Happy Wednesday! I feel like I'm always saying this, but I have a decent backlog of projects to share here. I'm going to try over the coming weeks to share quilting/sewing projects on Mondays and knitting projects on Wednesdays to get caught up. Hopefully having a schedule will help me actually stick to that!
Today I want to share the shawl I finished just before the end of the year. I was excited to tackle the Exploration Station pattern by Stephen West this Fall. Last Spring a few of us decided to knit it together, and while I did pick out yarns right away, it took me a while to finally start mine. Yahaira and Jacey finished their shawls too, and they're both beautiful! It's cool how different the pattern looks in other colors!
I used three skeins of Madelinetosh Sock (Moonstone, Curiosity, and El Greco), plus a skein of Tanis Fiber Arts Purple Label in Lilac. My selection is pretty subtle in terms of contrast, so I ended up with a softer design, which I really like. Plus I love purple, so this is basically my favorite thing I've ever knit.
This shawl was such a challenge, there were so many things I had never done before: Short rows, double yarn overs, brioche, and i-cord edging/bind-off. I think the biggest challenge for me was staying focused and committed to finishing it at the end. By the time I bound off, there were nearly 500 stitches, so each row seemed like it took FOREVER. The i-cord bind off took several hours, and definitely tested my patience.
I am so happy with how this shawl turned out, it was totally worth the effort. I soaked it (with Soak, of course!), and blocked it pretty aggressively. This is officially my first finished knit using fingering weight yarn! Yay! It is a huge shawl, which makes it super cozy and warm. Perfect for the winter weather we've been having!
For more info on my shawl, see my ravelry page.
Happy Knitting!
Absolutely gorgeous! I have never tried knitting, but it definitely is on my to do list!
ReplyDeleteThat is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteA really well made shawl, I love the colours - actually I love everything about it! :)
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It's beautiful!
ReplyDeletelooks soooo cozy! It's stunning Jeni!
ReplyDeleteWell done :) I have that pattern just haven't knit it up yet. Your yarn choices have me rethinking my plan. That's stunning.
ReplyDeleteLovely creation, such beautiful colors and it really does look like an exploration into knitting for sure.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful! Purple is my favourite too. I've got to go check out this pattern now (like I don't have enough projects already in queue).
ReplyDeleteHi Jeni, Happy Wednesday (Thursday now) I always get your updates a day late -- [but never a dollar short haha whatever that means]
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful shawl. Love the color transition and the lovely intricate work!
So pretty Jeni! But looks daunting. Would take me hours to get 1 row done. Do you keep track of the time it takes you complete a project?
ReplyDeleteThank you! I don't, but it would be really interesting to know how long this one too me!
DeleteOh, Jeni, this is gorgeous! It looks so light and feathery even though it's huge. Great finish!
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteVery elegant color combination, Jeni! I think this is my favorite version of this shawl---great work.
ReplyDeleteI bet this shawl get worn a lot. It's so beautiful!
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