Spring Mystery Shawl 2010 - Finished

 

I finished knitting this last night and blocked it this morning.  I love the design, but I don't think I'll be doing nupps anytime soon, although they do add a nice design element...

Spring Mystery Shawl 2010 - Clue 4

I finally finished up clue 4.  The nupps are starting to get to me a bit.  I can do them, I understand their function as a design element, I'm just not that crazy about knitting them.  The shawl is turning out quite beautiful, however, so I will persevere.  As with adding beads they interrupt the flow of the knitting, however, and a lot of my enjoyment is in this flow.  I'm still coming to terms with that.  One more clue to knit and this one will be done and I can get back to the Phoenix Rising shawl, which has been calling my name.

I would be making more progress were it not for the fact that I have become hooked on the Mary Russell books by Laurie King.  Thank you Lark of The Bookwyrm's Hoard!  I have already finished the first book and started the second.

Spring Mystery Shawl 2010 - Clue 3

Clue 3 finished.  Now on to clue 4.  I'm getting pretty good at the nupps, although they tend to go to the back of the knitting.  I hope that will resolve itself when I block the shawl.

Spring Mystery Shawl 2010 - Clue 2

I just finished up clue 2 of the Spring Mystery Shawl.  Clue 3 came out yesterday.  Almost fell behind because of other distractions.  I am getting quite good at reading lace, and once I understand the row pattern I can often knit the row without looking at the chart.  I can't even imagine knitting lace (or cables for that matter) from written instructions any more.  It is so much easier to knit from charts.

Spring Mystery Shawl 2010 - Clue 1

I finished clue 1 of the Spring Mystery Shawl by Goddess Knits, aka Renee Leverington.  The clue came a week ago, but I only started it last night.  The yarn is Zephyr Lace in Hawthorn Rose by The Painted Tiger.  The beads are size 8, lavender transparent matte silver-lined (2-08-724-73 from Beadcats).  The silver lining combines with lavender in a way that almost makes them glow.  The yarn has been really wonderful to work with, and the color of the beads compliments the yarn, which is purple with a slight silvery hue.  The knitting has been pretty easy so far, but this is the first time that I've done nupps.  You can't really see the nupps very well at this point, but they are the areas of greater density at the base of the diamonds.  They look like little flower buds, and remind me of the French knots that I used to do back in my embroidery days.  I never thought that I would do nupps, but I trust Renee and if she puts nupps in her pattern, I figure there must be a reason.