~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We met before, years ago, but I was not impressed. “Nothing special,” I thought, “nothing to turn my head.” I was otherwise involved and it was easy to resist. So the years went by, and I forgot.

Last summer Wanda tried to introduce us again. “No,” I said. “I’m really not interested, thanks anyway.” And the months went by. But subconsciously I was becoming intrigued.

Then Ginny came to me, with a little triangular scrap of crocheted fabric in her hand. “Help us,” she said. “I know you can figure this out – how do you make this? Someone gave it to us and we can’t figure out how it goes!” So now I was obligated to puzzle out the mystery.

After a few attempts I replicated the diagonal triangle, but to make a square you would have to close it up by decreasing at the sides and would then lose the delectable scalloped edge! No, I thought, there must be ways to save those lovely scallops! And so I was hooked. And the next month of my life was spent deeply involved in my Fine Romance with Sideways Shells…

Up, down, sideways, around, increasing, decreasing, we did it all together, glorying in the experience, breathless with our discoveries. And now that our Fine Romance is cooling, what have I to show for it? Why, the Cottage Crescent Shawl, the Cottage Classic Shawl, the Cottage Cowl, the Cottage Blankets, and I think there might be a Faroese Cottage Shawl still gleaming in my eye…