Knitted Christening Gown, Pt. 3

"When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. And now when every new baby is born it's first laugh becomes a fairy." - J.M. Barrie

The knitted christening gown has been continuing by starts and stops, but is making good progress. I've finished the entire back panel (save for embroidering the last two golden daisies), washed and blocked.

back panel, on the blocking board

close-up of top of the back panel

The front panel is almost done. All that remains after finishing that is to knit the sleeves; wash, block and sew everything together; sew on buttons at the shoulders and lace around the hem and cuffs, and it's done - hopefully just in time for my friend's end-of-summer due date.

To be continued...

The Shipwreck Shawl: "On Stranger Tides"

"My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold/ There is nothing that can console me but my jolly sailor bold." - "Jolly Sailor Bold"

After several weeks of heartache, tempests and two broken ultra-thin crochet hooks (beading yarn can be brutal), I've completed my version of the Shipwreck Shawl. Providentially, I was working on it when I saw the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, "On Stranger Tides" (no, I don't knit in darkened movie theatres - that REALLY would've been a shipwreck).

The yarn I used for the shawl makes me think of tidepools at midnight, and the beads remind me of mermaid's tears (you have to see the movie for that last part to make sense). Hence it is only fitting that I nickname this shawl the "On Stranger Tides" version.

The shawl on the blocking board

the intricate lace sections, pinned out

the Fisherman's Net section (the beads look like tiny glints in this picture)

I recently took some fancier shots of it (2012)

I adore this shawl, and can't wait to wear it. I would only recommend this pattern to someone who already has a bit of experience in lace knitting, and is looking to branch out in their repertoire. Above all, go VERY slowly with the intricate lace sections (ripping out with this project can be fairly catastrophic). 

Happy Knitting!