Enter stage left new project. The gorgeous Camomille by Helga Isager.
Alternating rows of doubled fingering/lace yarn with rows of single lace creates a lovely, light and airy textural contrast that is knit up to a large, cozy shawl…and then has the magic element – TASSELS! These take the shawl to Frida-esque heights for me by giving it a subtle bit of Mexican flavoured panache that I have been craving since re-watching the movie Frida a few weeks ago!
The pattern I actually have in The Bird Collection book is the Dunlin shawl for children, shown below. But I can’t see a difference (can you?) so will just make it larger! This will be a shawl I can cozy up in on chilly summer evenings.
I have been planning this shawl for a few months after seeing Leila’s jaw-dropping example on Ravelry.
She not only did a beautiful job matching her yarns, but added a lovely detail of these turquoise ceramic beads on the gorgeously fat tassels. So perfect.
I’ve decided to go halfway between the one colour version and the two-tone Dunlin version on mine, but with less contrast between the grey and pink and a titch darker overall. I dyed up some beautiful BFL/Silk light fingering in a delicate blush almost-pink and a silky soft but weighty Baby Camel/Silk in a deep metallic pewter for this one.
I can’t tell you how good this combo feels. I have never knit anything quite so…exquisite. The BFL/Alpaca is a light, fluffy almost weightless yarn while the Baby camel/Silk gives it drape, depth and the most gorgeous shimmer. Combining the two makes a lofty/drapey hand that I just can’t really describe, but is oh-so yummy!
This combo is such a pleasure to knit I am having a hard time finishing my Buttercup! I just don’t want to put this one down. Especially as I am doing more odious twisted stich ribbing for the Buttercup and it is painful! Not least because I have done the bottom hem twice to get the tension right. Gack.
I haven’t yet decided if I will finish the final lace row with the glowing pewter silk, or the softer blush yet. Figure it will come to me the closer I get to finishing, right?
From the Purl Side 
Knitting with camel?? Wow, I’d love to have a fondle, lol! I’ve also never knitted with silk!
It looks great, and I love the tassels!!
You MUST try the baby camel/silk blend. It is beyond gorgeous…soft as cashmere but with a sleeker hand – not lofty like cashmere. I am guessing this is because the strands are longer, which also means the sheen is luminous, which gives a stunning depth of colour…
Ok. I will shut up now. It is gorgeous. Trust me. heh!
Hoping to have the shop up and running by the end of the summer if you are inclined to give it a go. 😉
I am deadly curious about your shop! 😀
Aw…nice! I am still sorting out the nitty gritty, so it is taking longer and longer, but SOON.
I hope.
;-?
Lovely shawl – I can see why you want to focus on that. I’d finish with pewter.
I have nominated you for the WordPress Family Blog Award! Thanks for making me feel at home here 🙂
Aw, thank you Sally! That is really kind. How exciting!!! Off to pick my 10!
Oh my. That is divine! I am not normally a tassels kind of girl, but those ones are so plush and unapologetic that I kind of want to make some.
But, er, yeah. Finish your Buttercup first 😉
HAH! Yeah. You’re right…have been knitting the shawl all afternoon in the sun, but I should probably cut myself off now and work on Buttercup for a bit tonight. I am soooooo close!!! ;-?