Fika Shawl - Finished!

Once I got into the groove of the pattern this worked up fairly quickly.  The only real set back was when I was blithely working the cable crosses and forgot to switch the direction on the second half of the shawl and didn’t realize my mistake until I had worked the wrong side row, and had to tink back a row and a half to fix them.  There was at least one other time when I started to do that on the second half but caught myself after the first one.  Other than that it was pretty smooth sailing, I even remembered all of the increases on the right side.  I did check my stitch count on a regular but not overly frequent basis to make sure I hadn’t inadvertently missed an increase.  The shawl ends with 1x1 ribbing, and the pattern says to work the ribbing until you have about 8 grams left and then bind off in pattern.  I quit a few grams earlier than that and cast off this past Wednesday evening and blocked it Thursday morning.

Blocking was pretty easy, although I didn’t force a straight line across the top.  That does mean you end up with a little fold at the back of the neck when you wear it, and really, this is more of a shawlette than a shawl.  I haven’t decided if I want to seam part of the front edges together and turn it into a cowl, or if I want to add some I-cord ties to the wing tips so I can tie them behind my back and wear it as a shrug.  It is very pretty, and very soft, with nice drape.

Pattern:  Fika Shawl by Inge-Lis Holst

Yarn:  Onling No. 4

Needle:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

Fika Shawl - Two and a half Sections Done!

Having finished my Floret socks I have been focusing on my Fika Shawl.  I made a spreadsheet to keep track of stitch counts and yarn usage so I can use as much of my yarn as possible.  The shawl pattern itself is very simple, so once it is established I don’t need to refer to the pattern instructions, all the important pieces of information are on my spreadsheet.  I have become more of a monogamous knitter since my retirement.

Pattern:  Fika Shawl by Inge-Lis Holst

Yarn:  Onling No. 4

Needle:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

Fika Shawl - Cast On!

I actually cast this on back on November 30, before my first cataract surgery.  It is the first pattern in the 2025 Onling Advent calendar.  The pattern is pretty simple, it has an I-cord edge, and the ribbed cables periodically, and increases at the edges and at the center on the right side rows.  But the yarn is on the darker side, which made working on it pre-surgery a little bit of a challenge.  I was able to work on it after my first surgery (which gave me distance vision in my left eye) provided I had good light, and I was able to work a couple of rows last night after my second surgery (which gave me near vision in my right eye).  I’m still getting used to my new eyes, but I’m able to read, and play piano, and work on the computer, and drive, so things are pretty good.  Not having any astigmatism any more is also really wonderful.  The acuity is amazing.  It is also very nice not having the yellow tint changing all of my colors (black and white movies were a little sepia toned).

I had a very interesting experience last week while I was putting up my Bowflex after exercising, part of the equipment perfectly bisected my visual field so that on one side I was seeing with my left eye and on the other I was seeing with my right eye and so I was able to simultaneously see the effects of the no-cataract/cataract on my vision.  It helped that I was looking out a window at our snowy lawn, which gave me a pretty dramatic contrast.  Things are also brighter, which is also great.  It is amazing how our brains adapt to these changes without you even realizing it, and how quickly it adapts back when things are fixed.

The yarn is Onling No. 4, 100% Fine Organic Merino Wool, and it is fingering weight (50 g / 200 m)

Pattern:  Fika by Inge-Lis Holst

Yarn:  Onling No. 4

Needle:  US 4 (3.5 mm)