essays

Cathartic Ink

putting my own spin on things

A Strawberry Handkerchief

Desdemona overview

One of my big knitting projects this year has been the Desdemona Shawl designed by the super talented Miriam Felton of MimKnits for Wooly Wonka Fiber’s Shakespeare in Lace club. The square shawl was inspired by Desdemona’s strawberry embroidered handkerchief in Othello. The yarn is a merino/tencel blend which blocks to a soft, drapey, wonderful fabric–although I didn’t love knitting with it. The shawl is a gift for my friend Rachel and will be delivered to her at Rhinebeck come October (don’t want to trust these 62,000+ stitches to the US Postal Service!)

Desdemona Angle

This shawl is a gift, but it’s also number 50 on my 101 in 1001 list. I submitted it for competition in the Lane County Fair (which opened yesterday) and I am super pleased to say that it won a blue ribbon! I am thrilled.

desribbon

Unfortunately, whomever set up the display for the fair was clearly not a knitter as almost all of the lace knitting was displayed purl side up. So, this is the back side. A small issue in the grand scheme of things since most people won’t know the difference. I’m looking forward to seeing the judges’ comments when I get this back, to see what I can do to improve my knitting.

4 Comments

  1. jaya

    I said this already, but congratulations! It is a gorgeous shawl (purl side and all!)

    I am feeling bitten by the lace bug, but who knows how much I’ll be able to do before life gets thrown upside down! 😉

  2. Amy

    Hoo and RAY! That is totally AWESOME!! A well deserved blue ribbon

  3. penny

    again, mazel tov my dear. you deserve it. this is a beautiful shawl.

    i don’t get it — why do so many display/photo the wrong side? so much of our clothing is knit with the knitted side out — is it because it looks the same that they switch it? because it’s handknit it shouldn’t be so smooth and pretty?