FO: Shetland Triangle Shawl

When I chose Evelyn Clark's Shetland Triangle Shawl, I did so because I wanted instant gratification. That might sound odd, to choose a lace shawl for instant gratification, but I'd read enough about the pattern to know that people said it was both simple and fast. But not so simple that it'd bore me to tears. Perfect.

On a day home from work (Monday 11 August) I wound up a skein of Wollmeise (in Rosenrot - courtesy of Tinkingbell) and got to work. A bit over two weeks later, it's done and I couldn't be happier. 

If only it wasn't such a pain to photograph. None of the following photos get anywhere close to capturing the richness of the red paired with the detail. 

And here it is about half an hour ago hanging on the plum tree out the front. I'm not sure that sunset is necessarily that good for showing the colour or detail either.

And here's an up close shot. You can see some of the light variegation in it here. It really is lovely. 

As others have noted before me, it can turn out a little small if you stick to only the eight pattern repeats specified. I had a gorgeously large amount of yardage in the Wollmeise, so I just kept on going and the size is fabulous. I did thirteen repeats on 4mm needles in the end. 

It's definitely a shawl, not an over extended scarf, which the last triangle shawl I made amounts to.

I love it! It had its first outing on Saturday night when we accompanied Kuka and her other half to watch a football game at the Ainslie Football Club. 

Yes, you read right. Those of you who've never known me to do such a thing are right to be shocked. A football game. The last time I did any such thing was in 1990, during my final high school exams when even watching the Canberra Raiders play the grand final seemed preferable to studying. It wasn't so bad. In fact, it was even kind of fun. We ate pizza and soaked up the vibe while Kuka and I knitted. I survived it just fine and the shawl sat comfortably around my shoulders. 

Maybe I'm a little more Aussie now, having watched a game?

Today, I wore it to work and, as I lamented to various friends in emails, not a single person commented on it. I don't need people who don't knit to comment on my knitting, but seriously, a bright red lace shawl over a black cardigan and pants? Surely that's worthy of a comment in the lifts or in the tea room? A girl could get paranoid that maybe she doesn't look very good.

Never mind. It's a newly treasured garment and if you want an easy introduction to lace knitting, I can't recommend this enough. So simple I could do it on the bus with nary a glance at the pattern.

Bells