (800 yrds); Shoormal colorway (exclusive to club); US 5 needles; no modifications whatsoever.  This is the 6th and final shawl from Ysolda's 2015 Shawl Club.  If you wish to see a full sized hap shawl I knit the Cora Shawl designed by Sharon Miller which takes a whopping 2,849 yds of lace weight yarn.

Just for fun a picture of Simcha wearing Lunna Voe.  There's something about this picture that reminds me of the dapper fellows at Cambridge University in the 1800s who would spend their free time in rowing clubs and writing poetry.  Simcha would happily adapt to that lifestyle now.  When he was young I think he would have preferred to have been a policeman but somewhere along the way he's developed an appreciation for leisurely living.

Recap of Ysolda's 2015 Shawl Club

As Lunna Voe is the final installment of the 2015 shawl club I thought it would be fun to create a collage of projects I've made from the club yarns.  This was a unique and special club with exclusive yarns and future clubs will not be the same which is all the more reason to have a memento!

From top left to right the projects and link to related blog post are as follows: Caer Idris; Lunna Voe (this post); Cokern Tor; Malton Oolite; Stac Shoaigh; and Osebury Rock.

Patterns for each of these projects will be released one year from the club release and already I am seeing many beautiful and colorful versions of Stac Shoaigh on Ravelry which was the first club shipment in 2015.

If you can't wait or missed out on her club then take heart because Ysolda has begun the launch of own line of yarns and patterns (no club membership required) with Yarn Blend No. 1.  I have no doubt this venture will be very successful with her winning talent of combining yarns and patterns.

Until next time be well and love well and whatever you do or wherever you go follow your own path as being true to yourself is what makes the journey uniquely yours.

Stac Shoaigh Shawl and the Perfect Brew

The British are coming!!!  The British are coming!!!  British yarns that is.  For Americans that statement has a slightly different connotation having to do with Paul Revere and the revolution, but that was then and this is now and what I'm talking about are beautiful British yarns.

After seeing Ysolda's Tweet in January describing her 2015 Shawl Club and how it was going to feature exclusive yarns from some of her favorite British mills and dyers with patterns designed specifically for that yarn, I threw caution to the wind and used my Christmas splurge money to join. After what seemed like forever my first shipment arrived in February with a yarn spun from soay sheep a rare breed roaming on the St. Kilda Archipelga in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. After ripping off the wrapping paper and giving the beautiful sheepy yarn a few sniffs and a squeeze I wasted no time casting on to knit this fabulous shawl that Ysolda calls Stac Shoaigh.

But I am calling mine my Outlander Shawl.  It was entirely serendipitous that this yarn arrived just as I began watching Outlander, a romantic epic series set in the highlands and based on the novels written by Diana Gabaldon.  I can't believe that any of you aren't familiar with Outlander, but if you aren't, buy it and read it (you can thank me later).  I also highly recommend the Starz TV production as it's exceptionally well done and you will see lots of beautiful rustic knits worn by the characters.  As I knitted away on my Stac Shoaigh Shawl watching Outlander the two became interwoven as one as the memory, tactile experience and fabric became entwined.  Now wearing this shawl I feel ready to be transported back in time to an adventure in the highlands, minus the violence, lack of modern bathroom facilities, and discriminatory attitude toward women.  But other than that I'm ready!

Ysolda describes her inspiration for this shawl as follows:

The large holes, organic curves and sharp points were inspired by the tunneled rock formations of the sea stack Stac Shoaigh while the garter stitch and feather and fan is reminiscent of everyday "Hap" shawls from the Shetland isles.  Perfect for a Shetland, Soay fibre blend.

It's easy to see these design elements and inspiration in the shawl.  I would also point out that the leaf motif (both at the top and along the garterstitch edge) gives a nice feminine touch that softens the otherwise strong elements in the shawl.  No matter how you describe it, this is a rustic and beautiful shawl that could easily have been worn by a Scottish lass living in the bronze age.  And yet.  The yarn came into my hands whereupon I knit this shawl that will be worn in present day Los Angeles, California.  Isn't modern transportation and web interconnectedness a marvelous thing!  Thank you Twitter and thank you to Ysolda too!

Particulars:  Stac Shoaigh designed by Ysolda as part of her 2015 Shawl Club; 1 skein Soay Bronze spun by Blacker Yarns; US 7 circular needles.  Blocked dimensions 60" x  23"  Truly one of my favorite knits because the yarn is so special and the pattern was a perfect match for the yarn.  Incidentally I've also knit a traditional "hap" shetland shawl that Ysolda makes reference to above, as well as a number of Ysolda's patterns including her elephant toy, Mousie, Ishbel Shawl and Hipster Style Hat.  

A Perfect Brew

I recently read that tea is the number one beverage in the world (excluding water).  And why not?  It's full of health benefits and is delicious too.   Although I suspect the large Chinese population may skew the world numbers because in the United States coffee seems much more popular.  I have never heard anyone say "let's go out for a cup of tea" it's always coffee.  The reason is, and it may be just be me, but it seems that for some reason drinking tea in the united states has been unfairly associated with sick days, little old ladies, and yoga devotees.  And if that's what you think then it's time to update your perspective and join the rest of the world in enjoying this delicious and healthy beverage.

Because I think poor brewing technique can share the blame for tea's lackluster reputation in the united states, I'm going to share an important tip to enjoying a good cup of tea, namely, you must use a teapot to brew your tea. While simply dunking a teabag into a cup of hot water will indeed impart "flavor" it will not produce anything near the complex and rich flavor possible when brewed in a teapot for the right length of time (generally speaking blacks 3 minutes, greens 2 minutes, and oolongs 3 to 5 minutes but the tea package should give a suggested time).

I don't think it matters too much the style of teapot, although certain teapots work better for certain teas.  Pictured below is my Chinese teapot that I use to brew green teas and oolongs but I've also happily enjoyed a cup of green tea from a classic English style teapot too.  What is more critical is to "decant" your tea after the right length of brewing.  If you leave your tea to sit brewing too long it will turn rancid and bitter so you need to pour your tea into a mug or a small pitcher so you can enjoy it at peak flavor.

Now my secret for making tea even more healthy and beneficial.  While it's brewing toss in a few dried goji berries (the red berries pictured above) to release their powerful anti-oxidants into your brew. This is a trick I picked up while in China a few years back and is an easy way to incorporate these ultra healthy berries into your diet.

So pick up a teapot if you haven't one already and start enjoying tea as the rich satisfying brew it should be.

Until next time, be well and love well and may you enjoy the unfolding of Spring whilst sipping a cup of delicious perfectly brewed green tea (I recommend trying an oolong but any green tea will do) and if you don't know where to start Teavana, Harney and Sons, and Mighty Leaf, have a nice selection to tempt you.

Knit Mouse Sachet ~ and Lemon Bars

This is one of those items where until you have one you don't realized how much you really needed one all along.  It's a sweet lavender filled mouse sachet to ~ ta-da ~ keep away moths! Or scent your lingerie drawer if you wish, or sit on a shelf  and look cute, or simply give as a whimsical gift to someone who needs a reason to smile. 

Since this little mouse pattern by Ysolda makes a tiny house mouse, I thought it would be fun to turn it into something sweetly scented to protect linens from moths and whatnot.  But I am a little concerned.  This mouse is so darn cute I wouldn't be at all surprised if it proliferates and I find my house overrun with little mice scurrying about!

I really enjoy knitting toys and what I enjoy the most is bringing out the character in a toy.  And so I am going to share a few tips on how I went about giving a personality to this mouse.  First, I decided to use beads for his eyes (instead of embroidered french knots as the pattern calls for) and to give depth to the eyes I blackened the area behind where I placed the beads using a black eye shadow applied with a q-tip.  Second, to soften and create a fuzzy interior to the ears I stranded the CC (contrasting color) with a stand of Rowan's kidsilk Haze.  Third, to help the ears hold a curved shape I used a small about of jewelry wire that I twisted into a triangle form that I placed inside the ear just before I sewed it close which allows me to bend and shape the ear.  Finally, I added whiskers using embroidery floss which is simply stitched on.  I find adding just using a few finishing touches helps give a knit toy its own unique character.

Pattern particulars:  Mousie from Whimsical Little Knits (designer: Ysolda); US 1 DPNs; yarn: MC: blue Sky Alpaca Royal / CC: Shibui Knits Staccato (velvet) and the ears are stranded with Rowan Kidsilk Haze (black); faceted beads for eyes; jewelry wire in ears; filled with lavender and fleece roving.  For other ideas on toys to knit see past toys I've knit including: an owl, monster, elephant, mouse, bear, bunny, and rabbit.   


Lemon Bars ~

Whenever possible I like to eat seasonally and that goes for desserts as well as fruits and vegetables.  Every Spring and Summer one of my favorite treats to make are lemon bars using meyer lemons.  I use a recipe I found online back in 1994 from the old Victoria Magazine and I've made it countless times over the years.  I like it because the crust is a short and light and the topping has a nice zing of lemon without a ton of topping.  However, I do think modern tastes have changed and the lemon bars of today have significantly more topping than this recipe calls for.  If you like a lot of topping I would suggest maybe increasing the topping by an additional half but, for myself, I like it just the way it is.  Regardless be sure to add all the zest because you want it to really have a pop of lemon flavor.

Lemon Bars Recipe:

CRUST:
1 3/4 C. All-purpose Flour
1/4 C. Confectioner's Sugar
14 Tablespoons chilled unsalted butter (diced into small pieces)

FILLING:
3 Eggs
1 1/2 C. granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 C. lemon Juice
1/3 C. All-purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder

Garnish:
Confectioner's Sugar

Steps:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  Make Crust:  Combine 1 3/4 C. flour and 1/4 C. Confectioner's Sugar and then cut in the 14 Tablespoons butter using a pastry cutter or knifes until forms coarse crumbs.  Press dough into an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan.  Bake for 15 minutes until crust is firm but not brown.
3.  Make Filling: While crust is baking whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, lemon zest and juice.  Add 1/3 C. flour mixed with baking powder.  Whisk until well blended.  Pour over hot baked crust.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until firm when lightly touched in center.  Cool in pan set on rack.

Serve:  Garnish with sifted confectioner's sugar.  Cut into squares.

Until next time, be well and love well and if you have never knit a toy the long hot summer is the perfect opportunity to try your hand at knitting a small toy!