At first it was just really hard to make. Then I got used to the charts, notebooks, counting, not being able to watch tv while working on it, the awkward passing over under and through.
Then - I ran out of yarn, and the ewe I used, Iris, was sold already to a farm in Salamanca. So, I waited for Kiraz's fleece last spring (similar coloring) .
Once the yarn was spun, I really had to muster the strength to start up again on - The Shawl of doom oom oom oom.
I got myself all geared up, sat down to start, and I realized I lost the pattern. After a couple months of stubborn fruitless searching, I finally broke down and contacted the woman I bought it from, who thank goodness was still in business and nice enough to resend the files. Then naturally I found the originals 2 days after that.
So then I had to relearn the stitches and everything. So, I just finished up the main part, and was all happy, like I'm almost done, right? Not so fast little grasshopper. The lace edging. Oh my gosh the lace edging. Its another 20 hours of work. And I am halfway done with the lace edging, and I am starting to feel anxiety. Because after the lace edging, I'm going to have to...wait for it...BLOCK IT! I hate blocking. In fact, I just threw up a little in my mouth from thinking about it.
So, if you don't mind, please send me good thoughts to help me get through the final stages of this beastly, Moby Dick of a project. thank you in advance.
8 comments:
Oh my goodness, why do you need good wishes when you have that beautiful thing to anticipate wearing???
I agree with Michelle; it is beautiful. It will be wonderful to wear when the weather gets better.
I must say, when I saw "Then - I ran out of yarn," and a picture of a sheep, I was struck by how fantastic it must be to be able to trim some more off when you're running short on a project. I know it is a bit more complicated, but I was having flashes of all the cartoon images I've ever seen of people knitting right off the sheep.
Your shawl looks beautiful and just think of how quickly it will dry! (as opposed to a solid mass of heavy weight wool like the bulky cable sweater that I let lay out on my floor for two solid weeks as every bit dried).
Your shawl is a gorgeous heirloom. It's beautiful. You can't give up now... and you can always block it ... later .....
I'd be chomping at the bit to block that beauty! It's going to be awesome!
PLEASE show us pictures when it is done...
Blocking is our friend!
Really.
I have a shawl i just blocked.
It took me a few months to knit probably and the edging took me 2 years because I just got bored.
I finished it in October 08 and hadn't blocked it because it just didn't look like that much and blocking takes the whole bed...and on and on.
So I blocked it last week.
Go take a look!
ANd take heart. Because it will be a beautiful experience for you too.
Blocking is like Magic.
It looks beautiful! I can't wait to see when you're DONE! Keep going - you'll be sooo pleased with yourself!
Your shawl is a fine, fine thing, Jen. Just think -- it's the Kiraz-Iris shawl ... a mystical name worthy of the effort. And the ewes would be proud. Please be sure to post a photo post-blocking. (Your writing's pretty wonderful, too -- cracked me up! I especially appreciated the level of commitment that goes with giving up TV to follow a pattern. That's definitely a sign of crossing into freakazoid territory.)
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