An update on the crocheted butterfly wedding shawl

by Noreen on January 31st, 2007

I am crocheting my daughter a shawl for her wedding this summer. I designed the pattern for the Summer 2006 issue of Knit.1 magazine. I am spinning the silk for it, and have been spinning up a storm.

The shawl is coming along quite nicely……..

It’s just a joy to spin the silk and crocheting it is heavenly.

Ahhhhhhhh! bliss. Sooooooooo soft………..

I wish the computer had ‘touch-o-vision’ so you could feel how soft the silk feels………… luscious.

I started out spinning the silk with hand spindles. But, because speed has become essential, I am now going like blazes on my little Mud Valley spinning wheel, Maudie. Maudie is a funky little 30 year old spinning wheel that I love to pieces.

I am mulling over how to do the fringe. I don’t want to use a cut fringe,because the handspun silk is very soft, and I suspect that it may fray, mat and shed. Ick. As it is, I am pulling silk fiber out of all kinds of odd and unusual places in the house, and I don’t want her shawl to spend the next 50 years doing more of the same

I have been thinking that I would chain the fringe, as I think it’ll stand up to life better that way.

But,it just struck me- I could also use my fringe twister and do a twisted fringe……. hmmmmmm…….this bears investigation.

Thinking out loud here: If I did a chained fringe, it might look ‘thin’………
BUT… if I did a twisted fringe - it would have knots at the ends of the twisted sections….. hmmm.

I suppose I could stitch a fresh water pearl (to match the tatted butterflies on her dress.) onto the knot….
Suggestions? Comments? Advice?

hugs all round

Noreen

www.crone-findlay.com

PS: This is the shawl that a whole bunch of people are doing a crochet along at crochetville and on the yahoo crochet along group.

16 opinions for An update on the crocheted butterfly wedding shawl

Hilary in Germany
Jan 31, 2007 at 3:40 am

Noreen -

Reading your notes I first saw twisted fringe. Not the kind with a knot at the end, but the kind that twists back on itself and has a loop(fold) at the end.

Continuing reading, I then SAW the freshwater pearl at the end of the fringe. Sitting in the loop @ the end.

How will the silk behave for the twisted and folded back on itself kind of fringe?? Will it ‘play nice’?
krisR
Jan 31, 2007 at 4:05 am

The first thought that popped into my head was twisted fringe as well, lol. I think you’re onto something there. Good luck, and I wish you had touch o vision too!
Alissa Barton
Jan 31, 2007 at 5:40 am

As always, you have outdone yourself! She is going to look lovely.

Twisted fringe can look beautiful and I suspect it might take less yardage than a chained fringe, if that is a consideration. Plus, loops from chains might snag on something. So, my two cents say try the twisted fringe first.

Hugs, Alissa
terri
Jan 31, 2007 at 9:38 am

I think that a twisted fringe with a pearl at the bottom would be amazing! It would give the bottom a bit of weight (as long as it’s not too much) and then I’m imagining it making lovely gentle sounds as she walks…..
Noreen
Jan 31, 2007 at 10:58 am

Hello Hilary
Hmmmmmmm in order to make a twisted fringe that has the fold at the bottom of the fringe, I would have to figure out a way of making the fringe continous……….
OH OH OH!!!! it just popped into my mind how I can do that! Ohhhhhhh! Thank you thank you! I will have to give this some experimental time!
I’ll keep you posted!
big hugs and thanks! wowsa……..
great excitement!
:D
Noreen
Noreen
Jan 31, 2007 at 11:03 am

Hi Terri!
Oh, yes! I hadn’t considered that the sound of it would be part of the sensory experience of the shawl! At this point, the visual part is exquisite, with the luster of the silk and the pattern of the butterflies. And, the touch part is wonderful, with the incredible softness…
Hmmmmmmm……. I wonder if the pearls would click, though? I expect that her dress will make a soft rustling sound, as there is a train. She’s making it from dupione silk that is just gorgeous.
She got samples of the fabric so she could check it for compatability with the shawl, and they’re wonderful together.
My goodness, this is so exciting!
big hugs
Noreen
Noreen
Jan 31, 2007 at 11:07 am

Hi Kris!
This has been SO HELPFUL! I am feeling really confident about using the twisted fringe instead of the chained one, and am figuring out how to do it……
I think I’ll have to do a blog entry on how that happens!
Oh! I am so excited!
Wheeeeeeee! I definitely will be at the spinning wheel today! :D
hugs
Noreen
Noreen
Jan 31, 2007 at 11:12 am

Hallo Alissa
and thank you so much! I really appreciate hearing from THE KNITTING FAIRY :D
I agree- having everyone weigh in on the side of the twisted fringe has given me the input that I really needed!
I love it that I can go online when I am baffled and my friends gather round the shawl in cyberspace and help move it to the next level!
OH! I am so inspired!
I don’t have that many squares (and triangles) to go until the body of the shawl is done. I had been feeling really hesitant about the fringe, and now I am all enthusiastic about it….
and, another way of doing it just popped into my mind……. hmmmmmmm
will definitely have to do some experimenting!
big hugs and thanks
Noreen
Leslie Sirag
Feb 1, 2007 at 12:41 am

Noreen, since you;re spinning it anyway, couldn’t you overspin just a bit, ply it, & have a single length of twisted fringe that way?
Hugs all round! Leslie
Christina
Feb 1, 2007 at 7:50 am

Wow, love the shawl it is going to look wonderful on your daughter! I think I really like the idea of the twisted fringe with a pearl. That would be very elegant.
Noreen
Feb 1, 2007 at 10:51 am

Hi Leslie
Yes, I agree that the yarn for the fringe will need to be somewhat overspun, to give it a bit more body. I am spinning like mad, to get the rest of the shawl finished, because now I am so inspired about working on the fringe!
:)
Noreen
Feb 1, 2007 at 10:58 am

Thanks so much Christina :)
I am just thrilled with the shawl- I think that I am going to need to try out several options - I am really inspired!
Lynne Vander Linde
Feb 2, 2007 at 11:01 am

Noreen, I like the idea of the pearls, but if you stich them on you wouldn’t need the knot, would you?
Noreen
Feb 2, 2007 at 11:37 am

That’s a really good point, Lynne! I hadn’t thought of that! Thank you so much!
:)
Karen Selk
Feb 5, 2007 at 9:46 am

Hi Noreen,

Thank you so much for keeping us up-to-date with the progress of your beautiful shawl. I also think a twisted fringe is the way to go with a bead threaded onto one of the fringe threads, so you can place it anywhere you like. At the bottom would give it a nice weight and sound.

Cheers and keep up your creative work!
Noreen
Feb 5, 2007 at 11:40 am

Thanks so much, Karen. Mmmmm…… great idea…….
hmmmmmmm lots to consider……..
I am homing in on having the body of the shawl finished, so need to work on some samples of different fringing options. I think I need to see them, to be able to make the final decision. Well, actually, for my daughter to make the final decision! LOL!

BTW, for people who are thinking of buying raw silk to spin, GO FOR IT!
The only caution I have for you is that it becomes addictive! LOL! Spinning anything else now feels so much less inspiring!
I bought my raw silk from Karen’s shop, and from vendors whom she supplies.
Her website is:
http://treenwaysilks.com
and it’s on Salt Spring Island, where we are aiming to move to! too wonderful for words.
:)

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