I remember my friend Marie ordering this shawl kit (# 40176) after we both had been oohhing and aahhing over the knitpicks catalog. She never got around making it and it was donated together with other yarns to the local library.
During a recent yarn sale fundraiser for the cancer center in Albany NY in her memory the kit re-surfaced and was given to me by the library director. Thank you, Marie!

7.28. Only two weeks into knitting this on and off and I am already finished with the Ripple pattern which incidentally looks like a mustache to me in the pattern pictures.
I am pleased how this is knitting up, not only is this a quick and relatively easy (while watching TV) knit until you get to the last two section “leaf” and “petals”, but also the colors come out very nice with the subtly variegated yarn held double there is a lot of monochromatic shading going on; very nice indeed.

Some general observations about the pattern:
The first few sections (Rain and Grass) seem to be written for the beginner lace knitter in mind with both written instructions as well as a chart for the grass section. Then it switches to having to follow a chart with some written guidance for the Ripple section. When it comes to the last two sections (Leaf and Petals) you are to follow the chart only. The written instructions only tell you when to switch yarns. This may be specifically difficult for the beginner lace knitter when it comes to knitting lace stitches on the wrong side row; not everyone may know how to read a chart or that you will have to read the wrong side rows from left to right….BUT if you are familiar with charts and know how to follow them the end result will be a beautiful shawl :)

There is a small error in the Petals Chart:
I just test knitted rows 24-27 of the Petals Chart, because I couldn’t figure out how the math could be right. Well, I can now say that it isn’t. Yes, in row 26 you do knit and purl six stitches into the five YO’s of row 25. You will have 27 before and 27 (not 26) after your YO5 in row 25 and before and after your k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1 in row26 and before and after your YO, k2, YO in row 26. After all, this is a symmetrical pattern…

8.27. I added two rows to minimize possible curling: Knit one row (WS) on US #8; Knit one row (RS) on US# 10; then BO knitwise on US#11.
The shawl is on my blocking mat plus a blanket (I need to get more blocking mats). I blocked it twice as it was only 30” deep after the first attempt. I am very very happy with it. Al though these are not colors I would have normally picked, I do like the combination and wearing it makes me feel like being hugged by my dear friend…