Come on, don’t be shy. Tell us all about it. How big is it? how much yarn did you use. want to know all about it.
You did a great job Mary, Must be a wonderfull feeling to complete something that you did have a hand in designing. It looks stunning.
She’s 36", used size 2 needles and #10 slub cotton/rayon. I have no earthly idea how much yarn it took. I found a 2400 yard cone in my stash and the cone could probably make 3 more of them! Sorry to be so slack on the info, just really did this one to make sure the extensions would work and they did!!! I just love it and can’t wait to show it to my Mom. She does gorgeous, crocheted ones and is so tickled that one of her daughters has been bitten by the “needlework bug”!
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4][COLOR=Black][I]Mary,
That is truly beautiful! I have some questions for you. Did you knit with double points or two circulars? If you did knit with double points, do you think I could knit it with 2 circs?
Also, I don’t understand what ->5 means in row 34…could you explain that to me?
I have some yarn from Knitpicks, called shimmer hand dyed lace that I have in my stash…it’s 70% alpaca and 30 % silk…what size needle would I need for that…maybe a 3 or 4?
I realize I’ve asked a lot of questions…and I haven’t even started…LOL!
TIA,
Merry[/I][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
Merryknitter,
Thanks and to answer your questions:
That is truly beautiful! I have some questions for you. Did you knit with double points or two circulars? If you did knit with double points, do you think I could knit it with 2 circs? I started mine with dpns, then as it got larger, switched to 16", 24" and then 32" circulars. I’m sure you can do it with the two circulars but I’ve never used that method and you’d need to converse with someone who has or consult the videos.
Also, I don’t understand what ->5 means in row 34…could you explain that to me? You will have a marker at the beginning. When you get to a round that has this, you’ll remove the marker, knit the number of stitches it shows, replace the marker, then knit the round. I actually “jogs” the pattern over so that it centers properly as you progress.
I have some yarn from Knitpicks, called shimmer hand dyed lace that I have in my stash…it’s 70% alpaca and 30 % silk…what size needle would I need for that…maybe a 3 or 4? A lace weight will be gorgeous in this and you may need to do a test swatch to see if these sizes will suit. I think they will and I’ve been eyeballing a lace weight for this myself!!! The extensions I did made mine 36" on size 2 needles with the #10 cotton… the laceweight and #3s or 4s might possibly come out to around 42" or so. You’d need to check your row guage and double it to get the diameter. I got around 14 rows per inch on the 2s with the #10 cotton.
I don’t mind the questions at all! Get to knittin and enjoy! It’s not really a difficult pattern… just has alot of YOs.
[SIZE=4][COLOR=Black][I]Thanks so much Mary! Wow…that was fast! I have only been knitting 1 and a half years and I LOVE it! I’ve always wanted to knit doilies! They are so beautiful! Thanks so much for explaining row 34 to me. That’s the only frustrating thing I’ve found in knitting…when I don’t understand the pattern! LOL! But, that’s the fun of it too…learning something new all the time! I’ve knit a lot of things and am looking forward to learning more!
Thanks again! I may have some more questions for you…if I start this! Hope you don’t mind!
Thanks,
Merry :)[/I][/COLOR][/SIZE]
Mary,
I just finished translating the original pattern for Egeblad from German to English. I have it in Christine Duchrow’s Lace Knitting Patterns Vol III. In it, she says rounds 52-63 are the same as 64-75. You can make a smaller version of the doily by omitting 64-75 and going right into 76. When you worked on the extension, did you try repeating only that section or did things not line up right? I was wondering if it would be possible to use that logic in reverse and just extend the leafy portion further and further by repeating 64-75 until it was big enough before starting into round 76. I’m probably missing something with the increases though.
I’m working on Alita right now in Cascade 220 held double and I may have to cut it short because I’ll run out of yarn. I hope I make it to a good point to stop! Then my Mom wants me to knit Egeblad for her in some Beaverslide we ordered. Now that I finished the Baby Surprise, I’m loving all of my lace knitting again!
-Rebecca
Merryknitter - at the moment I am just playing around with yarn and am using the magic loop method of knitting. and that works well. If you are not familiar with that method of knitting Amy has a video in the video section on this site.
Can’t wait to see some pictures of your progress in the lace weight yarn. what will the finished Egeblad be used for?
When I started working on the extensions, had to make a decision to either make the leaf sections larger or double them. Rounds 52-75 don’t have any increases so that’s why you can eliminate them. I didn’t want the leaf sections to overpower the eyes so I chose to just double them. In the long run, I prefer the original pattern but the size didn’t suit my purpose. Most circular patterns that have 8 as a multiplier increase at least every 3rd or 4th round… not so for this one but except for 52-75, increased just about every other round. I think the leaf section is open enough that it doesn’t create problems with the radius. The Hemlock, on the other hand, I know doesn’t have enough increases as it has to be forced for blocking. All of the original patterns were done using cottons or blends so that would explain their sizing.
Karina,
I think I would use it for a doily in my house somewhere…I love doilies!
Merry 
Mary, your finished doily looks so nice! I really like the way you did
the extension as another section of leaves. Thank you so much for
writing it up!
Merry, I did my doily on 2 circulars and had no problems! I actually
left on the 2 circs until I was just over halfway done and then
transferred it onto one. I only had 2 80 cm needles so had to wait
until there were enough stitches that I could get in onto the one
without too much stretching.
Ok, here’s my pics of the finished doily (almost, need to sew in my ends).
I did it without the extensions because I needed to get it finished and
start a couple of bday projects for some friends that I had sort of
forgotten about in all my lace knitting excitement hehe…there is just not
enough time!!
Pic with flash on-looks a bit washed out:
Pic with no flash looks better but is blurry:
As you can see, photography is not my forte hehe…
Libbie
Libby that is very beautiful and dramatic in the black. I also like the spiral doily that you have a photo of. great work.
Thanks Karina! I did it in black because that was the only lace
weight yarn I had in my stash and since it was just supposed to
be a test knit I didn’t want to buy more. I wasn’t sure how the
pattern would work in a dark color but I have to say I like
it! Now I have to decide what color to do the blanket in haha…
The spiral doily is from the same website as egeblad…it is just
called “Doily with Spiral”. I am making that one as a blanket for
myself because I prefer the simpler pattern.
Libbie
OOOoooo, Libbie! I LOVE the black! Very seductive!! Absolutely GORGEOUS!!! :yay: :yay: :yay: :cheering: :cheering: :cheering: And very rough on the eyes, I’m sure! The Spiral is soooo pretty!!! 
Libbie,
What yarn are you using for your Spiral blanket? I’d love to know how large that one turns out. It’s in my Ravelry queue as a possible blanket. I’m 24" into my Alita blanket! (http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Minou/alita)
I got a big box of Beaverslide wool yesterday so I can make the Egeblad for my mom next. I think Egeblad is going to be one of my favorites. The background is solid enough to make a good blanket and the leaves are so organic and interesting.
Thanks Mary! DH was all excited at first when he saw the black
because I was using red stitch markers and he thought they were
part of the pattern and that I was making some black widow spider
web thingee…hehe Hmmm…might be something to think about!
I love the color of that yarn for your Alita! I’m looking for something
along those lines to do the Egeblad for my mom. She wanted
something dark but natural looking and not black haha… I haven’t
decided what yarn I’ll use for the spiral blanket. I used a dk weight
and size 4.5mm for the test knit and it came out about 35 inches.
And another bonus the pattern would be quite easy to extend. The
center spiral pattern is very simple and so one would just have to
make sure to have a compatible stitch count when starting the
edging pattern. I’ll be using either Novita 7 Veljesta or Novita
Isoveli which is worsted weighted or bulky. Just can’t decide!
Libbie 
:teehee: DHs are soooo funny sometimes!
I’ve ordered the Marianne Kinzel books!!! There’s supposed to be an oval tablecloth pattern in it that’ll fit mine and daughter’s tables. I’m ready to start another doily and having the hardest time deciding… better wait for the books and work on another Egeblad in the original size til then… gotta finish binding off my Hemlock first…ARGHHHHHHHHHH! I think I’m hopelessly addicted to lace doily patterns! I sure do hope they let you knit in heaven! :angelgrin:
Minou, I just LOVE the Alita!!!
This loden green heather Cascade 220 was originally going to be a Hemlock Ring for myself. Then I fell in love with the lighter green I used for my Egeblad. Now the Alita is destined to be a gift for a friend. These doily patterns are so much fun that I almost don’t want to repeat any of them. I’m a process knitter for sure and I like having every row be a new adventure.
Mary,
I have both Marianne Kinzel books. She has a really nice daffodil doily pattern that I’d like to try. I’m not sure I’ll have enough yarn for it, but I like the look of it. I’m definitely ignoring her comments in the intro about knitting in the lace tradition. Apparently anything with colors other than ecru or white, or using thicker yarns is a no-no. Her second book acknowledges wool, but otherwise she’s all about the lace-weight cotton. Granted, the books are from the 50’s.
I also got an eBay purchase from Germany yesterday. It’s chock full of Niebling patterns. Item #250247265109 on eBay! I’m seriously going to have to learn German. Between this and the Christine Duchrow books, there are so many great patterns but I need to do a lot of translation first. For anyone who is swooning over Niebling patterns like Lyra, seriously be prepared to do a lot of work - first to get the pattern and then to figure it out. These things make the Hemlock Ring look like a dishcloth.
FYI, if anyone is interested, the book of Niebling patterns is available as item #50240733162.
LOL! I was showing my mother some of the beautiful blankets you and others have done with the wools and she was like…“Why would anyone make a doily into a blanket with wool, no less?” I got the feeling she was in the same mindframe as Ms. Kinzel. Mom is 75, so that’s about right. I’m swooning over all the German patterns but will have to rent a cabin, deep in the north woods away from any form of verbal/physical life to concentrate and be able to figure them out. :roll:
Minou your Alita is lovely if it is already two feet across how big do you think it will be when finished? 5 foot or so?
I’m not sure. When I use Beaverslide wool, 90 rounds is about 4 feet. I made a Hemlock Ring with Cascade 220 held double, like I am with the Alita, and 4 1/2 skeins made 42". I think with 6 skeins, I’ll end at a little over four feet. If I did the entire pattern, I think it would end around 65".
Egeblad and the Hemlock blocked very differently and I think this one will be more like Egeblad - what you see is nearly what you get.