I thought it was absolutely gorgeous, and I started looking around for yarns that would suit my tastes. When I was making Boyfriend's Christmas scarf, I used KnitPicks' Capra yarn, which is an 85/15 cashmere/merino blend. After I blocked it out it turned into the most gorgeous thing I've ever set fingers to, and I didn't want to give it away. But I did, and then I found Debbie Bliss' cashmerino blend, in a gorgeous light ivory. It was well out of my price range, but I posted something to facebook to the effect that someone needed to purchase it for me. Lo and behold, my sweet friend KM (for whom I had previously knitted a scarf which was the first three bars of her favorite musical composition) went and purchased the all of yarn necessary for my project.I started knitting it yesterday, and I can only say that there's a reason I love knitting entrelac. It's interesting enough that I don't get bored knitting, but it's not so consuming of my attention that I can't pay attention to anything else when I'm knitting. The only complaint I have regarding the pattern is that the yarn is one that's meant to be knitted on size eight or nine needles, and this pattern has them on size elevens. While I am enjoying the fact that the pattern knits up so fast, I feel like a schmuck for knitting on these giant needles.
One of the things you hear from "serious" knitters is that "real" knitters don't knit on big needles unless they're working on a throw blanket for an elephant. The rest of the time? Fingering weight yarn on size ones! Only then are you hardcore enough to call yourself a real knitter. I do understand the tendency to cast aspersions on knitters who only knit on size fifteen needles with super bulky yarn. They can turn out massive projects in the time it might take someone working on smaller needles with smaller yarn to finish three or four inches of work. There's a feeling of resentment that builds, because you're working so hard to finish this one stupid project, and this other person has gone and finished ten.
On the other hand, so long as someone is practicing the craft, I don't know that I care how they do it. Eventually people branch out from their little box and try new things once they've gained a bit of confidence. That's how I began knitting entrelac. I had previously only knitted scarves and hats, and I wanted to knit something else. So I started on headbands. I made a bunch of them for CBO, and she still wears them all the time when she wants to keep her hair out of her eyes on her walks.
The real point of this meandering entry was to say that I am enjoying very much the experience of knitting the Lady Eleanor, and I haven't been this into a project in a long time. I look forward very much to being able to wear the shawl when I wander around in the cold weather that's sure to turn up here in the South sometime.
