Recording stuff so it doesn't get lost in my head

[treeskin]

I need another project like I need another hole in my head, but I've had this idea for DAYS now, and I think I've figured out how it would need to be done, so that means I need to do it, right?



So, a few days ago, knittingand posted this amazing bit of knitting on knitting. No pattern, yet, but I can probably make that from the picture.

I'm in serious string lust with this pattern.

The perversity of doing a finely knit lace shawl, with a border of skulls and crossbones, greatly amuses me. I'd call it "Bluebeard's Grandmother".

I'd use the skull and crossbones for an inner border, just inside the edging, for 4-6". I'm still debating what to do for a center pattern. Or if it needs a center pattern...I love the symmetry of the fine Shetland shawls, all nice and square with their delicate borders, but I love the fit of a Faroese shawl, and it'll be trickier to work that much lace into a triangular shawl with shaped shoulders. (But that challenge would keep me off the streets....)

I'm thinking about using something like Print Of The Wave (top right picture), or any of the diamond or bead-type patterns. Because Bluebeard would give some of the shiny bits of booty to his grandmother, right? Or maybe other nautical/seashore themed patterns, as I can find them. Diamond ring mesh, could pass for either the "booty" theme, or it's rather net-like. Feather and fan could be used to represent ocean waves, that's an old stand-by.

Some other patterns to take inspiration from:
Judy's seashell bookmark
Seeweed and shells scarf, from Yarnpath (although in these pictures, it looks rather more like wheat than shells to me)
Cowrie lace, (an antique pattern made available by the very generous knittingand)
Grandmother's lace (because of the name)
Conch-shell lace (another antique pattern from knittingand)
Wavy razor shell scarf, the one at the top of the page...it'd give a much more substantial fabric than I think I want, but it's awful pretty.
Moira square lace, which has nice blocks of netting I could use.

Doesn't fit any of the themes I've got going above, but this clove stitch would be a good filler/center pattern.

And there are other patterns I've got stashed in my files, plus that book I keep hearing about, on designing your own lace patterns.




Comments, folks? Am I completely nuts?

Edited to add: any suggestions of color are welcome, too. I'm considering maybe this yarn, which I've never used but heard very good things about. And it's cheap.

Comments

[karnythia.livejournal.com]

Erm, that depends. Would you make many grandma scarves with skulls? Because I'd certainly get in line for one.

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

Not for my grandmother, because a) she's going blind and wouldn't be able to see it, b) she's allergic to wool (and it's just not right to make such a thing out of other fibers), and c) my grandmother is more than a little sheltered, and just wouldn't get the humor. By's grandmother, or mother for that matter, might enjoy it.

I do know people who are grandmothers, that I'd make such a thing for. And I'd wear the thing myself. It's not the sort of garmet limited to grandmothers. I've worn some of my comfy shawls to the grocery store or Walmart, with jeans. Warm, cozy, and ignore the strange looks.

[karnythia.livejournal.com]

Oooh, then I want one too.

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

Could be arranged. I'm not terribly fast right now, but something could be arranged if you're patient.

[karnythia.livejournal.com]

I'm definitely patient, I can't knit or crochet to save my life. Yet, I love yarn. It's a painful thing. So any time in the next ten years is good.

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

I completely understand the yarn love. But I learned to crochet lace before I learned to read (because it kept me out of my grandmother's way), did most other forms os needlework through my childhood and teens, and learned to knit about 10 years ago, from my mother-in-law. It's almost an obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Re anytime in the next ten years: I'm not quite that slow. I think I'm getting out of the teaching gig after this semester, so that'll help lots.

So, what color should this thing be?

[karnythia.livejournal.com]

I wish I could make stuff, I wind up with a tangled mess. That burgundy color that you linked to is really quite pretty. I'd love it. Thank you.

[tnrkitect.livejournal.com]

It's almost an obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Almost?!?!

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

Again with the not helping thing.

[cammie018.livejournal.com]

I don't understand any of what you typed, but I think I figured out scarves with skulls on them. Yes, that would be way cool

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

Remember the shawl I wore when we went to Yamato? That's a Shetland style....square, center-out construction, generally very fine yarn.

The grey one I was wearing Tuesday night is a Faroese...usually garter st, usually more utilitarian (but the modern ones get very fancy), and a modified triangular shape. The cool thing about these is that the design uses clever decreases to shape the shawl to fit the shoulders the way a Victorian-era cloak would, so it sits on the shoulders and doesn't fall off. Tricky to design around so it looks good, but very comfy.

I'm considering doing one of these two styles, with the skull and crossbones as a border, and something net-like or nautical inside that. Because I'm sick that way.

[iarraidh.livejournal.com]

If you wore it and sat in the front row of a Jolly Rogers (http://www.chivalry.com/jollyrogers/) show, you could name your price ;)

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

Ooooooooo. Hadn't thought of that, but now that you mention it, hmmmm.....


(You realize, of course, that the comment above could be construed as encouraging the hobbit?)

[tnrkitect.livejournal.com]

Like you need encouraging... ;-)

(psst! Love ya too ;-) )

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

Boy, what's gotten into you lately? And why aren't you sharing? I could use some of that extra energy.