The hummingbirds are the little fairies of birds…they have graceful colors and flight abilities. Did you know a hummingbird’s brain makes up to 4.2% of its weight? (For comparison, our brains are 2% of our body weight…) Studies have shown that hummingbirds can remember every flower they’ve ever visited!
Before you start:
Few words about direction of knitting and knitting symbols
It sounds obvious. Right-handed knitters knit from right to left and left-handed knit from left to right. Since most knitted garments are symmetric all decreases are equivalent on both sides. But in lace knitting the decreased direction of the stitch and the placement of the yarn-overs are extremely important and can change the appearance of the garment. For example: this symbol of knit2tog to right-handed knitters- d, means a SKP (slip 1 stitch, knit the next stich, pass slipped stitch over) to left-handed knitters because of the direction of knitting.
Charts make stitches visual since the symbols represent the sts as they appear in the garments. Left-handed knitters will read charts from left to right as their knitting direction (pattern repeats-ABCD) while their fellow right-handed knitters will read the chart from right to left (Pattern repeats-DCBA). Pattern instructions are suitable both for left-handed and right-handed knitters. Stitch symbol glossary is given for each knitter as well. Simple!

Shawls tips and notes
Most of the shawl I design are knitted from top down with a 5 sts border on each side. The borders are knitted in Garter st. (always knit). Bind-offs are usually made using crochet chains and single crochet.
Please go through instructions and charts, highlight instructions you might miss or forget in order to avoid mistakes (such as moving markers rows marked with asterisks).
I highly recommend the use of markers between repeats and lifelines at last row of each chart. Lifelines allow you two things: the first- to know what row you are knitting. The second- to unravel safely without losing stitches and knowing to which row you unraveled. Unraveling happens to the best knitters! Breathe deeply, pour a glass of wine and go for it.
Few words about gauge: shawls are so fun because gauge is less important. Shawl can never be too tight…BUT, if instructions are for fine yarn keep in mind that using a thicker yarn will make the finished garment much bigger. If you substitute yarn to yarn that is not wool note the characteristic of the yarn. Cotton is not stretchy as wool and the finished garments might not be as big as the same garment knitted in wool.
Enjoy knitting!