#7 shawl of 2014

NOTE: The conception of this shawl has been my summer’s vacation knitting project. It’s been RT to Kauai, at Lake Tahoe with my dogs taking their first swims in the Lake. Interested in seeing my dog photos mixed in while I was knitting this? Check out my blog: Knitted Candy

8/29: Soaked it for at least 30 mins. Blocked beautifully. Has a nice drape and because of it this slight v-shape shawl stays firmly on my shoulders. A little scratchy next to bare skin, but I think that adds to the shawl’s rustic charm. Definitely will keep me warm through autumn into winter. Great statement piece to wear a coat or jacket or simple long sleeve knitted top or turtleneck.

8/27: Didn’t have a tapestry needle to weave in the loose yarn at Tahoe. So did it back home and ready to wet block.

Results:

Unblocked: 51 in (w) x 13 in (h)
Blocked: 63 in (w) x 18 in (h)

Great travel project. Kept you thinking, but wasn’t too taxing (although the written instructions can look intimidating). Besides flying, I knitted this in the car for a couple hours at a stretch when driving to Tahoe.

Well-written pattern was simple to follow, be sure you have the latest version. IMHO, cabling took longer than the lace portion. But I felt an eternity went by while I was binding off! Did I mention 329 sts using Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off?!!

I would definitely knit this again. Maybe in cashmere? After the cable section (body), the lace repeats, you may not believe me, were easy to remember and seemed quicker to knit.

Yarn is bold in color, but not soft or too scratchy. The reds and oranges really bring out the texture of the cabling and lace. I would describe the marriage of this yarn and pattern as “structural rustic.” Hoping when I soak this it will get softer. It does drape.

8/25: Changed my mind -- decided to bind off with Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy bind-off for the bind off using a size US9 needle to use up more of the yarn and make sure I have nice long points. It took 2 TV nights to bind off 329 sts! (Photo #5)

8/24: Finished the last 3 rows on a family vacation in Lake Tahoe. Will follow the bind off as instructed, but will go up 2 needle sizes so that I will have nice, defined points since I have plenty of yarn left.

8/19: I received this pattern when it was “free” when it was first released in 2013 and didn’t have the right yarn until my friend PMs with photos from Reno at a Tuesday Morning store on Mother’s Day about the yarns she found there. (Photo #7)

Been knitting this since end of July. Following pattern exactly. The color and textured of the yarn reminds of fiery red autumn leaves. This project has been worked on a RT flight to Kauai during the first week of August. (Photo #6)

Started 2nd skein at Sec VII: Wing Edge 2/3rds of R5 yesterday.