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Traditional Russian Shawl

A friend, recently back from Russia, brought this stunning traditional shawl for me.

The shawl was hand crafted near Moscow, using traditional materials and methods.

The yarn is spun from the fleece of goats, and is most commonly knit in only it's natural colours of white and grey. Said to be as warm as a fur coat, they are very highly prized in their home country where winters can be very harsh.

Similar in texture to a mohair/cashmere mix, the shawl is lightweight and feels luxuriously soft and silky.

Having only limited experience knitting laces, I can still appreciate the complexity of this hand crafted design. This highly prized, heirloom quality gift will be worn with great care and valued for generations.

Comments

  1. AveryclaireOctober 31, 2013 at 6:13 PM

    What an exquisite delightful gift....sure to be treasured. It is definitely a complicated knit pattern. Beautiful. And I adore your methodical work on the landscape quilt, the books you have chosen, and the fabric you have pulled to begin with. How fun! I know it will turn out lovely.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seams FrenchNovember 1, 2013 at 5:32 PM

      Thanks Averyclaire for your very kind words of support. The pressure's on, but I am determined that this will be a fun project as well as a learning experience. Books are such a great teaching resource for me no matter what I am doing. Without books, I doubt that my interest in quilting and needlework would have become what it is.

      Delete
  2. Cynthia GilbrethNovember 1, 2013 at 10:44 AM

    Breathtaking! It will be great for those Vancouver winters!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seams FrenchNovember 1, 2013 at 5:37 PM

      Hi Cynthia. You're right about that shawl being great for our winters. Since moving to Vancouver, I have discovered the beauty of layering, and that includes scarves and shawls. I will save this one for those special evenings out. Thanks for checking in.

      Delete

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