Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Sneak Peek: Elisa

In Hans Christian Andersen’s The Wild Swans, Elisa is a beautiful princess with eleven brothers. When her brothers are cursed and turned into swans, she takes a vow of silence and must knit them shirts from stinging nettles to return them to human form...This was always one of my favorite fairytales, and I remember being so taken with it the first time I heard it. I had been on a great search recently to find it again after I had forgotten the name of the story. I love wikipedia…all I knew was that it involved knitting and nettles…and I was able to find the beloved story!

So here is the shawl that the story inspired:

 Elisa 2

The double sided lace comes from Babara Walker's Second Treasury and I was inspired to adapt it for this project since it was named "Porcupine Lace." A prickly name and an interesting pattern to resemble the nettles. I have a smaller, two-color version in the works, that will show off the wonderful curves in the lace even more.

Elisa 1

This is shown in Malabrigo Silky Merino...obviously nothing at all like knitting with stinging nettles!  I did find out today that Classic Elite makes a yarn with nettles: Woodland. Pretty amazing, right?! Even though my stash is spilling out of its closet, I may just have to grab some to knit yet another Elisa, I mean that would be totally fitting.  Plus the fiber content, weight and sheen would work quite well for this pattern. 

I will be away for a bit, so don't think I am abandoning you!  Just going on a nice long vacation, in the Florida Keys ♥

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