I know that you were all just sitting on the edge of your seats when I mentioned shawl knitting in "Transparent", and are wondering if perhaps I finished it. Right. Well, regardless of your level of interest, I'm going to show it to you anyway, because I've never knit anything this intricate, and I'm terribly pleased with myself.
You must excuse the excess of photo evidence here; it is my first shawl, after all.
The most interesting thing to me about shawls is that they were originally created and designed by plain, hardworking women who were making every effort to stretch their meager resources for themselves and their families.
They often used yarn spun as finely as possible, in order to get the most out of the wool (that they probably sheared themselves, then washed, carded and spun).
After all of that, they designed these incredibly intricate patterns and shaped the shawl to suit their own regions and tastes. There are circular ones, triangular, faroese (sp?) (has cupped shoulders so that it won't fall off), rectangular, and more. The sheer artistry and skill of these women amazes me.
And yes, I've actually worn it quite a bit. I wore it to Greg's ceremony the other day, and although no one asked me about it, I felt rather proud of myself the whole day.
All photos by Hannah, my new photographer.
