# FO: Swallowtail shawl (picture warning)



## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

I finished this quite some time ago, but just got pictures up now.

My DH gave me some of Ashford's merino/silk top for my birthday in shades of purple, which are my mom's 'best colours'. I spun it up (oh it was lovely to spin) and decided it wanted to be a lace shawl. I'd never done lace before, but I tackled Swallowtail with some encouragement from local knitters who'd done it before.

Here is the finished project:










_Yes, those are nupps! They aren't as bad as you think - but use good needles, I broke an elcheapo plastic circ doing them!_


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

I'm mailing it to my mom today ... she was going to get it for Christmas, but my parents have just recently decided they don't want to celebrate the holidays anymore (my dad suffers from a constellation of depressive illnesses and other problems, and it's just too much strain for him) so ... I'm sending it to her now so she can't say it's a holiday gift and it's far enough from any holiday that it won't upset my father (I hope!). 









_Forgive the wrinkle ... it'd been wrapped up in tissue paper for a few months when I finally took it out for pictures!_


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Absolutely STUN-o-RAMA!!!

Great job! You Mama is a lucky lady, to receive such a beautious object.

The only thing you are missing is the pic of it held out like butterfly wings across your back.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Wow!! What a first lace project!! I bow down to you! Seriously, it's beautiful.
Catherine


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I am SO impressed! One day I too will knit lace, I will.

Your mom will love it. Any day is a good day to give a gift, it doesn't have to be a holiday.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

I really like knitting this pattern. I am, in fact, right this very moment (it's sitting beside the keyboard, I had to put it down to answer you guys) working on one in Lorna's Laces Satsuma orange sock yarn. It's not something you do while having a conversation or watching TV, but the repeats are not all that hard to work with and all the wrong side rows are just purling straight across. If you think you made a mistake, you can 'double check your work' by reading the pattern grid backwards as you purl back, and usually find (and fix) the problem on your way back. 

I was kinda scared to try it myself ... but it's not anywhere near as hard as it seems, I think I finished the first one in under 3 weeks - less time than it took me to knit a pair of socks!


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

That is so fantastic, looks like it should be in a Spin Off mag. Could you share where you got the pattern?


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Absolutely, it's free!

http://www.evelynclarkdesigns.com/portfolio.html#gypsy


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Well I hear you Frazzle but still....... I'm just a chicken.

Love Lorna's Laces yarn. Who is this one for?


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## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

Oh Frazzle, it's beautiful. You make it sound much less difficult than I'm sure it is.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

That is very beautiful!!


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Wow--it's gorgeous! I'm sure your mom will love it--and great thinking to just send it now...


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

very nice! the yarn came out beautiful!


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## mustangsally17 (Nov 3, 2007)

Oh my, that is so beautiful!! Im sure your mom will love it.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Honestly guys, it is NOT as hard as you think. 

The bulk of the body is done with this pattern: k2tog, yo k yo, ssk, k. You know all those stitches! It just seems scary 'cause it's called *lace*... but it's just knits and yarn overs and k2togs and ssks. All you sock knitters do those things in your sleep! 

For the body of the shawl, you do that for one row, purl back, do another row just like that, purl back. Then do one row that is repeats of yo, k3, yo, <then this funky sk2p which is just slip one, k2tog, pass the slipped stitch over the k2tog, easier than it sounds>. Then start over. Do this fourteen times, then you start the edging.

The edges have a bit more to them, but still, it's just five pattern rows on the right side (all the wrong side rows are purl) made up of nothing more than k, yo, k2tog, ssk and the sk2p thing. Oh, and nupps, but you can replace those with beads or work 3 stitches instead of 5 (to make a nupp, on the right side, you increase into one k stitch so that you end up with 3 - or 5 - stitches where there was just one, and as you purl your way back, you purl them all together into one stitch - it sounds hard but it really isn't so bad, esp if you do just 3 instead of the 5, wrangling 5 stitches all together is a bit of a trick, but if you increase loosely it works fine). Some people also put a bead where the increases would be instead of making the increases, and some people just do a knit and pretend nothing untoward has happened. 

Seriously - try it. It's not as hard as you think, and if you get puzzled, just post a question - I've done one and I'm on the second, I can help!  There's also a ton of KALs and stuff on Rav.

I think this one might be for me, I haven't quite decided yet.  I just saw the yarn in Flannelberry's stash bucket and I had to have it and it just toooold me it wanted to be a Swallowtail the minute I saw it so, I'm doing what I was told. The yarn told me! I have to!


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Ah, c'mon WIHH, you can do it. You've done absolutely everything else you set your mind to attempting - it's not hard, just follow the pattern and count your stitches. If you end up with one too many or not enough, TINK back until you're sure you have it, and do it again. Just pay attention as you knit and it all works out fine.

I've test knit this pattern for y'all, so it's safe! The pattern is right, it works, it's not hard - c'mon, who's gonna step up and give it a shot?

WIHH, I'm lookin' at you... and Marchie ... GAM ... or you - yes you, lurking there thinking "nah not me..." why the heck not, eh?


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

Oh wow! That is just beautiful, your mom will be thrilled to be sure!


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Thank you for sharing! I have looked at this pattern repeatedly. It is even saved on my computer. I love it...but have been terrified to try it.

I think you may have given me some courage!


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

You can do it MamaJ! Knit along with me


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

It's absolutely stunning.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

hey, i started the swallowtail shawl. figured out i'm too stupid to get my head around the funky leaf bud increases on the edges, so ripped and did my own thing. i wont use the lily of the valley band, will put something else in. the skein i'm using is 416 yds, so i'll need to fudge anyways--fingering on 6's. so it will be an evolved butterfly...love the yarn, k1c2 crock-o-dye in indigo


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## Jacki (May 13, 2002)

There is a yahoo group called mmario kknits that has free designs, mostly lace. The designer is very willing to help new lace knitters, not to mention most of the members are also very helpful. MMario is also on Ravelry, although there aren't as many patterns available. Several of the patterns are very easy, and many look much more difficult than they actually are.

Jacki


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Gonna try it! Carding up some teal shades of Shetland now for it------


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Woohoo! Lace enablement happening on the fibre arts board! 

Wyld Thang, those leaf increases on the edge aren't bad, especially if you substitute beads for the nupps - although you definitely DO have to keep count of the pattern 'chunks'. I may use extra stitch markers this time, if I start having trouble. Somehow or other on the purple one I made, I ended up with one extra (or maybe one short?) leaf so the edge of the shawl didn't come to a single point! I blocked it and it didn't matter but I'm hoping to do it right on the orange one. 

Jacki, I think I've seen some of MMario's patterns in my travels through Rav - I'll have to look!

See, this all started when my sister sent me one skein of thread-weight (I swear, it's like 2ply button thread it is so light!) linen yarn from Lithuania. I am gearing up to do something amazing out of that yarn so I needed some lace practice.  This is where I started!

I'm finishing up a bulky wool cowl, then I'll be working more on Swallowtail today. I'll see if I can post some Work in Progress pics - anyone else knitting along, please post your pictures too!


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

So beautiful, but I've tried lace and it came out a mess because evidently I can't count. Just thinking about lace gives me the shivers. But you say it's really not bad. HMMM, well, maybe I'll get me some wine and try again. Long winters nights are quiet---maybe I'll try one more time. It would be so nice to be able to do that pattern successfully.


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## Jacki (May 13, 2002)

The best trick for keeping track of patterns in lace knitting is to use stitch markers. For example, if the pattern is a six stitch repeat, use markers every six or twelve stitches. that makes catching mistakes much easier. 

The other "trick" is lifelines. They are wonderful for lace, cable or color patterns. For those who do not know this trick: Take string or thread and run through stitches (not stitch markers). Continue knitting. A dropped stitch will stop at the lifeline.

Jacki


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Jacki's right - use lots of stitch markers and you'll save yourself a lot of counting troubles.

Also, the 'budding lace' (the first part of this pattern) is quite easy to visualize: stop after you've done a couple of repeats and really 'see' how the stitches are supposed to work together. You can see that one leaf tip will extend out into a chain of single stitches and then expand into the base of the next leaf. When you know what it is supposed to look like, then when your count is off you can figure out where you went wrong (I just had to do this!).


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## ELOCN (Jun 13, 2004)

It is truly beautiful.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

ok, i started knitting and it morphed into a different pattern(still a scarf shawl-y thing), i'm almost done with it--2 more rows of the 2nd band and then the last border edging. i will need two broomsticks to help block it...


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

Lovely shawl, Frazzle. I made one a few years ago and had forgotten there were nupps in it--had to go have a look. I hate making nupps, but there I had actually done a whole bunch in that shawl! For those just starting lace knitting, beware, it's very addictive! I find I always want to have something lace on the needles. You do need to do it without distractions, and I usually put the pattern in a plastic sleeve and use painter's masking tape above each row so I know exactly which row I'm knitting on and can see what should be below. You have to learn to "read" your knitting to correct mistakes before you get too far along.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Wyld Thang, how do you block with broomsticks? 

I read on Rav yesterday some people use stainless steel welding rods (apprently they come in very small guages) as blocking wires - I may have to get some of those!


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

I finished my Not Swallowtail shawl this morning. I wont' use the broomsticks because I didn't have enough yardage to do the edge how I wanted to(I ended up with a few yards left over). I will knit this up again with a skein with more yardage so I can do the edging I wanted(that Noro Kureyon SOck if I can find some local). I'll block it and throw it up in another thread. WELL! shawls are pretty fun, it didn't take long to do and it's almost like a sweater in the satisfaction(the smaller scarfy size is waht I mean). thx


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Mom got her parcel today:

_WOW I got the mail today and couldn't figure out who would send a
package!! The shawl is so lovely - perfect color - amazing pattern and you
wanted me to have it - thank you so much! These are truly the "in" thing
and can be worn in many ways and I shall surely enjoy it._

Yay.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Ya dun good.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

The "in" thing. LOL. 
I am glad she likes it.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Thanks guys ... I was kinda underwhelmed by Mom's reply but you've all made up for it with your kind words.  As has my sister, who said "uh, does she realize you MADE it? It's a stunning piece of artwork..." She also said that the shawl looked like some living creature that would land on your shoulders, a la Lord of the Rings.

So yeah, I feel all admired and stuff. And, honestly, it really was very satisfying JUST to make it. I'm very proud of it. 

And the fact that I spun the yarn .. well, even cooler.

One of these days I'll do the full sheep to shawl thing. THEN ... well, you can bet THAT kind of shawl only gets given to someone who will swoon appropriately.


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## sewsilly (May 16, 2004)

I see jacki beat me to it, but I was going to remind everyone who is timid of lace to simply run a lifeline at every pattern repeat... some folks love to knit lace and other's only knit it every once in a while, but this certainly made me want to knit a lace shawl! Beautiful!

I think I'll pick up something bright at SAFF in a couple week and make one for ME!

dawn


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