Celestial Dream

Many years ago I was trying to explain how simple it was to design a doily - at least choosing the stitches, center and edge to use. The lady I was talking to ended up suggesting which center, stitches, and edge I should use for my next doily. This was the result.

If you want to know more about this doily, its size, and which stitches were used, click here.

Splendor

It's been a while since I've posted a doily. Part of the reason is that I'm still trying to figure out square-mesh scallops and part of the reason is that the doilies I'm making again are all either large or have thousands of knots. However, I finally starched this one, even though it has been finished for more than a year. I called it Splendor when I first designed and made it many years ago.

For more information about this doily, its size and stitches, come see it.

Golden Ray Shawl

Decades ago I made a doily I called Golden Ray. I made it originally to see how easy it was to put bits of color into a doily. (I decided that was not worth the effort it took.)

A couple of years ago I decided to try to make a shawl using this doily as a beginning. It was the very first time I tried to make a circular shawl with a wedge removed from the circle. If I were to make it again, there are parts I would not make quite as full. The fullness makes it harder to see the net pattern. I would also use larger mesh sticks in some places.

When it was finally finished, it was more of a cape than a shawl on me.

However, I had a granddaughter who was about 18 months old the Christmas of 2015, and she loved it. So, I gave it to her and she still uses it.

Waterfalls Shawl

I liked the way the Swish Shawl fit. I decided to make another shawl with a similar shape. This time I based it on a doily I made a few years ago which I called Waterfalls.

I raided my stash of  yarn, unlabeled and given to me over the years, and made a white Waterfalls Shawl.  This lilac colored shawl was then made by my daughter, who also raided my unlabeled yarn.

I finished mine shortly after the Swish Shawl.

My daughter finished hers in time to enter it into the Eastern States Exposition (Big E).

Swish Shawl

For several years I have wanted to net a shawl that would stay on my shoulders. I've tried rectangular, triangular, and circular. None of them worked right. This summer I decided to try one based on one of my grandmother's doilies.  I called the doily Petticoat.

I decided to eliminate a pie-shaped wedge out of a circular shawl and see it that would make it stay on my shoulders better. I chose to make this shawl out of ribbon yarn. I named it Swish. 

At last, a net shawl that will stay on my shoulders!

I finished it in time to enter in the Big E - a regional fair for the New England states. It was awarded a blue ribbon. I finally made time to photograph it today.

A Light to the World

I thought it appropriate on Christmas Eve, that I took a break from netting Vandyke edge backgrounds and wished everyone a merry Christmas.

Here is a link to this year's Christmas poem:

A Light to the World.

A Fourth Type of Net Vandykes with One Extra Point on the Outer Side of the First and Last Vandykes and Two Final Vandykes

Here is the final type of corner turn for Net Vandykes with One Extra Point on the Outer Side of the First and Last Vandykes and Two Final Vandykes. This Vandyke has 13 squares in the border, 6 points along the inner Vandykes, and 7 points along the outer side of the first and last Vandykes.

First Vandyke with straight, vertical side
Tie the thread from the netting needle onto the foundation loop, leaving a 6" tail.
Row 1: Net 2 knots in the foundation loop. (2 loops in the row)
Row 2: Net 1 knot in the first loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (3 loops in the row)
Row 3: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (4 loops in the row)
Row 4: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (5 loops in the row)
Row 5: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (6 loops in the row)
Row 6: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (7 loops in the row)
Row 7: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (8 loops in the row)
Row 8: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (9 loops in the row)
Row 9: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (10 loops in the row)
Row 10: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (11 loops in the row)
Row 11: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (12 loops in the row)
Row 12: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (13 loops in the row)
Row 13: Net 1 knot in each loop for 13 loops. (13 loops in the row)
Row 14: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (14 loops in the row)
Row 15: Net 1 knot in each loop. (14 loops in the row)
Row 16: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (15 loops in the row)
Row 17: Net 1 knot in each loop. (15 loops in the row)
Row 18: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (16 loops in the row)
Row 19: Net 1 knot in each loop. (16 loops in the row)
Row 20: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (17 loops in the row)
Row 21: Net 1 knot in each loop. (17 loops in the row)
Row 22: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (18 loops in the row)
Row 23: Net 1 knot in each loop. (18 loops in the row)
Row 24: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (19 loops in the row)
Row 25: Net 1 knot in each loop. (19 loops in the row)
Row 26: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (20 loops in the row)
Row 27: Net 1 knot in each loop for 14 loops (do NOT net in any more loops for this row), turn the netting and prepare to start the next row, leaving the other 6 loops to form one side of the Vandyke.  (14 loops in the row)

Repeating Vandyke
Rows 16-27: Repeat instructions to create new Vandyke.
 
Last two Vandykes including a straight vertical side
Row 1: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (15 loops in the row)
Row 2: Net 1 knot in each loop. (15 loops in the row)
Row 3: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (16 loops in the row)
Row 4: Net 1 knot in each loop. (16 loops in the row)
Row 5: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (17 loops in the row)
Row 6: Net 1 knot in each loop. (17 loops in the row)
Row 7: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (18 loops in the row)
Row 8: Net 1 knot in each loop. (18 loops in the row)
Row 9: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last loop, net 2 knots in the last loop. (19 loops in the row)
Row 10: Net 1 knot in each loop. (19 loops in the row)
Row 11: Net 1 knot in each loop. (19 loops in the row)
Row 12: Net 1 knot in each loop for 13 loops, do NOT net in any more loops for this row. Turn the netting and begin the next row. (13 loops in the row)
Row 13: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last 2 loops, net the last 2 loops together. (12 loops in the row)
Row 14: Net 1 knot in each loop. (12 loops in the row)
Row 15: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last 2 loops, net the last 2 loops together. (11 loops in the row)
Row 16: Net 1 knot in each loop. (11 loops in the row)
Row 17: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last 2 loops, net the last 2 loops together. (10 loops in the row)
Row 18: Net 1 knot in each loop. (10 loops in the row)
Row 19: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last 2 loops, net the last 2 loops together.  (9 loops in the row)
Row 20: Net 1 knot in each loop. (9 loops in the row)
Row 21: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last 2 loops, net the last 2 loops together. (8 loops in the row)
Row 22: Net 1 knot in each loop. (8 loops in the row)
Row 23: Net 1 knot in each loop except for the last 2 loops, net the last 2 loops together. (7 loops in the row)

Forming the first square of the netting
1. Remove the foundation loop from row 1 of the netting.
2. Tie the tail onto a tapestry needle, which is used in place of the netting needle.
3. Place the foundation-loop cord through another row of meshes.
4. Tie the foundation-loop cord into a circle and attach it to a tension device.
5. Net the first two loops together without using a mesh stick.



If you would like to know the math involved, here it is.

Rows in the Repeating Vandyke
Double the number of inner points (for both examples: 2 times 6 = 12).

Rows in the last Vandyke
Subtract 1 from the number of rows in the repeating Vandyke (for both examples: 12-1=11).

To find how many final Vandykes are needed:
If the number of squares in the border is less than or equal to the number of rows in the repeating Vandyke, there is only 1 final Vandyke 

        (For example: number of squares in the border is 13 and number rows in the repeating Vandyke is 12. We will need more than final 1 Vandyke.).

To find the number of additional final Vandykes:
From the border subtract the number of rows in the repeating Vandyke 

     (for example 1: 13-12=1).
Divide that answer by the number of rows in the repeating Vandyke. If the answer is not a whole number, round up to the next whole number. That whole number is the number of additional final Vandykes needed (for example 1: 1/12=0.083 which rounded up is 1).

Total number of final Vandykes:
Add 1 (the final Vandyke) to the number of additional Vandykes (for example 1+1=2).

To determine which of the 4 types of instructions to use for the final Vandykes:
Subtract the number of squares in the border from 2 times the number of rows in a repeating Vandyke.

The resulting number will be 0, 1, an even number greater than 0, or an odd number greater than 1 (for example: (2*12)-13=11).

Generic instructions for the final Vandyke

If your resulting number (the number of rows to the corner) is an odd number greater than 1:

X = the number of rows to the corner, subtract 1, divide by 2 

IP=number of points along one side of an inner Vandyke

Net X pair(s) of Increase row(s) & Plain row(s)
2 Plain rows
(IP - X - 1) pair(s) of Decrease row(s) & Plain row(s) - the final Plain row leaves the last IP loops without a knot (if there are no Decrease & Plain rows, this final Plain row pertains to the 2nd of the preceding 2 Plain rows)
turn netting
(IP- 1) pair(s) of Decrease row(s) & Plain row(s)
1 Decrease row