Product Description
When I purchased this bamboo/merino blend fiber from Spunky Eclectic at the Maine Fiber Frolic, I knew it was destined for a lace project that would showcase the progression dye. It marinated in my stash for several months, until the 4! Ounce! Challenge! was announced on Ravelry. The challenge was to spin, design, knit, and publish an original pattern using 4 ounces of hand-painted fiber from Spunky Eclectic, Hello Yarn, or Southern Cross Fibre. The gradually shifting colors in the finished piece remind me of Impressionist paintings, particularly Monet's Nympheas (Water Lilies) Series. The shawl is wider than a traditional triangle, making the most of 4 ounces of fiber. The optional beads are placed on the edging using a crochet hook or Super Floss.
Nympheas Lace Shawl by Kristy Howell
Project Overview
Nympheas is an original knit shawl design created by independent designer Kristy Howell, inspired by the color progression found in hand-painted fiber and the artistic aesthetic of Claude Monet's Water Lilies series. This downloadable PDF pattern showcases a wider-than-traditional triangle shawl silhouette, specifically engineered to make optimal use of 4 ounces of hand-dyed fiber. The design was created as part of the 4 Ounce Challenge on Ravelry, which required designers to spin, create an original pattern, and publish using hand-painted fiber from select suppliers including Spunky Eclectic, Hello Yarn, or Southern Cross Fibre.
What Is Being Made
The Nympheas shawl is a lace knit shawl with a generous width that exceeds the dimensions of a traditional triangular shawl shape. The wider construction allows the knitter to fully showcase the gradual color transitions inherent in progression-dyed fiber, creating a finished piece reminiscent of Impressionist paintings. The shawl features an optional beaded edging detail that adds visual interest and sophistication to the finished garment.
Knitting Techniques and Stitches
This pattern employs lace knitting techniques to create an open, delicate fabric that highlights the hand-painted color variations throughout the piece. Lace knitting combines yarn overs and decreases to form decorative holes and patterns within the fabric structure, making it an ideal technique for showcasing variegated and progression-dyed yarns. The lace construction creates a lightweight, elegant drape suitable for a shawl.
Beading and Finishing
The shawl includes optional beaded edging that is applied using either a crochet hook or Super Floss. This technique allows knitters to add embellishment to the shawl's perimeter after the main knitting is complete, providing customization options for those who wish to enhance the finished piece with additional detail and dimension.
Yarn and Materials
- Fiber Content: 4 ounces of hand-painted bamboo and merino blend fiber (Superwash Merino base)
- Fiber Source: Spunky Eclectic hand-painted panda combed top
- Yarn Weight: Lace weight
- Optional Embellishments: Beads for edging (applied with crochet hook or Super Floss)
Design Inspiration
The Nympheas shawl draws its aesthetic inspiration from the gradual color shifts present in progression-dyed fiber, which Kristy Howell compares to the soft, shifting color palettes found in Claude Monet's famous Water Lilies paintings. This artistic connection between fiber art and fine art creates a shawl that functions both as a wearable garment and a visual representation of color theory and artistic expression.
Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Yarn Weight: | Lace | 2 Ply |
| Designer: | Kristy Howell |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
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