Monday, August 08, 2011

Lavender Lotus Shawl

I finally finished my shawl. Finished it on the long drive back to Phoenix, bound off in time to photograph in the backyard in the late, low-angle setting sun.


There's always a slightly disheartening moment when you bind off , trembling with excitement, and see how sad and crumpled those stitches look before blocking. The waves look like awkward puckers. The lotus blossoms, still yet to bloom.


I gave it a quick soak and pinned it out on a cotton rug that I'd pulled onto the grass. (The curious kitty cat needed to come and check it out. It's cat fashion to walk all over whatever it is you're paying attention to, naturally.)


And at the end of such a long journey with a project -- yarn purchased five years ago for my wedding shawl and naturally dyed when I was still living in Vermont, project sketched out over the past year when I passed time in boring meetings, knitting done on plane rides and climbing trips from one coast to another -- what a relief it is to unpin it and see that it's all come together!


I'm especially delighted by how the flowers bloomed so gloriously. The magic of blocking.


Plan is to knit up a slight variation, probably in a lightweight wool, and then to write up the pattern. Hopefully I'll have it out by the fall, though you know that probably means winter ... heh heh ...

16 comments:

Sarah Jackson said...

I love it! I think even I would knit that one. That looks like a shawl that I wouldn't toss in a corner halfway through knitting it. Hope to see it in person someday!

sharyn said...

i agree with sarah.

beautiful.

i will definitely knit this.

KnitBee said...

It's so wonderful. I will knit this beautiful shawl.
I've a lightgreen sommer sockyarn from zitron and this will be perfect for it.
♥ greetings form germany
Bine

Sarah {The Student Knitter} said...

pretty!

Florence said...

It's very pretty! I really like the color.

Anonymous said...

Excited about the future pattern. It is truly beautiful!
~Dawn

Jackie said...

Wow that is stunning! I love everything about it!

Stephanie Ivy said...

Beautiful! It came out wonderfully once blocked.

kathy b said...

lovely...... I like how it is not fingering weight yarn....a bit more manageable for me....
I cannot use lace weight at all yet...too spidery web for me

Julie said...

what a gorgeous shawl!! I love the lotus flowers, it's such a stunner. Impressive!

The Jabba said...

Beautiful!

Deb said...

Very, very pretty. I'll be waiting for the pattern...

meli88a said...

The flowers on the border of that shawl are perfect!

Leanne said...

Glorious!! I love your blog but don't think I've ever commented...anyway, I thought it was about time I mentioned it. Beautiful pictures and BEAUTIFUL projects! I am very inspired. :D

Bonnie K said...

Very lovely, indeed!

Jenny said...

Just came across your blog and I just fell in love with this pattern. Really like how the lotus flowers hangs at the edge of the shawl. Would really love to knit this too. Please come up with the pattern soon. Can't wait to knit this.