World Cup of Niebling

No, it's not really that color

Yesterday, World Cup Soccer ended with Spain winning.  While I would be happier if my fake cousin David Villa* had scored a goal or three, but, over all, I am still pleased.  The right team won and it didn't have to go to penalty kicks. (Even if I did have a moment where I realized that the overlords had won and spent the rest of the afternoon pondering the politics of genetics and empire building.)

On Friday, my World Cup Challenge ended... and not a moment too soon.  I cast off Lotus Flower and was pleased that I had finished it in less than a month. (Cast on June 16th and finished July 9th.)  I was also relieved because the pattern was seriously boring toward the end.  2togs and double yarn overs get old after a while.

There were no errors with the pattern, no dramaz and I don't hate anyone because I knit this pattern.  This is a HUGE difference from my experience with the Niebling book.  (Yes, I know, I still have to talk about that, but it won't be today.)

I used cotton/flax yarn from Russia in a slightly less shocking pink that seen above.  I also used 2.75 mm needles for this project and love the finished size.  It measures 45 inches across... and that's without a proper blocking.  I ironed it rather than spending the rest of my life pinning it out.  Sometimes the shortcuts are our friends.

The hardest part of this pattern was counting to 52 repeating.  Talk about boring.  The only new to me stitch was a triple yarn over, which was totally easy because it was just wrapping the yarn around the needle three times.  After counting to 52 I don't know how many times, that was stupid easy.

This is another one of those lace patterns that looks very challenging but isn't.  As long as you know where you are, use your stitch markers and remember how to count, it is a very simple thing to knit.  Don't listen to anyone who tells you it's a hard pattern to work and ignore anyone who thinks it's too challenging because they may be crazy.

Better photos to follow if I ever get my shit together.

* He's a Villa.  We have to be cousins, right?  Right?!

Comments

[Tiny Tyrant]

That's a great pink in the picture to me too, but then I'm weird that way. ;-)

Very very pretty Cookie.

[Kym]

I wish it was really that color. . . Gorgeous, Cookie. Absolutely gorgeous.

[Marilyn]

Pretty! Looks like the ironing worked.

But remembering how to count can be hard at times!
xo
P.S. How's your hip?

[Carole]

That is incredible!

[Tina M.]

It's gorgeous!

I fell in love with Niebling this summer, and it came to head over the holiday weekend when I bought the Layla pattern at Rosie's Yarn Cellar. Only wild horses and a budget kept me from buying the book or the reprint collection. So... there's something wrong with the book? Should I steer clear and get the reprints instead?

[Cindycindy]

Hot dang, that is one gorgeous knit!!! You did lose me, though, on the counting part. I have learned lately that I cannot count to 10. I am working on improving my math skills;-P And, congrats to Spain. They were the best team that day!!

[datagoddess]

Apparently I'm the only one who is horrified at that pink-n-green combination, but the lace itself is gorgeous.

And I'm just weird.

My wrist is actually hurting from knitting - I'm knitting like a fiend trying to finish a very warm scarf to keep my sweetie warm while he's in the arctic, and he leaves next Saturday. And I have to get it to him (in California) before then.

And apparently I can't even keep a straightforward pattern in my head because I started knitting the WS row on the RS. And had to tink back. Bah!

[Carrie K]

Yes, clearly you have to be cousins.

Very pretty! I'm shocked at your decision to free up decades of your life by ironing instead of blocking. :)

[Diane]

Ah, my little lotus blossom, I see you are knitting again. Very pretty, in a neon magenta kind of way.

And congrats on the soccer win. But really, 119 minutes without a score? What's up with that?

[margene]

That's quite a color combo! The finished shawl will still be a show stopper, if it's anywhere near hot pink, let alone your beautiful knitting. You must have taken a break from spinning! What's this about your hip?

[Cheryl S.]

Very pretty pattern, though I can see why you'd quickly get tired of all of those yarnovers.

[Rachel]

If I will show your photo to Sam she will no doubt declare you AWESOME! it is just her most favorite color combo and I like this hot pink too.

Beautiful creation as usual and at least a cousin or maybe even a long lost brother?!? :)

[Judi]

That is really something special. And it is the first Niebling I have seen that made me want to make one. Yummy.

[Nora]

Seriously gorgeous lace. Can't wait to see the actual color.

Yay for Spain! I wouldn't have minded the PK shootout, but it was exciting even so.

xo

[Lucia]

I still take leave to be totally intimidated.

[Beverly]

Really Really pretty.... are you using it as a doily or a shawl? I still want to try a round shawl, but the always look like giant doilies to me. One day I will find the perfect pattern.

[Patty]

Breathless!!....and the pink, well, it's just gorgeous!!

I've always said "pink is for Patty".

[opal]

it's beautiful!

[Angie]

Absolutely!

Beautiful not-really-that pink lace. I love your review of the pattern.

[Elizabeth]

Very pretty knitting. 45 inches across - that's much larger than it looks in the picture somehow, but I like it.

[gayle]

Is it my imagination (or my monitor) that those flowers look like they're made up of extremely long stitches?
I really must Niebling soon...

[Kerry]

It looks really complicated but if you say it isn't then I believe you and might add it to my queue.

I actually love that colour.

[marianne]

It is gorgeous even though my eyeballs may be scorched for the rest of my life, holy shit, that is intense! so will hope to see a photo as the colour really is.
wha? you have some hip voodoo going on?

[Squishy]

xoxo

[Doris]

That is exquisite! I have recently found that counting to 6 can sometimes be beyond me...that is just pathetic...I would hate to be trying to count to 52. I blamed it on the heat, but....not really sure that I was being honest with myself.

[Mike]

I have no idea what that word means, but I kind of like the color with the green background. Then again, my wife thinks I'm colorblind, so I could be way off. :)

[joan]

Does that make him my relative too??

Love the blog post title and the lace and you.

[Kitten]

Beautiful. And the fact that you don't want to kill anyone is totally shocking.

[Sarah]

It's gorgeous, Cookie! Congratulations on winning the World Cup! I think I need to maybe make my next round lace a Niebling. Wait, I think the next round lace might be the EZ 100th Anniversary thing. Oh, it is all so far away that I am not ready to decide anything. I know there is at least one other lace to happen before either of those.

xoxo

[Daniele]

OH! I like this one Cookie - beautiful lace pattern!! Must go look at it now. Thanks for the link!

[Jeanne]

Beautiful - congrats on winning your world cup! How does ironing it compare to pinning/blocking - does it stretch it out as much?

[Megan S.]

I like the magenta! I've been thinking about knitting a magenta hat. Go figure!

:)