Friday 8 April 2011

Alpaca Wrap

Woohoo, I have a finished object to share on Finished Object Friday.  Not only that, but it is alpaca - which is fibre based so I am appropriate for my two other linky parties Fiber Arts Friday and Fibers on Friday.  Look at those lovely buttons - don't you want to click on them, just once to see what else other people are making.  Go on you know you want to!  Just remember to come back and see my lovely alpaca wrap - it's very pretty.




Now aren't you glad you came back.  Just to reward you, I'm going to show you a very pretty stitch pattern.


I adore my wrap. I cast off yesterday and got it on the blocking boards straight away.  It was dry by this morning.  I removed it immediately and I whisked it away for it's star photo shoot.  I love how versatile this wrap turned out.


Just wearing it draped around my shoulders looks pretty good.  The pattern suggests that you can use buttons made into cufflinks to hold the wrap together through the lace holes.  I have better than that, I have actual cufflinks.  My Mum gave them to me ages ago for a really nice blouse I shrunk out of.  I can use this set to hold the wrap closed at the front or for making sleeves.


I'm thinking maybe I could do with another set on each arm for this particular style.  But even so, it feels very glamorous, like a 1930's movie star.


This style has the cufflinks holding the back edges together to produce a waistcoat.  I could also clip the front together as there is enough stretch in the lace pattern to do so.


Then of course, there is the good old fashioned shawl pin to hold the wrap closed around my shoulders.

This wrap is so deliciously warm and adaptable, I know that I will wear it a lot.  I also think it will be one of the first things I pack, whenever I go away anywhere.  It will be perfect instead of multiple jackets and cardigans.

This wrap was made using Ember's Embrace by Amy Wunx.  I made the wrap wider, than suggested, by 2 pattern repeats, which gave a total cast on stitch count of 81.  The yarn I used was Toft Alpaca DK, which I bought direct from the farm, on a little trip I took last year.  As this yarn was bought from the discount bin, two skeins of the three I used, had a few worn parts that I had to splice together.  I didn't particularly enjoy doing that, but it was in only a couple of sections where it was repeatedly worn.  I will be interested to see if the full price lace yarn has any worn places.  I'm expecting it to be fine.

Now I've wet blocked this wrap, the yarn is much softer and smoother.  The lace pattern shows up beautifully and it is a really lovely enhancement to this gorgeous British Yarn.  I think this yarn and this pattern only enhance each other.  They are the perfect match.

A friend is taking me to lunch today, so I am planning on wearing my new wrap and feeling very glamorous and sophisticated!  Mind you the sun is shining for once, I hope it won't be too warm to be worn.

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