12-06-2024

Spent yesterday and today understanding the pattern, and pinpointing where the knitter left off. Tinked back the last row worked, because I couldn’t tell from the stitch counts exactly what row she finished last. That helped tremendously. The next challenge was wrapping my head around how this shawl is constructed. Instructions are densely written. There are some charts for some portions of the pattern, but the designer selected an odd way of charting: using symbols based on how the stitch is worked, regardless of RS or WS, so the chart does not reflect the actual knitting. After a fair amount of re-charting, and creating some spreadsheets to understand the layout, I’m off and running.

I have calculated the number of sts remaining in the project, which is just under 40K. This helps give me an idea of how long it is likely to take me to finish it, as well as lets me set daily stitch count goals.

12-06-2024

Getting the hang of the project. Abt 2700 sts done. 7%

12-08-2024

Nearing the end of Section E - 16 feathers and about to start Section F - Transition, where the feathers will be tapered off while establishing the base of the next set of (24) feathers. 20%

12-10-2024

Finished with Section F - Transition. 35% (but maybe 40%)

I can tell from how much yarn I have used that I will only be able to do one repeat of Section G (about 5K sts) because otherwise, I will run out 5K sts before I’m done. Gauge is spot on, so I’m not sure why that is.

12-18-2024

Finishing up the first repeat of Section G. Looks like I will be able to knit the second repeat which will use all of the available yarn. The original dyer is going to dye me enough to compete the shawl in the last color of the original skein.
55% (65% of shawl, including the part the original knitter did)

12-19-2024

Started second repeat of Section G 60% (70% of total)

12-20-2024

Working my way through Section G. 75% (80%)

12-23-2024

Finished Section G, and all but about 1.5g of the yarn. 87% (90%)

Project is now on hold until I get the yarn needed to knit the feather tips (and BO) from the original dyer.

02-24-2025

First half of BO done (RS BOs). 95% done

Reading through the instructions for the second half of the BO, which is done from the WS, reversing all the steps that have, up to this point, been done on the RS of the work.

This patterns describes M1p increases the same way PetiteKnit does, which is incorrect. The instructions they give for the abbreviation are correct, they just use the wrong label. That is, if you follow the instructions for that abbreviation, as indicated in the pattern’s glossary, you will get the correct result, but it’s like using the k2tog abbreviation in your pattern when what you want the knitter to do is a left-leaning decrease. Just because you define a k2tog as slipping 2 sts one at a time, as if to knit, and then inserting the left needle through the front of the two sts on the right hand needle and working them together, doesn’ mean it’s a good idea to do that.

If you are using a M1L on the knit side of the work, and then you want to do a M1p on the purl side in the exact same place, so that the result looks like all the M1L increases that were done on the RS, the abbreviation for that should be M1Lp, NOT m1Rp. The strand of yarn that you see from the face of the work you’re looking at leans left. When you flip the fabric over the strand facing you will also lean left. The trailing leg will hang over the back of the needle with a M1Lp, just like with a M1L.