whole lotta lace

for the last two shawl projects of the year (...) this chickadee's taken on a new shape and a lot of laces. this project incorporates all of the lace weight yarns in the knit picks line-up. they put together this lace sampler that included two patterns, a shawl and a scarf. no surprise that the shawl won the coveted spot on the needles.

this is a pretty traditional shawl shape, a half-circle that sits easily on the shoulders and then flares out much like a cape. the pattern itself (the chinook shawl) looks much more difficult then it was...and the changing yarn stripes keep things interesting throughout. two strands of yarn are held together to make a fabric that is light but still manages to have body and warmth to it. the chickadee version stopped short of working the full border, which would have created what looked like "sails" of netted lace along the bottom. it was the only modification made to what was a pleasurable project. as a gift for my gramma, who taught me so much about knitting, it seemed perfect. she's always up for something new and challenging...and she always sets about to put her own stamp on it.

(this photo shows a better representation of the true color)

if you are interested in making the chinook shawl you'd better act fast. the pattern looks to only be available as part of the kit, and the kits seem to be almost sold out. at last check, there was only one colorway available. no word on whether this is temporary or not. check out the lace yarn sampler at knitpicks.com.

with winter on its way and warmer knits on the horizon, only one more shawl remains...