01-17-2021

In an act of Gryffindorish impulsiveness, I cast on a new project today, completing Charts 1 & 2 of this pattern and doing my FIRST EVER M1R and RT stitches. I had fun. (I probably should have practiced on cheap acrylic first, but I seem to have been craving more danger than that.)

01-18-2021

I’m halfway through my second repeat of Chart 3, and it’s been a lot of fun, even though I had to rip back 5-6 rows when I realized I was short a stitch. Thank goodness for lifelines. I also played yarn chicken for the last couple of rows, but I’d better cut that out. These skeins are only 71 yards each (!), but I have 10 of them, so I’ll add a new one tomorrow.

I need to learn to tink these new stitches (RT, M1R, etc.).

01-22-2021

Finished Chart 3 tonight after taking the last few days off to finish another project.

01-23-2021

Finished Chart 4 today. Still on my 2nd skein. Onward to the many-times-repeated Chart 5 tomorrow and all of its marvelous Estonian Stars!

01-24-2021

I’ve done 2 repeats of Chart 5. My second skein lasted until midway through Row 5 of the second repeat of Chart 5. No idea how far I am into the shawl, but I’ve used a little over 20% of my yarn.

01-25-2021

I’ve done four repetitions of Chart 5 and am still enjoying the heck out of this thing. Pinned it to the carpet by its corners earlier to take a few pictures (otherwise it’s puffy and distorted, but I know that blocking fixes that).

01-26-2021

Fifth repeat of Chart 5 finished. Just enough yarn left in my second skein to maybe complete another repeat, but maybe just another row or two. LATER: It lasted another 3 rows with about half an arm-length leftover. Ground up a new skein and spliced it on. I’ll continue tomorrow. (NEXT DAY: The splice hit right at the end of Row 4.)

01-27-2021

Finished 7th repeat of Chart 5.

01-28-2021

Eighth repeat of Chart 5 finished.

02-02-2021

Finished 9 repeats of Chart 5. Started a new skein of yarn (my 4th?) around Row 7 of Repeat 9.

02-03-2021

Finished the 10th repeat of Chart 5. A bit nervous at some frayed bits showing an inch or two back down the shawl where I last joined yarn.

02-13-2021

Finished 11th repeat of Chart 5 and just about to run out of yarn on my current skein. Still hating that frayed bit down below where I (very poorly) joined skeins. If it lets go, then what?

02-14-2021

Finished my 12th rep of Chart 5 and gave it a quick pin to the carpet to get some pictures. Just added another skein (my 5th?) about 2/3 of the way through Row 3 of Rep 12.

02-17-2021

Midway through 13th repeat of Chart 5. Taking things slow because my right wrist has been hurting (because of an old RSI from mouse usage that has had me using a left-handed mouse/trackball for years and is part of why I forced myself to learn continental/Norwegian knitting), and I don’t want to aggravate things. Also, I was so underslept today that I was moving at a snail’s pace.

02-18-2021

Finished the 13th repeat of Chart 5.

02-20-2021

Midway through 14th repeat.

02-21-2021

Finished 15th repeat of Chart 5 and added a new skein on Row 7 of the 14th repeat. Wish I knew how many skeins I’ve used. Not sure I noted every change on here. I think this is my 6th but I’d better make sure so I don’t run out before I do Chart 6 and bind off.

Going well, except when a series of texts distracted me during Row 3 of repeat 15, and I knit all the way across the second half instead of doing the Estonian stars. Had to do some tinking, but knit stitches are easy to undo.

02-22-2021

I could only find three more skeins, so I guess I used 7? I’m up to the last row of the 16th repeat.

02-23-2021

Finished 17th repeat. Four more and then I do the final chart and bind off. I think I have just enough yarn. (I swear I’ve lost a skein somewhere. I don’t think I used an entire skein before getting to Chart 4.)

02-24-2021

Finished the 19th repeat and joined a new skein on its 1st row. Averaging about 2 repeats per skein at this point, which is cutting it very close since there are two more repeats, the final section, and the bind-off, but only 1.5 skeins. Maybe I’ll skip the 21st repeat, just to be safe.

02-25-2021

Today, I finished the 20th repeat and have at most one more row left in this skein. Tomorrow, I’ll start on the last/10th skein and do the 21st repeat, plus as much of Chart 6 as I can while still retaining enough yarn to do the bind off. Since it’s pretty much just garter stitch, I can be flexible.

02-26-2021

I finished! The Russian bind-off was easy. I’ll block it tomorrow and take final pictures. (Note from next day: Had a migraine. Will block overnight and take pictures tomorrow, 2/28/21.)

02-28-2021

Final wrap-up: Reading through the infinite patterns on Ravelry and their users’ comments, I’ve come to realize that often the difference between an advanced and an easy pattern isn’t the complexity of its stitches but the clarity of its instructions/chart and the responsiveness of the designer. Maybe, as a former technical writer, I’m biased, but good instructions are worth their weight in gold, and Dee O’Keefe has done a great job providing them here. I feel so accomplished, but it was all so easy and clear. I am tremendously grateful and can’t wait to try another of her designs.