‘Those who walk among you’ are knitters who have discovered Herbert Niebling and are now obsessed! Apparently there is an underground cult of sorts of Niebling Followers — who knew? I would never have heard of Niebling myself except for the influence of fellow bloggers. Soo left a nice little comment about my Hemlock Ring Throw so I innocently clicked on her blog, not knowing that it would change me forever. I found this:
My jaw still hurts from hitting the table. All I knew was that I had to make me one of these! I am not much of a lace knitter but decided to not let that be a barrier! ;) The most immediate barrier was finding the pattern. Niebling died over 40 years ago. This pattern, called Lyra, was only printed twice. The most recent was in a 1986 Burda magazine, European issue. Soo kindly provided many details and I found the magazine in an ebay auction that very day. It had to be mine! I paid way too much for it but it was worth every penny. It arrived last Saturday. It is written in Dutch, I bought it from a woman in Germany, and it included an English translation. All the charts are done using Niebling’s unique charting style.Â
I started my Lyra already. I laid out my knitting supplies like an operating room: yarn (Fino Laceweight Alpaca with a Twist — check), needles (Size 2.5 mm — check), reading glasses (check), small crochet hook (check), valium (sorry — all out!), bead mat (check), lamp (check). I used the Emily Ocker cast on and for the first several rows had the highest anxiety going! I was so worried I would drop a stitch — then I did and actually fixed it :), so I am off and running.Â
Here is my progress so far:
I am not far enough into it to be at the hard part but so far I have not had any trouble. I have put many hours into it so far and it is still very TINY, though it already has over 300 sts! Soo finished hers in two weeks. That’s right: TWO WEEKS! I will not even attempt to match her pace.Â
Because I can’t work on Lyra in anything but the most optimal conditions, I also started this (Rowan’s Calmer “Loll”):
I am making mine in ivory (Rowan Calmer in “Drift”) and I have about 5-6 inches of the back done; all of the fringes complete — whew, are they ever slow! I’ll post a picture later. Why a summer sweater?? Who the heck knows! It’s something to work on as my take along project.
PS in response to pjknits: I buy 99.9% of my yarn from my LYS’s — I find almost all the yarn I want locally. If there is something I absolutely must have and it is not readily available (i.e., the Kauni yarn or the Swedish Bohus kits) then I shop on line.  I know a lot of people do not have access to the quality of yarn shops available in the Twin Cities. We are tres lucky here!
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Hee. I have a Lyra started in black, but I’m going to rip it. The black is too much! It’s such a gorgeous pattern! No wonder you don’t have time for Muir! 😉
Comment by Romi — October 10, 2007 @ 1:03 am
For a minute there, I thought I had the wrong blog 😉 It does look lovely! Will you really be using it as a tablecloth?
Comment by Marina — October 10, 2007 @ 6:18 am
I think I have to lie down after looking at that. It’s going to be amazing. Summer sweaters are always good for wearing in overheated buildings, at least that’s what I tell myself.
Comment by anmiryam — October 10, 2007 @ 6:46 am
From Susan to Romi: That proves it! They ARE lurking among us!! 🙂
Comment by lv2knit — October 10, 2007 @ 7:09 am
Ok ok, that’s enough! Susan, that’s a beautiful piece. I think I need to step away from this blog until after Christmas… my to-do list is full ’til then and you and Sally keep showing us these new and wonderous things I’d love to make.
Who knew there would always been so many “nexts” on the list??
Comment by Wendy O'C — October 10, 2007 @ 7:34 am
I hope I’m not the only one who feels like a knitting slug when I read this blog. You are totally and wonderfully amazing!
Comment by Kay — October 10, 2007 @ 8:48 am
Gosh – I feel like a celebrity seeing my work being listed as an inspiration!!
I know I keep repeating myself, but you will love knitting Lyra. It’s looking wonderful already.
And I do like the look of that cardigan – something my sister might appreciate I think…..and so the circle continues and the to do list grows! 🙂
Comment by Soo — October 10, 2007 @ 8:48 am
Susan- You’re going to knit that without Valium? You maverick, you!
I like the Rowan sweater, but anything with a nupp, fringe or bobble- slows
me down too much. It will probably be totally wearable.
Comment by Lorraine — October 10, 2007 @ 9:50 am
I LOVE your blog so much. Thank you for being so adventurous, curious, well informed, diligent, and productive, and telling the world about your projects. You have really enhanced my life. Partly thanks to you I’ve been inspired to re-start my knitting life and I can’t believe how exciting and thrilling it is. Every night my Bohus Forest Darkenss is waiting for me when I get home from work and it makes me so happy.
Comment by victoria — October 10, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
Oh, no fair flashing lace like that. That is absolutely, stunningly beautiful.
I am going to have to do some research into this I think!
Comment by Cindy/Snid — October 10, 2007 @ 12:32 pm
Oh wow. Stunning.
Comment by Joan — October 10, 2007 @ 3:55 pm
Oh My. Simply stunning!
Comment by Jewel — October 10, 2007 @ 5:42 pm
How talented you and Soo are! I am in awe of you, your sis and Soo .. I agree with Kay’s comment about being a slug.
Niebling is new to me but very interesting . Thanks for sharing.
Comment by katomliz — October 10, 2007 @ 6:25 pm
Do you have an online shop that you buy your Rowan from? Or a local shop?
Comment by pjknits — October 10, 2007 @ 6:54 pm
Lyra! And you have just finished the Harry Potters. Oh my, you will just have to read the “His Dark Materials” trilogy by Philip Pullman — The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. I guarantee that you will love them. That aside, I am truly awed by the projects that you and Sally choose. I never read a knitting blog until I discovered yours.
Comment by Astrid — October 10, 2007 @ 7:52 pm
Here’s another Lyra to look at: http://lacefreak.blogspot.com/2007/10/herbert-nieblings-lyra-who-is-that.html
Amazing how using another yarn at a different gauge makes such a difference. It’s a beautiful pattern no matter how it is knit.
Comment by Sue — October 10, 2007 @ 8:08 pm
I am a laggard. YOU, however, are amazing. Soo is probably beyond the speed of light. What ambition!
Comment by PainterWoman — October 11, 2007 @ 12:19 am
HI, I apologize for this out-of-phase comment, it’s really a question more related to Damask.
Any ideas on a source or just plain solution to how to chart out a design repeat for a pattern like Damask?
I can easily come up with a chart for a motif I like, but how does one chart it out when one motif starts before the first has totally ended. clear, huh?? It is sort of the idea of V ^ V Where the capital V is a motif nearing the top and the ^ is the start of one.
To return to phase: Lyra is lovely and the output of this team is amazing.
Comment by Gerrie — October 11, 2007 @ 10:51 am
Lyra! Wow, what a beaut! I just started Loll too, in a red-wine colored Calmer. I am up to the armhole shaping on the back. Those nubbies were REALLY slow knitting for me too. I can’t wait to see your Loll (and Lyra)! I’m blogless so, alas, mine will remain my secret!
Comment by janet — October 11, 2007 @ 5:02 pm
That’s exactly how you inspired me to knit Hemlock. I actually had the pattern for ages, but sort of forgot due to self imposed limitations on knitting. My Hemlocl will be your Niebling 🙂 And yes, you are tres lucky and talented.
Comment by Carol — October 11, 2007 @ 7:55 pm
Susan, I am delurking really to respond to your post about your Kauni. Mine is done except for the two button bands. I have taken it to my two LYS’s to look for butons. My first one is the Yarnery, which I know is one of yours also. The second one is in Cable WI where we have a lake cabin. Both places the people working there went crazy over it, including the owner of the place at Cable. They thought that it was true fair isle and that I had picked all the colors and combined them. I had to explain the fiddle. I think one of the people at the Yarnery may have been the owner too. I’ve been knitting forever, but it is a surprize when very experienced people fall in love with my work. Don’t even think of frogging yours. Do what I did and buy more Kauni to make a second one. I have the kit for the Autumn Leaves but may do something else. Any fair isle pattern with equal usage of the two yarns or close to it would work. Maybe Starmore, etc. I found wonderful buttons for the Kauni at the Yarnery. And, yes, Lyra is wonderful. There are places in the web for some of the patterns in German. My German is rusty, but maybe enough.
Comment by Marcy — October 11, 2007 @ 11:28 pm
The lace is incredible. Absolutely beautiful. And I love the sweater as well. Have fun with both projects!
Comment by AJ — October 12, 2007 @ 3:02 pm
I would love to knit a Lyra, it reminds me of my grandmother who knit doilies all the time. I went on ebay bids are up to $51.00 for the pattern. Is there anyone out there willing to sell a copy for less? please email me wbkdesigns@gmail.com
Comment by Kat MacKenzie — October 13, 2007 @ 11:57 am
Where can I get a copy of Lyra? It’s one of the most beautiful lace patterns I’ve ever seen.
Comment by Nora — October 15, 2007 @ 12:01 pm
weeps, it was you, i would hate you, but in truth I’m just so jealous, you outbid me by $1 in that auction, I’m going to go and have a good cry now 😉
Comment by yoshimi — October 24, 2007 @ 10:11 am
Could I please purchase a copy of the Lyra pattern from you? If so, please respond at your convenience. Many thanks. Karen
Comment by Karen Walker — February 15, 2008 @ 10:32 am
Bonjour.Je viens de découvrir moi aussi le modéle “Lyra”…Quelle magnifique création. Vous voulez bien me donner la grille avec l’explication de la nappe “Lyra” de Herbert Neibling. Je vous remercie d’avance.
Comment by Grine — January 18, 2010 @ 10:32 am