Lilac Lace Shawl

Another finished knitted object, Ann Holvey's Cable and Lace Summer Shawl (available on Ravelry though I got mine at Woolfest).    It is knit in Knitwitches Baby Alpaca and Silk laceweight yarn in an almost but not quite solid lilac shade.
The beads are amethyst with silver lining, size 8, and I used almost three packs (30g) on the shawl.

The main body, which would appear to be the most difficult part of the whole endeavour, went well but the ends, which are a very easy pattern repeat,  drove me to distraction. 
 
I should point out that the problems are not related to the pattern, which was very well written and perfectly easy to follow. I evidently had my idiot head on for the latter part of the knitting process and made various stupid errors that were totally avoidable if I'd only used my brain for its correct purpose. 

Also, the soft fluffiness of the alpaca did not play well with those lovely cobweb ends, which require stitches to be dropped to make those ladders.  In a fluffy yarn, especially a fluffy yarn that has been unpicked SIX times, stitches don't run, they don't even saunter, they just sit there waiting for you to free them from their fluffy chains.  Each end took an entire evening with a blunt needle to carefully free each stitch, on each row, on every one of those ladders.  Somewhat frustrating work, though ideal as a task whilst watching a film.

Operator error and lack of knowledge and experience led to multiple unpicking sessions on the end sections, though I managed to knit the more complicated body very easily and without any unpicking at all.  For some reason I had decided that a simple stitch pattern required no stitch markers and no lifelines.... it all went so much better once I decided to use these key pieces of equipment. 

So, with multiple lifelines in place, and with a needle that was positively bristling with stitch markers, I managed to knit two small, very unassuming looking scarf ends but I can't say I enjoyed the experience. 

Drop stitch detailing has now entered my knitting hate list, going straight in at number one faster than a Duran Duran single in the eighties, and instantly displacing the despised and hated bobble, which had occupied number one for the last ten years.  


I am rather proud of the finished item though,and I think all the angst has been worth it.  Hopefully the recipient will be pleased with it.