I thought that I'd figured it all out. I was going to wear this dress:
And in keeping with its aesthetic, I wanted a shawl that would float around my shoulders like a cloud. Something ethereal but with a slight edge. I started “River” in kid silk haze night, which has a thread of silver running through it.
The problem? I decided to go with a different dress! One that's more mountaintop appropriate. Not only does the color not match (this new one is more ivory than white), but the fabric is heavier, the shape has strong, clean angles (not soft and swishy), and the texture is like grosgrain ribbon.
I started looking at triangular shawls to accent the triangles at the bust, but my sister informed me that non-knitters might think it dowdy. So I've decided to do a rectangular stole with a obvious lengthwise pattern, which would pick up the horizontal lines of the dress fabric. I think I've narrowed it down to these three:
1. Eunny's Print O' The Wave Stole
2. Trellis Lace Stole, from Vogue Knitting Int'l Holiday 2003
3. Feather and Fan Stole (this photo is from patternworks, but I'd just make it up)
Does anyone have any thoughts/experience with these patterns? I'm leaning towards Eunny's gorgeous and intruiging stole (maybe without the center grafts, since the guests will be looking at my back during the ceremony). But other friends have urged me to try the trellis lace stole, with its cleaner geometry.
And for yarn? My favorite fiber is alpaca, so I was thinking of Misti Alpaca Laceweight. But am also considering something with a bit of silk to add shine, perhaps Zephyr wool-silk. (Given my history of abandoning lace projects, I initially wanted to try something in a fingering weight. But I swatched up the print o' the wave pattern in some baby cashmerino and baby ull, and found it terribly inelegant.) Does anyone have experience with these yarns? Or can you suggest another alpaca laceweight?
What a beautiful dress you've picked! I can see what you mean that the River shawl seems less appropriate that with the previous one. I think I'd agree with your friends to try the trellis, although I don't have experience with any of the patterns you've tried. But that would be my vote! Nice to see a new blogger, good luck with everything!
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