What to wear to Maid Marian’s wedding

The Leaf Lace Shawl is finished. I’m madly in love with it, but wearing it does make me feel a bit like a bridesmaid in a Sherwood Forest wedding. Not that that’s a bad thing, mind you.

Here it is on its own, bathing in the sun from the hallway skylight:
shawlalone.jpg

As any good leaf shawl would be, it was much happier once I took it outside.

The back:
shawlback.jpg

The front:
shawlfront.jpg

The yarn is Gems Opal sportweight merino. The pattern is by Evelyn A. Clark, distributed by FiberTrends. It’s a very well-written pattern, clear instructions. I bought this as a kit well over a year ago and for some reason let it sit on the shelf and intimidate me all this time. I wish I’d cast on for it last year. It was almost easy. I couldn’t knit it while watching a movie or talking to friends, but given time alone and quiet it was a fairly simple knit. Twenty-two days of off-and-on knitting from cast-on to blocking. I’m pleased. Very pleased.

That was my sportweight warm-up. Now on to laceweight lace. Having just completed a leaf-lace triangular shawl, I no longer feel the need to make Birch. I’ve cast on for a little lace scarf using a traditional French lace stitch (traveling vines) I found in a stitchery book I had forgotten I had. If that works out (and so far so good) I’ll share that pattern with you. So I’ve got that little scarf going, and I want to cast on for a larger shawl or stole. Probably a stole… It’s between the Baltic Sea Stole and the Bird’s Nest Shawl right now. I’ll be using KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud.

When I think of all the summer knitting time wasted in years past on cotton tanks I never wore, when I could have been knitting lace…

82 Comments on “What to wear to Maid Marian’s wedding

  1. That is gorgeous! Silly you, wasting time on cotton tanks. But you’ve come to your senses now.
    Posted by: valentina

  2. It’s lovely.
    I have the pattern sitting right next to me. I keep changing my mind over what yarn to use. The pattern gives so many options.
    Posted by: Jessica

  3. Your shawl is just beautiful. This summer was a lace-epiphany for me, too, and I actually have you to thank for referencing the Kiri shawl a few weeks ago. It’s been my first large lace project and I LOVE IT.
    Posted by: christina

  4. That is gorgeous! Silly you, wasting time on cotton tanks. But you’ve come to your senses now.
    Posted by: valentina

  5. It’s lovely.
    I have the pattern sitting right next to me. I keep changing my mind over what yarn to use. The pattern gives so many options.
    Posted by: Jessica

  6. Your shawl is just beautiful. This summer was a lace-epiphany for me, too, and I actually have you to thank for referencing the Kiri shawl a few weeks ago. It’s been my first large lace project and I LOVE IT.
    Posted by: christina

  7. Gasp! It’s gorgeous. I’ve always been afraid that a lace shawl would be so much fun to knit, but look too dainty to really wear. Seems that isn’t so. Brava! Show it to me on Thursday?
    Posted by: alison

  8. I am sooo jealous that your shawl is done. I am on repeat #12 with mine in fingering weight yarn and still have a lonnnng way to go. Wear it well!
    Posted by: Carole

  9. I only saw a glimpse of it on Friday before you put it away, but now I can see how delightful and lovely it is. Suits you perfectly!
    Posted by: Em

  10. Oooo…traveling French vines…

    I want to see that 🙂

    Meanwhile, you’re the hippest Maid Marian I’ve seen in a while. That shawl is gorgeous.

    I’d love to do a leaf-lace stole, myself, because I just can’t look like anything but a four-year-old superhero wearing the tablecloth when I try on triangular things. While it would be great to be a superhero, I’d like to look a little less goofy in the process. This may be a futile endeavor, but I’m going to try. 🙂
    Posted by: Lee Ann

  11. Gasp! It’s gorgeous. I’ve always been afraid that a lace shawl would be so much fun to knit, but look too dainty to really wear. Seems that isn’t so. Brava! Show it to me on Thursday?
    Posted by: alison

  12. I am sooo jealous that your shawl is done. I am on repeat #12 with mine in fingering weight yarn and still have a lonnnng way to go. Wear it well!
    Posted by: Carole

  13. I only saw a glimpse of it on Friday before you put it away, but now I can see how delightful and lovely it is. Suits you perfectly!
    Posted by: Em

  14. Oooo…traveling French vines…

    I want to see that 🙂

    Meanwhile, you’re the hippest Maid Marian I’ve seen in a while. That shawl is gorgeous.

    I’d love to do a leaf-lace stole, myself, because I just can’t look like anything but a four-year-old superhero wearing the tablecloth when I try on triangular things. While it would be great to be a superhero, I’d like to look a little less goofy in the process. This may be a futile endeavor, but I’m going to try. 🙂
    Posted by: Lee Ann

  15. It’s all what you wear under it m’dear. Maid Marion would never wear, for example, a red strapless dress, or a black spaghetti-strap cocktail dress. Sex it up, baby!
    Posted by: Norma

  16. Stunning!!

    Let me know how the Alpaca Cloud is. I’m considering that if I decide to ever go down the shawl route.
    Posted by: Jackie

  17. It’s all what you wear under it m’dear. Maid Marion would never wear, for example, a red strapless dress, or a black spaghetti-strap cocktail dress. Sex it up, baby!
    Posted by: Norma

  18. Stunning!!

    Let me know how the Alpaca Cloud is. I’m considering that if I decide to ever go down the shawl route.
    Posted by: Jackie

  19. It looks terrific on you! And I like the green with that pattern. Adds to the “leafiness”. Look forward to seeing your new project. Lace on!
    Posted by: Kathy

  20. So beautiful and classic! I’m knitting the Flower Basket Shawl (The Leaf Lace’s fraternal twin) and I agree – the pattern is very well written – it is almost easy. But you do have to pay attention.

    I’m going to check out that yarn – I want to do my next one in a sportweight.

    Thanks for sharing!
    Posted by: Cara

  21. It looks terrific on you! And I like the green with that pattern. Adds to the “leafiness”. Look forward to seeing your new project. Lace on!
    Posted by: Kathy

  22. So beautiful and classic! I’m knitting the Flower Basket Shawl (The Leaf Lace’s fraternal twin) and I agree – the pattern is very well written – it is almost easy. But you do have to pay attention.

    I’m going to check out that yarn – I want to do my next one in a sportweight.

    Thanks for sharing!
    Posted by: Cara

  23. Wow. That came out so beautiful. I have the Flower Basket shawl pattern but it just keeps getting pushed down the list. But I might have to push it back up again. (After I finish Kiri that is… which should be sometime next decade..)
    Posted by: Chrissie

  24. Your shawl is beautiful, I am waiting for my copy of the pattern to arrive. I have just finished Kiri and I am filling in while waiting for the patterns to arrive by making a lace empire line Tank from the new edition of Knitting magazine here in the UK. It certainly is looking like a summer of lace everywhere.
    Posted by: Janine

  25. That is quite lovely. Almost makes me wanna pick up the lace shawl kit I bought two years ago.

    Almost.
    Posted by: Iris

  26. It looks great on you. At least you know what to plan and stock up for next summer 🙂
    Posted by: Vicki

  27. Wow. That came out so beautiful. I have the Flower Basket shawl pattern but it just keeps getting pushed down the list. But I might have to push it back up again. (After I finish Kiri that is… which should be sometime next decade..)
    Posted by: Chrissie

  28. Your shawl is beautiful, I am waiting for my copy of the pattern to arrive. I have just finished Kiri and I am filling in while waiting for the patterns to arrive by making a lace empire line Tank from the new edition of Knitting magazine here in the UK. It certainly is looking like a summer of lace everywhere.
    Posted by: Janine

  29. That is quite lovely. Almost makes me wanna pick up the lace shawl kit I bought two years ago.

    Almost.
    Posted by: Iris

  30. It looks great on you. At least you know what to plan and stock up for next summer 🙂
    Posted by: Vicki

  31. Lace. Lace lace lacelacelace. Yes. You did it, and its marvelous. Screw cotton and tanks, its not worth the trouble.
    Posted by: Cassie

  32. Lace for summer! We all need at least 3 lace projects now that it’s officially summer. I think I already have 4 in the works or planned! Geez!
    Posted by: Christie

  33. Now that is just gorgeous dahling! But I would expect nothing less. You know both the Baltic Sea Stole and the Bird’s Nest Shawl have also been on my hit list. I’ve got some gorgeous lace weight mohair in camoflague green pegged for the stole. Just need to get the pattern at some point.
    Posted by: jacqueline

  34. that is some lovely lace you’re sporting in sherwood forest. 🙂 errol flynn might have to rethink his choice of bride.
    Posted by: carolyn

  35. Lace. Lace lace lacelacelace. Yes. You did it, and its marvelous. Screw cotton and tanks, its not worth the trouble.
    Posted by: Cassie

  36. Lace for summer! We all need at least 3 lace projects now that it’s officially summer. I think I already have 4 in the works or planned! Geez!
    Posted by: Christie

  37. Now that is just gorgeous dahling! But I would expect nothing less. You know both the Baltic Sea Stole and the Bird’s Nest Shawl have also been on my hit list. I’ve got some gorgeous lace weight mohair in camoflague green pegged for the stole. Just need to get the pattern at some point.
    Posted by: jacqueline

  38. that is some lovely lace you’re sporting in sherwood forest. 🙂 errol flynn might have to rethink his choice of bride.
    Posted by: carolyn

  39. Mr Hood would most definately approve, and dare I say it, but I hear wolf whistles from the undergrowth – those merry men, always playing around.

    So now I have no excuse not to do mine, right?
    Posted by: Alison

  40. You are the very picture of elegance. Brava!!! And btw, that color suits you beautifully.
    Posted by: regina

  41. It’s very lovely. I like Evelyn Clark’s pattern, so far everyone I’ve done is very well written.
    Posted by: Rebekah

  42. Awesome shawl! I also like the green dress you’re wearing in the pic w/ John.
    Posted by: LeAnne

  43. it’s beautiful! It feels like every knitter I read along with is knitting lace, and it’s wearing me down. I’ll cast on for a shawl at some point, and I can only hope that it will be that stunning!
    Posted by: Kristen

  44. Oh my, girlie. What a transition from when I saw it in the shop. It’s BEAUTIFUL! Nice work…..
    Posted by: john

  45. it’s stunning, cari! you know, i’ve got a cotton tank out that i’m planning on unraveling and have a pile of alpaca cloud and some shawls i’m anxious to knit. what’s up with this? seems like the lace shawl knitting has caught everyone!
    Posted by: kaarin

  46. Mr Hood would most definately approve, and dare I say it, but I hear wolf whistles from the undergrowth – those merry men, always playing around.

    So now I have no excuse not to do mine, right?
    Posted by: Alison

  47. You are the very picture of elegance. Brava!!! And btw, that color suits you beautifully.
    Posted by: regina

  48. It’s very lovely. I like Evelyn Clark’s pattern, so far everyone I’ve done is very well written.
    Posted by: Rebekah

  49. Awesome shawl! I also like the green dress you’re wearing in the pic w/ John.
    Posted by: LeAnne

  50. it’s beautiful! It feels like every knitter I read along with is knitting lace, and it’s wearing me down. I’ll cast on for a shawl at some point, and I can only hope that it will be that stunning!
    Posted by: Kristen

  51. Oh my, girlie. What a transition from when I saw it in the shop. It’s BEAUTIFUL! Nice work…..
    Posted by: john

  52. it’s stunning, cari! you know, i’ve got a cotton tank out that i’m planning on unraveling and have a pile of alpaca cloud and some shawls i’m anxious to knit. what’s up with this? seems like the lace shawl knitting has caught everyone!
    Posted by: kaarin

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