The Lace Wrap and the Persian Poet

I’ve disappeared again, I know. Christmas got so busy here I barely had chance to actually celebrate it. I was knitting Christmas gifts up to the 11th hour and I had commissions to complete too. But you didn’t come here to listen to me winging! I know that much 😀

My new pattern for Let’s Knit magazine is out today and I wanted to tell you all about it.

Saadi Wrap

As soon as I saw the lace used in the Saadi wrap I knew it had to be made into something that let it be itself. I know that sounds proper poncy, but what I mean is, it didn’t need to be messed about with. It just wanted to be knitted and show itself. Like, “Look at me. How cool am I?” kinda thing… Yeah well. So I decided to make a straight, easy to adjust wrap / shawl that embraced the lace work. I added a picot edge to keep it simple and knitted my swatch.

Saadi Swatch

Then, with the swatch in mind and knowing I wanted to make a wrap, I drew my sketch:

Saadi Wrap Sketch

I was quite happy with the sketch. A few people have asked me about the croquis I use (the female figure). I got them from here. A great resource if, like me, you can’t really draw too well. I am determined to learn to draw croquis this year though. It’s on my to do list.

I like to name my patterns with something that means something to me or to the pattern. After looking up tulips and flowers and endless trails to find something suitable, I came across Saadi Shirazi, a Persian poet from the medieval times. One of his most famous works was The Gulistan (The Rose Garden) which contains this verse:

Its red roses were like the cheeks of belles, 
Its hyacinths like the ringlets of mistresses 
Protected from the inclemency of mid-winter 
Like sucklings who have not yet tasted the nurse’s milk. 
And branches with pomegranates upon them:
Fire suspended from the green-trees.

I thought that was beautiful and fitting for such a gorgeous lace and so decided Saadi would be the name of the wrap.

Then it was time for the submission:

Saadi Submission info

I submitted this to the editor of Let’s Knit and waited. She accepted the design a week or so later and ordered my second yarn choice, the lovely Rowan Wool Cotton. As soon as it arrived I got to work.

To be honest, there is nothing else to tell. This was a straightforward pattern. My testers didn’t really have a problem. One tester preferred to knit it in lace weight yarn as she felt the pattern didn’t open up in the DK. I let her do that as I wanted to see the lace version, but my goal was to create a stunning lace wrap that could be worn in the colder climates. I knitted my sample, blocked it and parcelled it up for Let’s Knit.

This wrap is an easy knit but it takes time and concentration if you are not used to lace. I didn’t learn this pattern after so many repeats. I was still looking at what row came next even when I was nearing the finish at 100+ cms. However, if you are willing to put in the time and effort you will be rewarded with a beautiful piece.