The Tiniest Little Shawl

I have a subscription to Interweave Knits. It's the only knitting magazine I have a subscription to. I usually find a few things per issue that I want to knit. The fall issue was unremarkable. Fun to look at, but nothing I needed to own. Until I saw this shawl. I immediately fell in love with the Swallowtail Shawl. And since my final Knitty Cheap Ass Secret Pal Package contained the exact yarn used in the pattern I had to cast on.

This shawl was a very quick knit. I finished the bud lace on Friday, the Lily of the Valley Edging 1 & 2 on Saturday, and the edging Sunday Morning. I blocked it on Monday and by Tuesday I was wearing my beautiful new shawl.



No wait...that's not me in the picture is it.

Nope that's Pork Chop modeling HER new shawl. But it's a perfect fit.

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl from Interweave Knits (Fall 2006)

Yarn: Misti Alpaca Lace, one skein

Needles: Size 4 Addi Turbos

Modifications: None, but I wish I'd made some. As I was knitting I kept thinking this shawl looks small, maybe I should add a few more pattern repeats. But knitter's denial kept me knitting as directed. After I cast off I realized I still had half a skein left and the shawl was roughly the size as my cat.



Now we all know blocking can cure a multitude of evils, but I just didn't think it could stretch this shawl into a grown-up shawl. At this point I could have frogged and started over, adding pattern repeats this time. But Turtle Girl has begged me to spare my knits for September and not frog anymore. Her heart just can't watch all that knit fabric reduced to mere hanks. As we've discussed before a hank is yarn's lowest form of being. Hank yarn is sad yarn. She couldn't watch me destroy the hopes and dreams of any more yarn. I also didn't think I could endure another round of P5tog with my blunt Addis. I've never wished for different needles when knitting with Addis. But I found myself dreaming of those pointy new KnitPicks needles. So in the absence of better needles I deferred to Turtle Girl's wishes and blocked this beautiful shawl, stretching it within an inch of it's life.



It is now the perfect little girl shawl. And she is so happy, how could I break her heart by telling her it was a knitting mistake.



A beautiful knitting mistake.

Review: Things we have learned

1. There is a reason this was modeled on a hanger, not a person.

2. That pretty model in Interweave Knits is a midget.

3. Addi's are too freakin' blunt for complex lace work

4. Misti Alpaca Lace is a soft dream and I must hoard all I can find.

5. Pork Chop is happy to be knit for (unlike that ungrateful Bird). Must knit more for my elder children

6. Listen to the knits. If they say they'll be small, they'll be small. Trust your creepy new yarn whispering.