knitted: brandywine shawl

Brandywine Shawl
by Rosemary (Romi) Hill

Yarn: Handmaiden Camelspin (70% Silk, 30% Camel)
Needles: Addi Lace size US 5 / 3.75mm?

Finished size: Eleven repeats blocked to a 42″ wingspan and 22″ to tip.

Ravelry Project Page

This shawl about did me in and made me want to search out both brandy and wine (Groan. Sorry…). Why? Knitter not paying attention.

I have a difficult time reading garter stitch on good days. Combine that with yarn I’m scared of and you get a knitted blob that comes out unique.

Why was I scared of this yarn? When I started knitting this pattern in February 2010, it was the most expensive bit of yarn I had in my stash in one humble little (328 yard) ball. Actually per yard, it’s still the most expensive bit of yarn in the stash but it’s no longer so scary. Sara sent me this yarn years ago when our gift war was in full swing. I’m still waiting for her new address (ahem) so I can personally keep the USPS in business.

The yarn is soft and the colour changes muted and yummy in dark colours that I love. Two things that meant I should only knit this in well lit areas. I did not.

The pattern is a mix of garter and stockinette lace. It’s beautiful. It requires some attention of this knitter. So when did I often work on it? Late at night in the dark light of the library (my Ott-esque light is in my office). On my morning commute. Two places that do not result in this knitter paying attention.

I knitted it on and off through the first half of 2010. Then it sat for reasons forgotten until I found it while cleaning during the nine days. I realized I wasn’t as far from my presumed end point — I knew I would knit fewer repeats than the pattern called for — so I put my nose to the needles and finished it off last week.

As I unpinned it I discovered a knitter error along the side borders near the top. The center of the border is stockinette with garter at the edge points and for the body of the shawl. At some point in the last few repeats I flipped around the right and wrong side of the work and came up with a new border design all my own. What is amusing is I never noticed the stitch counts being off or that the border fabric changed “right side”.

I probably didn’t notice because I was looking forward to seeing it go from blob to lace and I absolutely loved the reverse stockinette i-cord bind off.

Does it matter? No. The part that is of my own design is what’s hidden by a pin when I’m wearing it. The size is perfect and I found it quite comfortable to wear to work on Monday. I’ll try to get better photos one day, we’ve been having a wee bit of rain here and it’s too dark and dreary.

It’s an absolutely lovely pattern and I see myself knitting it again. I’m curious if next time I’ll pay more attention!

This shawl was designed to help Haiti after their devastating Earthquake, with a large portion of the pattern price being donated to Doctors without Borders. You can see how much as been donated on the Ravelry Pattern Page

• Category: handmade
• Tag: knit