
This is the Syrian Shawl from "Victorian Lace Today"; I started this on my ill-fated (for knitting) trip to Long Island and had to put it down almost immediately. It's an enjoyable pattern and one that I will definitely explore in the future. As I may have mentioned previously though, I REALLY don't like this colorway of Schaefer Anne. It makes me hurl. And so now, the Syrian Shawl is this:

Bye Syrian Shawl.
I really felt the need to cast something on, so I poked through some old books, including erstwhile favorite "Folk Shawls". On an impulse, I decided to make the Icelandic Feather and Fan Triangle.

For me this was an interesting choice. First, I don't like Feather and Fan at all - it seems cloying and insipid, reeks of baby blankets and just generally doesn't spin my wheels. However, it is an easy and fun pattern to work - I wanted a lace pattern that wasn't completely mindless, but didn't require a lot of concentration either. Second, the stripes on this shawl are not acceptable, so I decided to use only one yarn. I had some old Koigu marinating in the stash for a couple of years that I kept almost selling on Ebay, but something always stopped me. I don't know if this picture does it justice, but it's just a nice combination of cream, green and light brown, with startling little flecks of violet every once in a while. Classic bizarre perfect Koigu. Very organic, very vernal.

Here it is, in an artsy pose that seemed a little spring-y (because it's outside, I guess....) What I didn't realize from the picture in the book is that the Feather and Fan part is only the stripe-y bands at the bottom. The top and main body of the shawl is all garter with some eyelet rows thrown in every once in a while. Very soothing and mindless:

Opening Day Countdown: FIVE DAYS! The Phillies have been abysmal this spring, but we have high hopes nonetheless and of course.