E is for Estonian Lace

Before my wedding, I had planned to make the Lily of the Valley Shawl in wedding white from Interweave’s Lace Style book. It’s based on a popular  Estonian Lace pattern lily of the valley. The stitch requires nupps which are an Estonian version of bobbles. In the lily of the valley pattern, they  look a lot like the stalks of white bell shaped flowers that I remember dotting a patch of my parents’ house. Since I wound up with a champagne colored dress with grey beading, I abandoned this shawl which looked funny next to the dress in favor of a less design intense pattern in charcoal grey. (Unfortunately, as a result, the shawl still lingers in my UFO pile in hopes that I will eventually finish it.) 

Thanks to Kathy at Grumperina, I discovered Lace Knitting of Estonia by Nancy Bush. The book explains that nupps were used to show that the piece was handmade and to add weight since the lace was sold by weight. Since getting this book, I have renewed zeal for nupps. I have started three other lace projects, of which one is finished. 

 

Triinu Shawl With Estonian Nupps

 

Estonian Lace Shawl on the Needles - Brooklyn Handspun Yarn

Lace Scarf in Blue Alpaca Fingering Weight

(Note: While Evelyn Clark’s Swallowtail Shawl requires nupps as part of the lily of the valley border, I didn’t have enough yarn to make them. As a result, this shawl isn’t included in this list.)

Have you tried Estonian Lace yet? Please let me know. I strongly recommend the book!

Submitted by Knitted Yarns Editor-in-Chief

Triinu Shawl-3 Nupp Helpful Tips

I am really enjoying knitting the Triinu Shawl from Nancy Bush’s Knitted Lace of Estonia (Word is that it flies off the shelves of yarns stores.) The joy of this project is threefold: knitting lace using a fingerling/sport weight yarn, watching the unusual red/purple colorway evolve, and conquering Estonian nupps.

Grignasco’s Top Print is composed of a twist of three different shades of the red to purple colorway. When knitted, it’s like the dots blur to create softer color changes. Added to this is the normal fun of watching the colors evolve as the piece continues to grow.

According to Knitted Lace of Estonia, nupps prove that a garment is hand made since they can not be produced on a machine! Hence, long live nupps. Nupps as I have discovered can vary in the number of stitches from five to nine. In the process of knitting this shawl, I’ve discovered a couple of tricks to keep your stitch count on track. They are:

1] When picking up the stitches for the nupps on the knit row, make sure that the stitches are relatively loose.

2] Take care when purling the nupp stitches together on the purl side so that you do not inadvertently pick up a single stitch (non-nupp loop) on either side of the cluster of nupp loops. This can result in a lower number of stitches in the pattern repeat further on. To correct this error without unknitting multiple rows, I recommend carefully unladdering the stitch containing the nupp and the additional stitch to where the nupp is purled. (Note:  This assumes that you discover this error before proceeding to your next set of pattern repeat row-wise.)  Then use a crochet hook to re-purl the nupp loops. Then continue to bring the stitches up to your current row. Once you have done this, use the crochet hook to pick up the additional stitch and bring it to your current row as well.

3] Make sure that you purl all of the nupp loops together. Otherwise, this will result in a loop that sticks out from the rest of your knitted work. If you discover this loop before you proceed to the next set of pattern rows, you can let the nupp stitch ladder down to the nupp and use a crochet hook to add the missing loop to the cluster. Otherwise, you either have to choose whether to unknit your work back to the problem or (dare I say this) pull the loop through to the back of the work and carefully sew it in place.

New Project from Nancy Bush Book-Triinu Scarf Started

This weekend, I spent time going through my lace knitting books and searching the web and Ravelry for a lace shawl pattern. I knew that I wanted to knit a rectangular shawl for my mother. Since my mother wanted a scarf that was at least six feet long, I didn’t want to deal with knitting on a lace border.

 

While I am enjoying knitting my third Ribbon Scarf variation, I wanted something different. Since Nancy Bush’s Lace Knitting of Estonia book is relatively new and has very few projects on Ravelry, I decided to try one of the patterns. The Triinu Scarf met my needs. The scarf is unusual since the center portion is knit from the bottom up. Then one lace edging is knit and the second lace edging is picked up from a provisional cast on. This pattern overcame my concerns about picking up a lace border (which could be time consuming) and grafting an edging on (which a number of the Estonian lace patterns require.)

 

The Triinu Scarf calls for fingering weight yarn. For this project, I had selected some Grignasco Top Print which consists of 100% alpaca in a pink/purple ombre from my stash that I had bought at a Smiley’s sale in 2006 in New York City. I have ten balls or 1,100 yards. The yarn knits into a more subtle blending of pink and purples that would appear from the balls of yarn. The alpaca is more of a sport weight so that I needed to test several size needles until I liked the way that the pattern came out. I am using size 9 needles which surprises me since, as a loose knitter, I often use two sizes smaller needles.

 

Grignasco Top Print Alpaca in Roses

 

 

Since the pattern is for a scarf that measures 11” by 63” which is too narrow and short for my mother, I added another pattern repeat. Unblocked, the shawl measures about 21” which will be good for my mother who can fold it in half if she just wants a scarf width.

 

Having finished the first repeat of the pattern, my initial sense is that this is a relatively easy pattern. I am glad that I had already had some practice with nupps on the Lily of the Valley Shawl (which is still in hibernation). For those of you who are nervous about nupps, this pattern is a good starting point since there are only three per pattern repeat and the rest of the lace is relatively initiative.

Another Knitted Lace of Estonia Fan!

I just bought the only copy of Nancy Bush’s Knitted Lace of Estonia based on Grumperina’s enthusiastic post about it. I love it! As with other Interweave Books, it gives the reader more than a collection of patterns. It includes explanation as to the history and how Estonia knitters create their shawls including diagrams to understand the basics of how to put them together. In addition, there is a stitch dictionary of Estonia lace stitches complete with explanations at the back.

I have started the Raha Scarf. It’s a short piece of work focused on one major lace pattern. I am using the blue alpaca fingering weight leftover from the Cross Your Heart Sweater which is just enough for this delicate lace. I plan to give it to a special someone.

Raha Scarf from Lace Knitting of Estonia - One pattern repeat

As you can see, I’m knitting on straight needles since my other size 4 needles are in use!

Knitting Resolutions for the New Year

Starting 2008 with a mere two UFOs (a lace shawl/scarf in navy mohair and my Souvenir socks in bamboo and cotton), I’m turning my focus to what I call my wedding knitting. These are items that I’m making for my upcoming wedding and honeymoon. I have promised to limit myself to a few select items in an attempt to reduce stress. Therefore between now and the end of May, I plan to knit the following:

• The Essential Tank Top by Laura Zukaite (Lace Style) in 85% silk/15% cashmere in bubble gum pink. This top is a challenge since it consists  entirely of lace with a 36 row pattern.
• Annie Modesitt’s Silk Ribbed Lace Corset in 100% silk. This will become the top of my wedding dress. (Yes, he’s already seen it. Also, I’m allowing enough time so that I can buy a dress if I don’t like how it turns out.)
• Lily of the Valley Shawl by Nancy Bush (Lace Style). This will be used for a wedding-related ceremony.

While I expect to knit fewer pieces, I am looking to take my knitting to the next level in terms of skills and finished products. Even my mother is getting bragging rights over the fact that I’m planning to knit the top for the wedding.

Also, I plan to make the kipot for the wedding ceremony with the help of friends and family. This will require improved crocheting skills. I’m reaching back into my deep memory since I did quite a bit of the hooked art when I was a teenager. 

In particular, this year, I pushing myself in terms of lace although after the wedding I plan to make a more elaborate cable sweater for the man with some chunky merino from Silk City Fibers.

As always, I hope to make sufficient room in my stash to allow for new fiber ventures including the Maryland and Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festivals.