Wednesday, December 21, 2011

FO Post: Cochineal Shawl

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I've been finishing a lot of stuff lately.  Ripping out projects that aren't working; finishing socks on the needles since January of this year; blocking and weaving in ends and swatching and generally being a very responsible knitter.  (We'll see how long it lasts.)

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This is one of the many outcomes of that productivity.  It's my third Swallowtail Shawl, and I am still obsessed with the perfection of the pattern.  We recently received a shipment of Madelinetosh into the LYS where I work, so I volunteered to loan out this Swallowtail knit in Tosh Merino Light and my Ene's Scarf knit in Prairie as shop models.  Before I did, I managed to have the Lumberjack snap a few pictures.

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I was a little worried about yardage for this shawl, since my friend Ondrea had run out of yarn in her Swallowtail made of Tosh Merino Light.  I managed to squeak by on one skein, although towards the end I was getting pretty anxious.  I think it took about 400 yards of a 420-yard skein.  I'm always torn on whether or not I want a lot of yarn left over when I'm done with a project.  I hate being stressed out about whether I can finish something, but I also really love only having 3-5 yards left over.

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Moving on: the yarn?  Holy crap.  I have to keep myself from buying every colorway of Tosh Merino Light that I see, because it is so luminous in color and such a pleasure to work with.  This colorway is Tart, and I'll already admit that I have it in two other yarn bases.  It is one of the prettiest reds I've ever seen, with undertones of black and overtones of the perfect cherry red.

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This Swallowtail feels a little different than my other two, since the others are knit from Seasilk, which has a bit more heft and drape.  This one is light and small, and fits around the neck very nicely.

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Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn Clark (rav page)
Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light, colorway Tart
Yardage: about 400 yards of a 420-yard skein
Needles: Size 5 US Addi Turbo Lace

1 comment:

bitbopr@comcast.net said...

Block ALL the things? Weave in ALL the ends? Finish ALL the socks????