The 'Teser Begins...

And so it begins, my lace starts teasing me nearly as soon as I start working on it.

Two nights work and I have only just finished two repeats. At this rate the Maltese Shawl will take over a year to complete. However, this appears to be the least of my problems. This is a 4 row repeat and I don't seem able to stop myself making mistakes. Two repeats and I have already ruined the faggotting.


The only saving grace is that I don't like the airiness of the lace. I have knit it on size 3.75mm and am going to drop to 3.25mm. Although I have added an extra 19sts repeat, the lace panel is 21 inches wide (talk about mixing measuring systems!). I believe I have scope to use slightly smaller needles.

So, before I go to bed tonight, I shall frog the piece.

I am still loving this project and the yarn. It is just that lace has to beat me up a bit before I can get it right.

Malteser

I don't know anyone who doesn't love a chocolate treat as a malteser. Well, I know one who doesn't but I think it is because maltesers don't love her :((

Anyway, today I have taken possession of a glorious laceweight yarn called Angel, from The Natural Dye Studio. I love the yarns that Amanda sells and her delivery is great.

The Natural Dye Studio's Angel, Colourway Roma

'Malteser?', you may ask. Well, this yarn is destined to become a Maltese Shawl by Jane Sowerby [Ravelry link].

This is part of a knit along with the Victorian Lace Today group on Ravelry and Yahoo.

Anyway, I'm off to cast on.

Last year Oxfam started a campaign to create a giant baby blanket, with each square knitted representing a mother who did not survive pregnancy or childbirth to be able to care for her baby, because she couldn't access the medical care she needed. Each square represents the number of mothers who could have been saved in that time if decent healthcare had been available.

On 17 September, more than 14,000 squares were handed over to the Prime Minister's wife, Sarah Brown, at Number 10.

It wasn't possible to assemble all the squares that were donated into an entire blanket. However, Oxfam is now arranging for the squares to be made into blankets. The finished blankets will then be put on display at galleries, exhibitions, town halls, and other public places - as part of Oxfam's campaign to raise awareness of the lack of decent maternal care in poor countries. Oxfam also plan to sell the blankets in their shops or at festivals to raise cash for Oxfam's work to overcome poverty.

I admit I did not knit a single square for this worthwhile campaign. However, I have signed up to sewing a blanket. Each blanket is comprised of 48 squares (6 squares across and 8 down).

Below is the planned layout for the blanket I am working on.




It is lovely to think of all the people who have given their time and love to provide knitted squares. I shall try to sew the blanket with as much care as possible and to weave in caring thoughts for the person who purchases it.