'Spanish' tablecloth and Mat, Herbert Niebling Lace

 Happy Holidays and Happy New Year Y'all!

I've been trying to get artwork and day job work and housework done. (In addition to my day job, I create drawings and paintings)

I've also been trying to finish Christmas presents by the 25th. Will show those in a later post.

I just want to share with y'all the German lace knit designer Herbert Niebling. He was active in the early to mid 1900s, and designed hundreds of patterns I believe. They're not without errors, but they are very intricate, and there's a devoted niche following for his patterns.

It is my goal to tackle some of his lace patterns. They're considered some of the most complex lace patterns, and are quite time consuming. His patterns are inspired by flowers and nature, and often call for thread and small wire knitting needles.

Unfortunately... only a few of his patterns are free, and only a few of his patterns are in print in newer magazines. They're hard to find as the old magazines, and must be translated from old German knitting terminology. I do not consider this a hindrance. I consider it 'Challenge Accepted'. 😉

 But the ones that are reproduced... have 1000s of finished knitted objects on Ravelry and across the web. The Lyra pattern, for example.

Here's a free link to one of his patterns, the 'Spanish Tablecloth and Mat'. Its been translated into English.

(Image is from their website and likely the original booklet. I'd like to replace it with my own soon tho.)

https://www.knitting-and.com/crafts-and-needlework/knitting/patterns/doilies/spanish/

I suggest getting the pattern now before it disappears. Patterns on the web have a way of doing that, unfortunately. The Wayback Machine (a website that captures old versions of certain websites) can only do so much.

I tried about a year ago when I was still a beginning lace kniter to make this. I hesitate to say that I 'failed'. Its more like... it was too difficult for me at that experience level. I think I've progressed enough to attempt it again soon. Will update you if I do try it! I definitely have the 'knitting wires' (really fine lace knitting needles) to do it. I have a small collection of antique knitting needles, plus I've purchased sizes US 6/0 to US 2 in knitting needles. (0.75mm to 2.75mm). I have other sizes of course.

Not sure if I will have time to post again before the New Year. If not;

Happy Crafting, and I wish you a safe and healthy New Year!

jtp/mnr

Tin Star Hat - Finished Object

 Oof. I had this yarn lying about for a little while.

This is Lionbrand Wool Ease Thick and Quick in Plum. Its category 6 or super bulky. I have a small stash of Thick and Quick that I want to use to make a thick tunic. I'm pretty 'ample of figure' so I have to heavily calculate with bust and hip shaping. Here's to hoping that I will succeed.

Anyway. That's for another post.

This hat is the Tin Star Hat by Kelly Vu of Vu Knits! Pattern is here.  It took 2 days to finish. A  simple knit that I could have finished in a day, but I have been busy and tired from work this week. I used US size 10, 10.5, and 13. The 13s were plastic. The others bamboo.

I am working on my skills so I can start the Master Knitter program after the holidays. (Its too stressful right now). I have the yarn and reference books ready for it.

But in relation to that, this hat involves the American seed stitch. In the Master Knitter Program by the Knitting Guild Association (http://www.tkga.org/), your seed stitch must be even with no holes. This was a great pattern to practice on. Quick knit, and I could tension the stitches on the tips of my needles like the guild shows in tutorials.

I knit this Continental style, though I usually do 'flicking' in the 'Irish cottage' style. Anything with a lot of knits and purls in rapid succession such as ribbing, seed stitch or moss stitch, its just faster for me to do it continental. Garter stitch, lace and stockinette stitch based patterns, I do them 'flicking' style.

It's a cute hat. I am on the fence if I will make another in larger needles or using a few more stitches. I want to see what I have left after I make my tunic.

jtp/mnr

Open Leaves Stole, Knitted Lace Shawl, Part 1

The Open Leaves Stole (self designed pattern.)

This is coming out lovlier than I thought it would. Let me explain.

I had a little cardigan that just didn't fit me and I didn't like it, and I couldn't find anything to wear it with. I don't have those 1950s dresses of the style you usually wear them with. You know, the ones that sit at your natural waist, and then you put on a semi fitted cardigan to accentuate the waist of the dress. I plan to have some dresses like that one day, but so far... its not gonna happen. 

Here is what's left of the cardigan.

As for another thing, my boobs had grown since I started knitting it and finished. It wouldn't close even if I knitted on a 

The yarn, Naturally Carons Country in...Foliage, (I think?) was discontinued, so this poorly fitting cardigan sat in my stash for a while. Its a multi ply soft 75% acrylic, 20% merino aran weight yarn. 

I looked around for patterns in my ravelry queue. I looked in my knitting magazines. I looked in my knitting books. The only lace pattern that seemed to fit the bill was Vogue Knitting Book's "Open Leaves" lace pattern.

Born was the Open Leaves Knitted Stole.

I cast on 4 edge stitches in total, and repeated the pattern. I started with a size 7 (4.5mm) needle but determined even that was too small, and soon continued with a size 8 (5mm). The density of the fabric is noticeable between the two needle sizes but I plan to block the ever living heck outta this stole. Heavier yarns can take heavier blocking. I'm thinking wet steam blocking.

Why? Multi ply cabled yarns hold their shape a lot moreso than 3 ply, 2 ply, or singles yarn. It takes a little more 'force' to open up those lacy bits and keep them open. I know this from experience.

 We'll see! 1 ply yarn opens up very easily. 2 ply less so. 3 ply takes a bit more stretching.

I prefer to knit (or crochet) my lace to a tight gauge and then have it open up during the blocking process. I like a firm yet drapey fabric.

I cut this yarn so many times, IDK what I was even thinking. HOW AND WHY. Why would I do that back when I was making this yarn into a cardigan? Probably because my stash was a mess and the yarn got tangled. I will have so many ends to weave in at the end of this project. I'm not weaving them in as I go in case I actually decide to unravel THIS project. (I'm praying I won't.)

Here's the back with some of the ends I will have to weave in.... 

This year has been weird in the case of knitting for the holidays. 2020 is weird like that. IDK. So mostly, I've been knitting for myself and charity, only a few items for family that I may post later.

Take care of yourselves.

jtp/mnr

Rainbow Burst, Worsted Weight Wool Handspun Yarn - (For sale)

 I want to take some time to highlight some of my especially striking yarns.

If you haven't realized yet by the listing of the etsy at the top of my page, (LOL), I sell some of my handspun and hand dyed yarns!

I call this colorway and yarn Rainbow Burst.

I call this one Rainbow Burst. I plan on making more like it because I love the colorway. Its a burst of color in a spectrum, and very much my style of yarn craftsmanship. Its listed here: Rainbow Burst, Worsted Weight Handspun Yarn.

In my painting, in my crafting, in my knitting, crochet... I love color, and I love EVERY color. Color bursts from the skein of yarn. My yarns are designed to add a pop of color and life as a small project, or as an accent in a larger project such as a sweater or blanket.

This skein features a lot of blue, a lot of yellow, and a lot of red, and then the intermediate colors where they blend.

Stats:

Worsted weight/ aran weight

US size 6-9 knitting needles.

Check out more yarn, fiber, artwork and more at my etsy shop here! Jtphillipsmnr's Etsy Store

Have a wonderful day, wonderful people! <3

Tatted Table Runner: Mary Konior's Patchwork, Finished

This table runner is a combination of  Mary Konior's 'Tatting with Visual Patterns', 'Patchwork' pattern, and the magic square version of the tatting pattern. 

It took about 1 and a few months to make this pattern. I believe the finished table runner is 16" x 56". I hated weaving in all the ends from the original squares, so I used the 'magic square' version of the Patchwork square, and modified the stitch counts for that. I finished making the tiny squares, and then to make it the length of a coffee table, I added a magic square on each side.

I tatted this for my mother.

The Magic Square Patchwork is from TattingByTheBay: http://tattingbythebay.blogspot.com/2016/10/mary-koniors-patchwork-as-magic-square.html. I simply added another 'level' of the fractal design.

It is done in what I had at the time: Aunt Lydia's Size 10 crochet cotton. (3 ply). I soaked it in oxyclean to get out misc stains, rinsed it out, and then pinned it. I have to pin out or open up all the picots and that's going to take... forever. I'm procrastinating on it. When I soaked it in oxyclean it got very rigid so I'm not sure if that is the best method.

Next time, I want to use a 6 ply better thread. I've dealt with too many thread breakages when tatting with Aunt Lydia's Size 10. I already have size 20 thread of 6 ply.

I am making side table doilies using the magic square version of the patchwork. I think in future any needlework or yarnwork design I make I will try to make designs that don't need ends that need to be woven in.

jtp/mnr