Springy Birch

The weather here in Connecticut finally decided to start feeling like Spring, just in time for the wedding  I went to on Saturday.  After the incredibly cold and wet weather we had for the past few weeks this was a welcome change.  You couldn't ask for a nicer day, my friends really lucked out for their wedding.  I was grateful as I was convinced all last week that I was going to freeze wearing my new dress, and that maybe I had better come up with some kind of a contingency plan for a backup dress.  Luckily no back up was necessary, and all I needed was my new Birch,  which was just the light cover I needed for my shoulders with the a/c at the reception.

I apologize for the quality of the pictures.  I was expecting two of my friends to be at the wedding and have one of them take a few pictures for me but one got stuck working, and the other never bothered to tell me she wasn't going.  I ended up at at a table with a bunch of people I didn't know.  (Note to self - you must find someone to drag along as a date to these things.)  The couple sitting next to me was quite nice, but overall it's still rough being at that table with the miscellaneous group of people.  A few of my good male friends were at a different table, but I didn't want to try to explain why I needed them to take pictures of me with my shawl.  I used the timer on the camera when I got home.  They aren't the best but they'll do.


The  back view of Birch.  I was happy that the seam I was so concerned about really just blended in against my dress.  If I turned it around so that the wrong side was facing out it barely showed at all.

And a few shots of how Birch looked with the front of my dress.  With my favorite sunglasses -

And without -

Birch, Rowan 24, Designed by Sharon Miller
Knit with 2.5 skeins (250 yards each) of Louet Kidlin Pixie (49% Linen, 35% Mohair, 16% Nylon) in Rose Bloom (04) on Clover Bamboo Straights.

Pattern Notes - I'm really happy with how my Birch came out.  I'm very glad that I chose to make this Birch using Julia's modifications.  Her notes on how to adapt the pattern are easy to follow.  I followed her modifications with just two changes.  The first was that although I didn't work the regular decreases at the end of each right side row, I still needed to work the decrease on row 8 (the only decrease on the purl row) in order to keep the shape of the pattern correct. I'd work the decrease on the last two purl stitches, and then knit the last three that I was using as a border.  On the next row (row 1 of the pattern) I work across until I had the three border stitches left on the needle and then increase one stitch before knitting the last three stitches.  Without working this decrease and increase the leaves formed in the pattern would pull wonky to one side and didn't look right.

The only other change I made was to work my two pieces about 10 inches longer on each side.  Mine measured about 30" or so before blocking.  This was by accident, I was on a roll knitting and forgot to keep measuring, but in the end I was happy it ended up being longer.  I love a shawl you can really wrap yourself up in.

Yarn Notes - This was my first time using Kidlin Pixie and I found it to be an acceptable substitute for Kidsilk Haze.  It's not as soft as Kidsilk, but still feels decadent, and the linen in it gives the same hazy appearance that Kidsilk does.  It was a bit cheaper than Kidsilk Haze, but not significantly so.  (Especially as you only need 3 balls of it.)  The color range worked better for me for this project.  It's a very strong yarn too without looking like it.  Don't try to break this without scissors!  I like that even though the shawl looks fragile and delicate it's not.

Check out Julia's notes on Birch for more help.  She's got great hints there, and it would be silly for me to just reiterate them.

Comments

[Jennifer]

Your Birch is beautiful - and with yesterday's summer-like temperatures in Connecticut, I'd say your timing is perfect.

[beth]

gorgeous- you look like a movie star! birch is the perfect accessory to the dress! nice job.

[Susan]

You *and* Birch look lovely -- very springy!! With the sunglasses, your hair color, and the dress, I think you look very 50's.

[Vera]

You look beautiful. Great job.

[Wanda]

Wow, I love that dress and your makeup, everything looks great. You looked so pretty and I love that haircut. Birch is pretty and the perfect accompaniement to your dress.

[Sarah HB]

Birch looks lovely!

I love the dress! I can never seem to find such dresses that can hold everything in but yours looks gorgeous.

[Brenda]

You and Birch both look fabulous!

[Mary]

Both you and Birch look wonderful!

[monica]

It's very pretty and springy!

[Li_B]

Perfect!
Li

[Debi]

You look absolutely lovely! The Birch is perfect and perfect on you! :)