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Lots of Wraps on the Needles!

3720 views 10 replies Latest reply: July 3, 2012 at 1:49:26 AM

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Apr 2, 2012
Posts: 19

SapphiresnPurls message #1
Lots of Wraps on the Needles!
June 8, 2012 at 9:04:00 PM

I am currently working on an entrelac wrap, which will accompany a tutorial on the technique; also on the needles is a scribble lace wrap - and I will be sharing that pattern as well with a tutorial. I'm also working on a lace wrap pattern which I will be posting for sale over on Craftsy as soon as it is completed. I am about halfway done will all three of my wraps!

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Member since:
Jul 1, 2009
Posts: 4584

Stitchboard Admin message #2
Re: Lots of Wraps on the Needles!
June 8, 2012 at 11:55:09 PM

Excellent! Please feel free to post pictures of any and all of your pieces.

I love entrelac...it's such a fun technique! The scribble lace wrap sounds interesting, too, and so does the lace wrap. How long have you been working on these? Do you switch from one to the other as you start to feel bored? I like to have more than one project going for that very reason...otherwise, I get too bored, or when I get stuck, then at least there's something else to do!

When do you think the wraps will be finished?

Creating things is so exciting!

Melanie (known to the cat as "Rowr" or "Rowr Rowr") =^.^=

Melanie (cat slave and Official Feline Can Opener) =^.^=
~~~~~
I'm a beading, knitting and crochet addict. If that means I'm admitting I have a problem, then I admit to nothing. Please refrain from helping me.

Member since:
Apr 2, 2012
Posts: 19

SapphiresnPurls message #3
Re: Lots of Wraps on the Needles!
June 27, 2012 at 5:17:45 PM

I try to give at least one day a week to each project. I finished the entrelac wrap the other day. I am working on the tutorial for entrelac now, and hope to have it all done and posted soon. It didn't take long to do that one, maybe a month. I had to finish it because I told all of my knit friends on facebook about it Grin

In general, I have a huge problem with starting things and almost never finishing them! I get bored very fast, so tend to stick to small projects that I can get done before I get bored. Even then I have issues. I love to knit, but have commitment issues, LOL!

My scribble wrap is a little more than halfway done. I was super excited about that when I started, but I've gotten really unexcited, so haven't worked on it for a while now.

The lace wrap, haven't worked on that poor thing in months! The pattern requires concentration, and if my little helper is around, I just can't do it! I really wanted to have it done by now, because I want to wear it to the fancy-schmancy restaurant we go to when we go on vacation. Maybe I will pull that out tonight and work on it. I really should. I've already put so much time into it, it would be a shame not to finish it.

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Member since:
Jul 1, 2009
Posts: 4584

Stitchboard Admin message #4
Re: Lots of Wraps on the Needles!
June 27, 2012 at 10:44:27 PM

Quote:

I try to give at least one day a week to each project. I finished the entrelac wrap the other day. I am working on the tutorial for entrelac now, and hope to have it all done and posted soon. It didn't take long to do that one, maybe a month. I had to finish it because I told all of my knit friends on facebook about it Grin

A month really isn't bad!

Good thing you told your friends on facebook, so you were kind of obligated to finish! That's a great idea, really, because then other people are excited about it, and that probably helps to give you that extra push.

Quote:

LOL! I suffer from the same "commitment" issue, sigh. (Good way to say it!) I also get bored so easily. I've made full sweaters before, but not often. The only exception was when something was so interesting I couldn't put it down. Most pieces aren't like that. My other issue is getting stuck. That happens when I just don't know where I'm going...am I making this item longer than it's supposed to be, and if so, how long do I want it to be? Decisions, decisions. Groan.

Quote:

My scribble wrap is a little more than halfway done. I was super excited about that when I started, but I've gotten really unexcited, so haven't worked on it for a while now.

I hope you'll develop a new interest in it, then! Maybe it's more important not trying to rush it, rather than jumping in when you really aren't interested. I personally find that the more I try to do something because I "have" to, rather than "want" to, it becomes a recipe for disaster. Sad

Quote:

The lace wrap, haven't worked on that poor thing in months! The pattern requires concentration, and if my little helper is around, I just can't do it! I really wanted to have it done by now, because I want to wear it to the fancy-schmancy restaurant we go to when we go on vacation. Maybe I will pull that out tonight and work on it. I really should. I've already put so much time into it, it would be a shame not to finish it.

I understand that, too. Perhaps your interest in it will return when you have a particular goal in mind of wearing it...hope so, anyway!

Yeah, that little helper...amazing how distracting they can be. :/ Lace really requires some intense concentration, unfortunately. It's not something that can be done when you're trying to do several things at once. But there's no explaining that to little helpers!

I hope you do get it finished before you go on vacation.

Melanie (known to the cat as "Rowr" or "Rowr Rowr") =^.^=

Member since:
Apr 2, 2012
Posts: 19

SapphiresnPurls message #5
Re: Lots of Wraps on the Needles!
June 30, 2012 at 10:42:40 AM

I pulled out my lace wrap last evening and did a few rows. I am so glad I made myself write down where I left off, otherwise I probably wouldn't have been able to figure it out. That is a problem I have also - I always think I will remember where I was in the pattern so don't bother to write it down. Of course I never remember, and can't figure it out just looking at the stitches, so the project most of the time gets set aside.

The wrap is not as long as I had thought it was; I had planned to stop after the repeat I am working on, but maybe I will keep going. This is going to be done in two parts and then seamed together. I am doing a particular stitch on the ends that will only look right if it is done from the cast on. I am going to see if I can get a picture and post it.

Member since:
Apr 2, 2012
Posts: 19

SapphiresnPurls message #6
Re: Lots of Wraps on the Needles!
June 30, 2012 at 10:48:56 AM

Look at that smile! (Photo guaranteed unretouched)

Member since:
Jul 1, 2009
Posts: 4584

Stitchboard Admin message #7
Re: Lots of Wraps on the Needles!
July 1, 2012 at 12:48:15 AM

Thank you so much for posting these BEAUTIFUL pics!

So is that gorgeous fan-shaped edge the cast on edge? I really like it and think it adds so much to this pretty pattern!

LOL, are we knitting twins or something? I always think I'll remember where I left off in a pattern. Sad

But then I never do. I have several projects that have had to be restarted, because I haven't got the foggiest idea where they were after months of not working on them. Sad

It's such a good idea to make note of where you left off!

Melanie (known to the cat as "Rowr" or "Rowr Rowr") =^.^=

Member since:
Apr 2, 2012
Posts: 19

SapphiresnPurls message #8
Re: Lots of Wraps on the Needles!
July 1, 2012 at 10:43:18 AM

Yes, that is the cast on! It is called Peri's Parasol according to Barbara Walker. I did see it in another stitch book just called Parasol Stitch. I was in love with it as soon as I saw it. It isn't hard, but does require you to pay attention. That stitch was the reason I decided to knit the wrap. It felt good to be working on it again, I must say.

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Member since:
Jul 1, 2009
Posts: 4584

Stitchboard Admin message #9
Re: Lots of Wraps on the Needles!
July 1, 2012 at 8:37:35 PM

Quote:

Yes, that is the cast on! It is called Peri's Parasol according to Barbara Walker. I did see it in another stitch book just called Parasol Stitch. I was in love with it as soon as I saw it. It isn't hard, but does require you to pay attention. That stitch was the reason I decided to knit the wrap. It felt good to be working on it again, I must say.

I can see why you love this particular cast on! I love it, too!

Do you have the Barbara Walker Treasury books? LOVE those! She did such an excellent job of cataloging some really cool patterns. (She went on to write some great feminist fiction and kind of dropped out of sight from the knitting field, sadly. There was an old interview where she mentioned going from interest to interest, rather than staying with one thing, so it's certainly not unexpected, but the knitting field sure did lose out!)

So how did you determine which lace pattern would go so nicely with the cast on? Did you work according to number of stitches or...?

Because I have to say, they really go together quite nicely!

Melanie (known to the cat as "Rowr" or "Rowr Rowr") =^.^=

Member since:
Apr 2, 2012
Posts: 19

SapphiresnPurls message #10
Re: Lots of Wraps on the Needles!
July 2, 2012 at 3:43:29 PM

I have all four Treasuries! The first two are my favorites though. I found both stitches ( the other is Japanese Feather) in the same book. I photo copied the patterns so I could write on it, so am not sure but I think they are from the first book. I was hoping that I would be able to find a stitch that was close to the same stitch count as the parasol stitch, and the Japanese stitch actually has the same multiple, so I just did one repeat of the parasol stitch, and then was able to go right into the other one. I couldn't have asked for anything easier!

It is amazing that Barbara was able to gather all of those stitches. I have actually seen a great deal of them in the vintage books and old newspapers that you can find on line - a lot of them are called by different names, or no name at all, just shown as "a pretty stitch", or "pattern #2" or something like that. I don't know if you have ever looked at the digitized books online or not, but they are really interesting to see. I don't know how anyone ever made anything, since the sizing/instructions are often so vague, to me anyhow. Google books is a good online resource, but there are more out there. I have so many files saved on my computer it is ridiculous!

I mentioned old newspapers - if you go to http://chroniclingamerica.com/ and search for knitting, you will get a lot of results. Most are from one particular paper in NY from the late 1800's. All of the vintage stitch videos I have done are from the knitting columns in the paper. I have come across a few small knitting related items in other papers across the US, but the NY papers are the ones that have the most in them.

Boy, I really can ramble on if you get me started Grin

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Member since:
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Posts: 4584

Stitchboard Admin message #11
Re: Lots of Wraps on the Needles!
July 3, 2012 at 1:49:26 AM

Quote:

I have all four Treasuries! The first two are my favorites though. I found both stitches ( the other is Japanese Feather) in the same book. I photo copied the patterns so I could write on it, so am not sure but I think they are from the first book. I was hoping that I would be able to find a stitch that was close to the same stitch count as the parasol stitch, and the Japanese stitch actually has the same multiple, so I just did one repeat of the parasol stitch, and then was able to go right into the other one. I couldn't have asked for anything easier!

That's wonderful how it all worked out!

I tried to do that years ago with a few cable stitches, but I couldn't get them to work together, groan. Sad

It was adding a third stitch that the variables were just too great, as they were positioned side by side, rather than starting with one and then going into another.

I had the first two Treasuries. (They both went through a flood. So sadly, even though I actually purchased both, now I have neither. Ironically, I seem to recall that "Amazon," Walker's later feminist fiction book, was high and dry and made it through!) I really cherished the Treasuries. I got so many projects from their pages! Just looking through the books was wonderfully inspiring and would spark many, many ideas (though some never made it to fruition, since there were only so many hours in a day!).

Quote:

It is amazing that Barbara was able to gather all of those stitches.

I completely agree!

She's an amazing author on any subject and as far as I know, she was the very first to pull together such a comprehensive library of stitches!

Quote:

I have actually seen a great deal of them in the vintage books and old newspapers that you can find on line - a lot of them are called by different names, or no name at all, just shown as "a pretty stitch", or "pattern #2" or something like that. I don't know if you have ever looked at the digitized books online or not, but they are really interesting to see. I don't know how anyone ever made anything, since the sizing/instructions are often so vague, to me anyhow. Google books is a good online resource, but there are more out there. I have so many files saved on my computer it is ridiculous!

Wow, I had no idea! There is a library of vintage books online; people scan wonderful old books that are in the public domain and then put the PDF files online for all to download! Argh, except I can't remember the name of the site to tell you. Sad

Ooh, I just found it! Here it is:
http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/
WARNING: it's possible to spend many, many hours at this site! Prepare to be astonished!

Quote:

I mentioned old newspapers - if you go to http://chroniclingamerica.com/ and search for knitting, you will get a lot of results. Most are from one particular paper in NY from the late 1800's. All of the vintage stitch videos I have done are from the knitting columns in the paper. I have come across a few small knitting related items in other papers across the US, but the NY papers are the ones that have the most in them.

Thank you for this wonderful source of info!

As you can tell, I love vintage patterns, particularly the idea of making them modern.

I'm sure you know it's not always easy to just pick a vintage pattern and work on it...with many of them there are no gauges, and sizing is very, very difficult if you're talking about an item that will be worn. Argh, sometimes you're better off starting from scratch! But it's still fun to poke through the old publications.

Quote:

Boy, I really can ramble on if you get me started Grin

Ramble away! It's a subject I always find fascinating, so I'm delighted to talk about it with someone who is extremely knowledgeable.

Melanie (known to the cat as "Rowr" or "Rowr Rowr") =^.^=

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