When I returned home after Shetland Wool Week, my first treat was to knit the Sanik shawl by Donna Smith from the Wool Week Annual . I had bought two balls of Shetland Organics 1 ply lace wool, each ball 50 grams, length 350 metres. This was short in length of the yarn Donna used ( 194x4 m allowed) but I crossed my fingers and got started. Donna recommended long needles so I used my 40 cm dpns as I wanted to use the project to practise with using a knitting belt. I loved ( and still love) the simplicity of the shawl. I also liked it as I had not made a shawl in this shape - achieved by working short rows.
I loved knitting the cockleshell edge and used many wool knitting markers(1) to make counting stitches easier. At one stage in the cockleshell pattern there were 781 stitches on the needles. I needed an extra 40 cm needle for these rows.
In time, the shawl was finished, with quite a bit of yarn left over so that was good news.
I managed to block it on my large blocking board - it just about fitted.
Here it is sharing the block with another favourite shawl.
I love how it works around the neck, very light ( total weight used was 61.6g ) and lots of shawl to drape.
I am going to knit one in natural ( off white) too- it's on the hand knitting project list but
not at the top of the 'to make' list - yet!
So a fitting end to a great textile year for me and now looking forward to my next hand knitting project- one from Kate Davies lovely 'Book of Haps' I think and it might be another Donna Smith design too!
Happy New Year to you all.
(1) my favourite knitting markers are the ones I make myself out of yarn - I can have different colours for different things and no concern about them catching on the yarn of the project
It looks so good.
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