A New Start

Yes, I've started another shawl. I just can't help myself, can I? At least this one is using up some stash. This is the Highland Triangle Shawl from Cheryl Oberle's "Folk Shawls".

This is the aim:



This is how much I had done yesterday morning. There's more now - it's the same but bigger. I'm using something called "Glenheather" Double Knitting 75% Acrylic/25% Wool. I don't normally approve of ACK-rylic but needs must when you can't get into the house for yarn. Size 4.5mm needles. I started on straights but it's on circs now. In true Kate form, I didn't bother with a swatch. I like the look of the fabric and that's enough for me.

I'm not sure that what Ms Oberle calls the "right" side (I think she means the "public" side) is going to end up being the "right" side. I think it looks "wrong", so it's probably going to end up being my "private" side. That's exactly what I mean about "right" side and "wrong" side - right/left, right/wrong, at the end you don't know which way is up.

Here's a close-up of the very beginning:



I think this is the "private" side, but I haven't quite decided yet. I will take a picture of my "public" side but not right now - the weather is atrocious, it's about as dark as the Black Hole of Calcutta indoors and raining out. It could be worse, I suppose, it could be raining in.

Here's another picture of the beginning. Please ignore the crumpled tablecloth. I stopped doing ironing when #1 daughter was born. I do occasionally use the hotplate of the Rayburn to both iron and dry items of clothing in an emergency. Wanting to take a picture of a bit of knitting is not, in this case, an emergency.



I like the construction of this shawl. The centre triangle is knitted from the tip to the top. Stitches are picked up on the two long sides of the triangle for an inner border with a mitred corner. The outer border is knitted on sideways after the inner border. It's classic Shetland shawl construction. I love that it's been done this way for hundreds of years and it's still the best way to do it. If it's not broken, don't fix it.

Speaking of Shetland shawls, have a look at the Shetland Museum's Lace Knitting section - a wealth of history, information and eye-candy.

Remember Fangst? I managed to get a hook in the ceiling in the hall and the thing holds loads of stuff:



It's not even full yet, then again, it has made only a small dent in the stash, though I did have the foresight to buy two.