Feb. 11 - As soon as the yarn arrives, this project will be cast on. Hard.

Feb. 14 - And it’s begun! The first few rows of a shawl are always a little disconcerting. It never looks good, you start to think you’ll have to frog it, try again, frog, give up knitting as you are a shame to the community, etc. But then it picks up and starts looking like the real deal. That’s always exciting.

I’ve done the first couple rows in the same color (4) and I think it looks nicer. Such a tiny detail.

Feb. 25 - The slipped stitch border hides the color changes nicely, but it can get really tight if you’re not careful.

June 12 - Well, I pick it up and knit two or three rows, and then wander off. It’s hard to focus for me on a pattern that never changes, but I’m 6 rows away from starting the lace! Almost there!

July 2 - When I said 6 rows, I actually had 28 rows left. I don’t know how I miscounted.

But now I actually only have 6 rows left. They will take me approximately forever.

July 9 - In a flurry of stitches, I’ve finally started the lace. I’ve placed markers where the pattern repeats, and I find it helpful to keep my place. The whole thing is very heavy on the needles, and it’s tiresome to hold it and knit. But I’m excited to be in the home stretch.

July 16 - @#$%&#$^&!!! Lace. I’m doing a crocheted border dammit. I swear, I’ve counted a hundred times, but something is not lining up correctly. Oh well. I was never much a fan of lace edges, anyway. This will be more authentic to my style.

July 18 - Edging is finished and the shawl is blocked. Just waiting for it to dry! Thanks to my tight slipped stitches, one side seemed smaller than the other, but thankfully it blocked out. (And is also why I had to opt for the “curving arms of warmth” shawl edge.)