Fiber Monday 304: Dowdy Duds

In Which I Start Something Both Modern And Vintage

I'm sure everyone's tired of Downton Abbey at this point. I know I am! I'm really pleased that the show existed and gave so many people work, but it was getting a little ridiculous, all that hype...

So anyway, a while ago, Lion Brand Yarn came out with some DA-themed yarns, and with those, they came up with some patterns. I am using the "Lady Sibyl Shrug" pattern, but... not the right yarn.

See, by the time I learned about (and saw) this pattern, they weren't selling the Lady Sibyl yarn anymore.

I did, however, have a large ball of a locally farmed, dyed, and spun merino lace in a colorway called "Red Hotdogs"... which is exactly that shade of bizarre red/pink/salmon. It's soft, though, and beautiful.

It's also a lace-weight yarn in a pattern that calls for something far more robust.

But... it's so pretty!

Okay, so what do you do when your yarn is the wrong size (or "gauge" as it's often known)?

You can do one of a few things:

• use a bigger hook so that the individual stitches are still the right size
• add pattern repeats if you're working from a repeated motif
• add extra yarn to bulk out your main color (usually in a similar, neutral, or complementary color)

I've opted for the second option, since using a larger hook on such a fine yarn would look hideous and I don't want to disrupt this strange yet wonderful color.

It's a fairly simple pattern, too!

This pattern is somewhat similar to a shell or fan pattern, but it's so fine and has so many bridges or nets that it's an addictive repetition. There are only four or five repeated rows, and I'll be needing to repeat these rows until it's 16 inches wide. It's much longer than the one they show in the pattern, too, but that's because I have a disdain for short-sleeved outerwear. I don't get it. You're covering your arms to both preserve modesty and to keep them warm. Why not commit?

With my dainty lace-weight yarn, I have a 2.25mm/B/1 hook I'm using.

I'm looking forward to finishing this pattern, since I've been dancing around it since probably 2018 or so!

Go Enjoy Something!
FC