almost something

almost something, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

So it's been a bit of a marathon knitting day, but I got the Damask shawl finished for my nana. Or, at least, almost finished. It needs a very good blocking... it doesn't look like much (as you can see above) yet.

Things I loved about this shawl: for one, the yarn. I mean, how can you go wrong with malabrigo? for two, the fact that you start at the longest row and slowly decrease your way down to 1 final stitch. One of my least favorite things about shawls (and probably the reason that I don't do them often) is that it seems to take so. much. longer. when you start with 2 or 3 stitches and end up with 3 billion to bind off at the end.

Things not so loved: 7st nubs, purled together. Don't even try it. Instead, I slipped 4 sts, p3tog and slipped the 4 back over. It looks the same and it is much less frustrating. Also, use pointier needles than I did. Round-tipped needles = frustration.

Hopefully will be blocked over the next day or two (especially since I leave this coming Friday to head home and visit!) and you can bet you'll get a look at that too (since, again, can't show you much else in the ways of Christmas knits...)!