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I don't get to say this very often...


...and you probably need to be sitting down to read this...


I've finished something!  Yes, really!  A proper, completely-and-utterly-finished finish!


It gets better...

It's also on my FAL list, which means that I'll have a 'ticket' in the raffle when it comes to the end of quarter two and, who knows, it could be my lucky quarter!


Finish Along 2014


I expect you all want to know what I've finished?  Oh, go on, then, I'll put you out of your misery:


Leaf Evolution shawl


Yes, I've finished my Leaf Evolution shawl and I'm thrilled with how it's turned out!  The yarn (Katia Jaipur, a 2 ply cotton) has been a dream to knit with and it's blocked beautifully.  Here's how the pattern looked before it was blocked:


Leaf Evolution shawl


and here's how it looked after:



Leaf Evolution shawl


If ever you needed convincing about the value of blocking lace knitting, I think those two photos will probably do it!  I took it off the needles about five weeks before I blocked it but kept putting it off because I thought it would be a right faff and take ages.  In fact, it took about 40 minutes and a Desert Island Discs podcast (Colin Montgomerie, if you're wondering!) kept me company while I crawled round with my pin tin and tape measure.


I knitted this shawl on a whim; the yarn was bought from my local yarn shop because I couldn't leave without  it!  (Please tell me this happens to you!)  The colours were so gorgeous and the yarn so soft that I just had to have it.  I began to wonder what I'd make and decided on a shawl.  I searched Ravelry and stumbled across the beautiful Leaf Evolution pattern (by Tetiana Otruta) and fell in love.

I'm not a big knitter but every few months I go through a proper knitting phase and become completely obsessed with it.  This shawl was no exception and, at one point, I made myself ill from knitting too much and had to take a break of several weeks before I could go back to it.  Note to self: pace better!  I wouldn't describe myself as anything other than a confident beginner when it comes to knitting: I know the basics and like to learn new skills/techniques without biting off more than I can chew.  Having said that, when I printed off the pattern I did wonder what on earth I'd got myself into but not for longer than five minutes or so!

This shawl contains a lot of 'firsts' for me: knitting with 2 ply, following a chart where only one half is charted and you have to 'mirror' the chart for the second half (it's only the second time I've followed a chart), following more than one chart (although, thankfully, not at the same time!), provisional cast-on, picking up stitches, making nine stitches from three, knitting into the front and back of a stitch and, finally (!) a different way of casting off.  As I said, I'm not a hugely experienced knitter (I think that list proves it!) but I loved the challenge of knitting something so detailed.



Blocked!!



Although the shawl is beautifully soft, I won't wear it.  I'm very intolerant of anything round my neck and struggle to wear anything other than a very loosely tied soft jersey scarf in the winter and can't wear necklaces with a short chain.  (When I was at primary school I could never wear my top button fastened, I used to hide the fact with the knot of my tie but if I was ever made to fasten the collar I felt as though I was being strangled and nothing's really changed!)


So, I'm thinking that perhaps I could sell it?  I have no idea how much I would ask, though, do you?  It's approximately 67" along the top (i.e. along the longest side) and 27" deep (i.e. straight down the middle of the shawl), which is about 170cm by 98cm for those of you who like to work in metric!  Please shout if you have any idea of pricing.


This definitely isn't going to be my first/last shawl, I've already promised to knit one for a friend and am expecting the yarn through the door any day now.  I won't be starting it immediately (at least, that's what I'm telling myself!) but I'll keep you updated on progress - it looks like a gorgeous yarn (an alpaca, silk and cashmere blend, I believe!) and I'm looking forward to seeing how it looks in a solid colour.

I'm also linking this up to Wool On Sundays with Janine, something I've been wanting to do for a while!




While I've been knitting/avoiding the blocking/crawling round on my knees pinning it to the carpet, someone has been lazing in the sun working very hard:


b--i-have-a-hard-life_14488070825_o
I have such a hard life...


b--this-wall-looks-a-bit-dodgy_14539494193_o
This wall looks a bit dodgy, I'd better prop it up.  See?  I told you I had a hard life!


Thanks for popping in and making it all the way down here!!  I'm hoping to be back on Tuesday for Fresh Sewing Day to show you the bee blocks I've been making but if not, I'll definitely be back on Friday 4th July as I'm taking part in a blog hop and have been doing some secret sewing!  I can show you this



Getting ready...

 but you'll have to wait for a week to see what it turned into!


Comments

  1. congratulations on your finish! beautiful shawl - I do not wear them either - in fact I rarely wear necklaces either - like you I do not like things around my neck all that much. I have no idea on prices - It is very hard to put a price on something that you make because you enjoy making things. When I sell quilts it is very hard to price because I didn't really consider it work and can't charge by the hour - you might want to look around some etsy shops and see what others price and go from there

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  2. Oh Helen it's gorgeous!! Any spare cash and I would buy it in a snap, I love shawls! I am in awe and I'm fairly certain (as a total novice that can knit a scarf) that is just as complicated as it looks!

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  3. Isn't it beautiful! A jewel in your crown I'm sure ; )

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  4. It is just beautiful. (Yeah, I hardly EVER get to say I've finished something either...). You work Archie entirely too hard.

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  5. That shawl is gorgeous! And yay to a finish. I'd also like to attest to the fact that I've witnessed Archie find the sunniest patch in every room he enters. X

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  6. I am a decent novice knitter and my mind boggles at your list of firsts!!! I love scarfs and shawls (this baby is even my colours! *g*) and wish I could help you price it but wouldn't have a clue what to suggest. One day I will knit a pair of socks!!

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  7. Maybe you could ask Rita/Red Pepper Quilts about pricing as she's made her fair share of knitted shawls. And I'll echo what the others have said - it's beautiful.

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  8. wow!!!!!!! It's amazing! What a shame you don't want to keep it, though. I have no idea how much to sell it for - it's so much work!

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  9. Gorgeous Helen, and I am in awe of you understated skills.

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  10. Wow! What an amazing shawl. Such a shame that you won't get to wear it yourself.

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  11. The shawl is beautiful! For pricing, I would at least double what you paid for the yarn.

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  12. AHhhhhhhhhhh *sigh* such beautiful work.
    All and any knitting is worth a million dollars to me. ( I seem to knit with 24 thumbs that all get in the way!)
    That Archie . . well . . . he doesnt seem to be earning his biscuits. Is the hot weather making him soporific? Or is he totally bored with Quilt Talk? He needs to put a bit more effort into his blog I think. More photos of your boy please!

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  13. I'm with you on tight shirts, polo necks etc but think I'd make an exception for such a great scarf! I'm the same with buying lovely wool, but i can't knit at all so no excuse!!!!

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  14. Are you sure you could not wear it about your shoulders? I checked on Etsy and the prices of handknits are stupidly low. I would say that it is worth a great deal but it is not going to fetch more than $100 - 150 US - many are priced less. It might be better to give it to a very special person as a gift, you spent a lot of time making it.

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  15. This shawl is stunning. The colours are lovely and the pattern is just beautiful - so delicate. I was wondering, too, whether you could wear it around your shoulders. It really should be worth hundreds of pounds but I suspect it would be hard to get that for it. If you really don't want to keep it I wonder if you might get a better 'price' by swapping it for another handcrafted item by someone with a different skills. Congrats on finishing it. Nice to see Archie hard at work! :)

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  16. Yay finishes, it's gorgeous! Following Janine's suggestion above, I might be up for a swap if you haven't found a home for it already...

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  17. Such a beautiful shawl Helen. Swapping seems the perfect answer if you can't wear it yourself or gift it to someone special, especially after all that hard work!

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  18. The shawl looks great! I love the result blocking gives, but I too can be slack about getting around to blocking something.
    I don't wear shawls often, which is why I've switched to cardis and tops lately, but when I do it is more often draped across my shoulders and tucked in between my arms and body, sort of as a light coverup, rather than scarf style. Of course, if that doesn't appeal, I'm sure there will be many people happy to get it as a gift or something

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  19. It's really beautiful! I can only knit and purl so I have some idea how difficult all those firsts were in the knitting for you. I'd have to learn what they are! Did you end up selling it? I have no idea about pricing. A knitted shawl retail could be about $90au which is something like £120 I think. But honestly they are not handcrafted like your beauty.

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