First of all, Dale wants to thank each and every one of you for your warm birthday greetings, wishes and even videos. He reads every comment on my blog anyway but when they are directed at him, well, he reads them over and over again. When he’s supposed to be mowing the lawn. And then he feels the need to repeat to me what you all said. Over and over again. It was a fun day. Heh. Seriously, though, I’m glad you all enjoyed the video and I love that you all took the time to wish my man a happy birthday. You made us both feel really special.
Now, on to the business at hand. It’s not all about vacations and birthdays around here, you know. It’s about knitting, too. And today it’s even about finished knitting because I finished (and blocked) La Dentelle Belle Scarf.
The pattern is free and available from Knituition. It’s a truly fabulous design and I love it. The yarn is Brooks Farm 2 Ply Kid Mohair that I bought at Rhinebeck last year and I love that, too. However. The yarn and pattern together? Not feeling the love. It’s not that I hate it – I just feel sort of “meh” about the whole thing.
Let’s get those compliments comments flowing. Change my mind, okay?
DebbieB Said,
Oh, I wish I could help, but the lovely yarn with its color changes does seem to obscure the pretty pattern. I’ll bet it’s soft and feminine, though.
Donna Said,
I am just loving it!!!! Beautiful colors and they look great in that pattern. It looks nice and snuggly too. Are you keeping it or gifting it? I find when I finish a project and I am not in love with it, I give it to somebody else. And they are the ones who love it!
daisie Said,
You know when you love something you’ve knitted, you know when you hate it and you know the “meh” – I think we all know our instincts best.
Looking at the original pattern I think that a solid or a crisper colourway would suit it best. But I bet you’ll find many a happy recipient for it!
From the outside view I think it is the combination of the yarn and pattern fighting a bit. It’s technically lovely of course
margene Said,
My guess is that it will look better in the wearing. It will brighten anything you wear with it and be a good color close to your face.
Karen Said,
It’s so pretty and the yarn looks delicious. Do you think it’s the 90+ temperatures? It’s hard to love any drapey handknit in this weather.
Manise Said,
Personally I like it- nice and drapey. Maybe make another out of a semi-solid without mohair and see if you like the crispness of the stitches more?
Tina Said,
I think it looks lovely – just not exactly like the pattern because of the color changes. Sometimes wearing something a few times is enough to shift expectations! Just wait until it cools down a bit!
Birdsong Said,
Very subtle, but don’t forget that sometimes you have to wait for the blocking magic to really feel the love. The yarn looks wonderful.
Robin in VA Said,
It’s beautiful…wear it with a bright color to bring out it’s beauty! It is really too hot to be “Loving” a wool scarf!
blogless sharon Said,
I love it. It looks like a vista sky and snow and mountains. great texture
Kristi aka Fiber Fool Said,
The distance shots look beautiful. Perhaps it is like me and the latest socks – when it is in your face as you are knitting it the excitement is not there, but if you distance yourself from it then it pops!?!?
Laura Said,
Mm. Well. It’s lovely – it’s fluffy – but when I went and looked at the pattern photos I thought it didn’t look like the same scarf! Obviously it’s not the same setting for the photos but I agree with others – the yarn’s fluffiness plus variegations obscure the pattern. It’s a gorgeous FO and a gorgeous pattern, and yet another example of how using different yarns gives us a completely different feel with the same pattern! If it was fluffy but not variegated, the pattern would show better. If it was variegated and smooth the pattern would show better. In the long run it doesn’t matter because the scarf came out beautiful – just not how you expected, right?
Lisa Castellano Said,
It’s a beautiful shawl but it’s not exactly shawl weather. Pull it around you when you see the first leaf fall and you’ll fall in love with it.
Belated Happy Birthday Dale! I missed commenting yesterday. I love the video!
Lisa Castellano Said,
It’s a beautiful shawl but it’s not exactly shawl weather. Pull it around you when you see the first leaf fall and you’ll fall in love with it.
Belated Happy Birthday Dale! I missed commenting yesterday. I love the video!
Lynne Said,
Well, Carole, if it were mine, I’d love it!
Lynne Said,
Well, Carole, if it were mine, I’d love it!
Lynne Said,
Well, Carole, if it were mine, I’d love it!
Teresa Said,
Wow, it’s beautiful! I do like it. I can see where the ‘meh’ comes from though. The color is distracting from the lace and the lace distracting from the color, so there’s no dynamic “WOW”. I think maybe a single color for the scarf would have been better, but it’s still beautiful. I think it would look dramatic in a wine color. (I’d knit it myself, but I just knit two scarves and a shawl in this pattern and I don’t think I could do another one.)
Teresa Said,
Wow, it’s beautiful! I do like it. I can see where the ‘meh’ comes from though. The color is distracting from the lace and the lace distracting from the color, so there’s no dynamic “WOW”. I think maybe a single color for the scarf would have been better, but it’s still beautiful. I think it would look dramatic in a wine color. (I’d knit it myself, but I just knit two scarves and a shawl in this pattern and I don’t think I could do another one.)
Lucia Said,
It’s beautiful! I love that mock-cable thingie. Ordinarily I’m not big on doing lace in variegated yarn (too much going on), but here it’s subtle enough that it just looks like light and shade playing across it.
Kirsten Said,
It is beautiful! Put it away for a few days and you’ll feel better about it. If you still feel meh, then overdye it in a more solid color.
Annie Said,
I like the yarn’s variegation — can we see a picture of the scarf stretched out? I agree with Laura — that different yarns give such a different feel that it’s almost an entirely different entity, so comparing yours to a monochromatic one seems apples to oranges for me. I love the colors and I love variegated lace — but I’d like to see a picture of the whole thing.
jillian Said,
Ooh – I’m late! Happy Birthday Dale! You are a rockin’ hubbie (parden the pun – pleeaaaase).
I also have to say I think the varigation is lovely! Such earthy muted tones.
christine Said,
Is there such a thing as “just a scarf?” I’m thinking not.
I need to see more pictures before I can start flinging compliments………..need to see it blocked, baby!
But, from what I can see, I think I like it……So, rather than frog it, I think you should model it.
Chris Said,
“Meh”?! About that gorgeous bit o’ lace?! Heh, if you offered to give it away, you’d probably have a fight on your hands.
amber moggie Said,
I love it:)
amber in england
Deb Said,
Are you sick of all of us telling you that you may be wrong about your work of beauty yet?? I’m quite taken with it myself. Perhaps you’ll change your mind in a few comments!!
Susan Said,
I like it. The colors seem subdued, though. It’s my monitor. You really can’t go wrong with anything from Brooks Farm.
Cookie Said,
What’s not to love about Dale? He willingly go to fiber festivals, he wears man-lace and he can tap a keg for the girls. Although, there would more love for him if he mowed that lawn. ;^)
I think I agree with Margene. I think it would look much better with a pretty blouse. I think it suffers a bit because it’s just sitting there waiting for it’s bus. Ya know?
And thank you! I was thinking about doing that pattern in lace weight, but I wasn’t sure. Plus I’m all socks now, so my math skills are a bit limited. *L*
JessaLu Said,
I can’t come to a clear conclusion without a modeled photo ;op
Cheryl Said,
Hmm, I think I need to see a bigger picture of it. Maybe of you wearing it, that would help me.
BigAlice Said,
I think it looks lovely from the pictures, and no, I’m not just saying that. The colors do obscure the lace pattern a bit, but I think not to its detriment. And I love the color changes.
Debi Said,
I think it’s quite pretty. Would it look different/”better” in a smoother yarn/solid colorway? Perhaps but it’s what YOU see that counts. I would keep it and love it for the beauty it has.
Karen Said,
You could always send it to me to love. I wouldn’t need convincing…
It’s beautiful!
Katie Said,
It’s very pretty. I’ve been reading the archives of your blog (being new to this whole knit blogging thing) and I like the way you write (and knit of course). Thanks for inspiring me!
Lauren Said,
“When he’s supposed to be mowing the lawn”!! Awww, you two are cute. Happy belated birthday to him. Sort of stripey yarn is hard to figure out, but I think the scarf is really pretty.
elizabeth Said,
I definitely love the colors, but I don’t know about the pattern. Maybe some more pictures?
Jenn Said,
I love it! The colors are muted but it really looks
beautiful!
mamacate Said,
I’m late to the birthday party, as I was traveling yesterday, but happy birthday, Dale! Now I know why Carole was a groupie. You rock!
Now as for that scarf, it’s lovely. Knit on!
Wanda Said,
Oh, I love it. I think it’s really pretty and the pattern looks nice with the yarn.
susan Said,
It looks a bit striped in your photo. Maybe it’s not, but if it is, I probably wouldn’t like that either.
amanda Said,
i love the pattern but i’m with you on the combo of yarn and pattern. maybe a little trip to the frog pond?
Carol Said,
OK, not to argue, but I think it’s very pretty. Maybe if I knitted as much as you have, I would be more opinianted about it? nah…
Laurie Said,
I think it’s beautiful. Great colorway, great design.
Rachel Said,
I have a hard time with handpainted yarns and lace. They seem to compete with each other. How does it look when it’s worn? When I have a project like that, I often give it as a gift. Not because I think it’s good to give gifts that I don’t completely love, but because the non-knitting recipients aren’t nearly as picky as we are!
Romi Said,
Gorgeous! And a happy belated birthday to Dale!