Today I completed Longbourn by Kay Jones. It has been so fun to wear my new shawl today! This design is a tribute to the book, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The beautiful cable edging shows the intertwined lives of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett.
There is also a gorgeous panel in the middle back (can you tell I haven’t blocked my shawl yet?) which features a butterfly design detail. Elizabeth loved to walk in the country, so the designer, Kay Jones, incorporated that exquisite stitch. The pattern is very easy to follow and extremely well-written so I think even a beginning knitter could make this shawl.
The yarn is hand-dyed by Kay Jones and is called Bakery Bears Cottage Fountains. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to purchase it, as her yarn usually sells out in one minute on Etsy. I feel the shawl is a wonderful tribute to the textiles of the Regency Period in England, and I am sure it will be a favorite for me to wear when I am in a Jane Austen mood. It was a perfect knit to celebrate the 50 day mark of my 100-day Summer Challenge!
Yesterday, I wore Gabriela by Kim Hargreaves. It is knitted in Debbie Bliss Rialto 4ply.
The cabled fabric has held up quite well over the six years I have worn it, but the white color has faded to an eggshell which I do not like as much. I find that now I need to wear it with prints that incorporate white rather than a pure white pant or skirt, which is too bad. However, I know that pure white is one of the less stable colors in wool yarn and now I tend to use cotton blends if I want a garment to stay that color permanently.