My First Shawl

Lace is not something that I would normally choose to knit. All I remember from the last time I attempted lace (about three or four years ago) are frustration and some tears... and maybe a few expletives. Nor have I ever made a shawl - probably because all the shawls that I liked were very lacy! But, as the last time I attempted to make lace was one of the first times that I attempted to work  from a pattern, I decided that it was time to try again. I started this project with a lot of enthusiasm and a little bit of trepidation!

Knit knit knit!

For my first shawl, I picked the lovely 'Common Bean' pattern by the talented Caitlin ffrench (she has designed some amazing patterns!) from Ravelry. I wondered if it was a bit ambitious for my first lace project and my first shawl project, but I fell in love with the pattern!

Not wanting to wait to start knitting, I picked up four balls (although I ended up using under three) of Debbie Bliss Rialto Chunky in Sky.

Pre-Blocking

So, with excitement and a little bit of trepidation, I started my project... and finished it in under three days. I was absolutely shocked at how fast it knit up! I have been having far too much trouble with getting bored halfway through projects and having to start another project to relieve monotony. This pattern was difficult enough to keep my attention, but easy enough to allow me to watch TV at the same time (except for the times that I had to fix little mistakes). The pattern did involve blocking, which I usually don't like - simply because I live in a very damp climate so waiting for any items to dry takes forever and thus my table stays out of commission for a long time!

During the Blocking Process

I absolutely loved this pattern! It was so much fun! The complete opposite of my previous experiences with lace! I've already picked out the next lace shawl that I'm going to make.

The Final Result!