I'm done! I've revised the name to "Pretty Little Chilly". I'm please with the results and know I'll use it a lot. Easy to wear and the perfect size. This will look great with my black raincoat for spring!

I'll work on the pattern editing today and make available with the Summer Chill Shawl. I gave Chilly a slightly different edging than the Summer Chill Shawl (see below) for the hell of it. But only I'd notice the difference. Both edgings will be in the instructions along with tip for lace knitting and an easy way to attach the edging while knitting it - thanks Joan! Charts included!

Blocking was easy. I soaked Chilly in cold water for 5 min, then rolled it up in a towel. It fit perfecting. After another 5 minutes, I pinned it to insulation board (you can indent straight lines in it to line up the shawl edge straight). One of these days, I'll cover the board with fabric. The next morning with was dry. I pinned almost all of the points of the edging, but got lazy on a few - you can tell, so don't be lazy.

I love the colours here, but know this would look fabulous in a medium grey wool. Mmm, why not knit two?

Click below to enlarge photos.

Is there such a thing? Lately, I've been working on my baby book "Nine Months of Knitting" to follow up "Twelve Months of Knitting" Jan 2008 Potter Craft/Random House (which is now out of circulation). There's all sorts to knit up for that, including a beautiful circular shawl that I call the Heirloom Shawl, because it reminds me of one my Auntie Avril knit for the babies in our family. I did my own version and still have the edging left to do. It will be the star of the book, I think. I hope! The idea of a KAL appeals to me, though I have never done one. Any thoughts?

Alas, I ran out of yarn before the edging and the lovely ladies of Fleece Artist & Handmaiden, not only dyed another skien for me to match, but gave me a couple skeins of a neutral colour offer another colour variation. Thank you!!! I'm besotted with their yarns (as you can tell by my past designs) and plan to do even more projects using it. 

PLUS I have become enamoured with the Sweetheart Sock by Nikol Lohr. So I've decided to knit myself a pair (doubt in time for Valentine's Day). Fantastic pattern! Wish I designed it! Yarn is Rhichard Devrieze another fantastic yarn) that I found at The Purple Purl

PLUS I'm updating and altering an old design of mine for a kerchief/neck shawl/scarf - soon to be posted to Ravelry. It's also in a Fleece Artist yarn I had left over. While it's discontinued (Wool/Silk), many similar yarns will be available.

PLUS there's the to-do list for the book. So I knit until my fingers can't take any more or the Olympics gets too exciting not to watch. I won't take a picture, as it's a big bag of knitting; loads of swatches and partial knitting. Ahhh!

Sometimes, projects surprise you. When I design, I usually feel inspired by whatever it is I'm creating. Then at some point during the knitting, it either is bang-on what you had envisioned or takes on a life of its own - kinda the way kids do when they hit 13- surprising, but maybe more interesting than you thought it could be.

That's how I felt yesterday - pleasantly surprised. Alina, who had knit Bren for me was working on this scarf I had said "take your time" with. When I first saw the initial knitting of it, it was just an inch or two of pattern and it looked good, but I wasn't "taken" with it. One of those "someone will love it but it won't suit me" items. Today, I picked up the finished piece and WOW - I LOVE it!!! It has evolved from just a pretty scarf to a totally versatile and highly usable piece of knitting. Not to mention gorgeous! Soon-to-be-introduced "Brecon" can be a scarf, a cowl, a hoodie, a shrug (thanks Alina!) AND a shawl! I should replace the name "Brecon" with "The Ultimate Convertible", but Brecon is just too pretty a name and has a background for me.


I have yet to edit and photograph this lovely. Lucy is home from university for the summer so maybe she will oblige me. ;)