Five years ago, when the knitters were learning lace knitting by reading charts, we test knitted, re knitted and finally, perfected this lace shawl. Christened “Lace Shadows”, we have knitted it in every possible colour and in every available yarn. Knitters like Deepa and Mamta, can knit these shawls without even glancing at the lace chart once, and they can catch a dropped stitch or an additional loop without even a pause of their clicking needles.
But even the best of patterns can dull the knitting needles, so I had been fishing around for something new, simple and smart. A soft ball of sock yarn arrived from Germany, and this time, I wanted to knit up something nicer than a pair of socks — a happy side effect of having made some lovely hand knit socks over the years.
Ravelry has a host of lace triangular shawls in its collection. I was spoilt for choice with the range from the simple to the simply gorgeous Shetland shawls and haps. Finally, I knitted panels of garter stitch, alternating with panels of simple trellis lace. It turned out to be a good pattern, and the delicate shawl was shipped off to a happy daughter and her icy cold, air-conditioned office.
The knitters were waiting to get their hands on this pattern. A few quick instructions, a small chart and table of specifications were handed out. In a fortnight, we had a pile of these soft, sensuous and smart shawls with us.
Monday rolled in, and it was time for Deepa and Meena, my assistants, to join me for a session of christening. Finding the right name, whether its for a colour combination, or for a new product, can be a convoluted and tortuous process at times. Sometimes, its a Eureka moment after a couple of minutes of brainstorming..
This time, it was different.
Starting from iron grills, window patterns and bee-hives, we tried Kumaon names and Hindi phrases. Meena kept waving her arms and suggesting “englews”. I presumed its a Kumaon word for balcony grills, but after two weeks, it struck me that she was talking about “ANGLES”!
The Hindi word for bee-hives didn’t sound reasonable…my point was that if I didn’t know the word, how many of our customers would know it? and showing off a shawl called “CHAJJA” didn’t quite appeal.
We thought of wide pastures with grass growing on slopes—Nope. Then perhaps, the feathers of a duck wing?! NO to such unpronounceable words!
Mesh, nets, filigree jewellery-all boring and mundane names.
Tried veils and “chunnis”, tried triangles and geometry, tried names and tried moods….nothing fitted.
So we sat and drank some tea and chatted about village politics and forest fires. And then, while I was thinking of the numerous caterpillars and insects which get scorched and killed by the fires, the forgotten splendour of seeing clouds of butterflies flitting through the green forest, the declining incidence of spotting gorgeous colours on moth wings…and Deepa butted in, “why don’t we call the shawl, Titli?”. Its the Hindi name for butterflies, and customers will get the connection?
Ah ha….this is now, officially, the Titli shawl.
The person who wears it, will think of butterfly wings and the mesh of veins and colours.
The knitter who makes it, will think of forest fires destroying her green paradise, and she might remember to safeguard the area around her house.
One triangular lace shawl, one name, seven shades of yarn….the magic continues!
Aaha beautiful ?