Wheee! The shawl is done - I'm very proud and have already started a new shawl project and ordered too much shawl-ish wool online

The pattern is 198 yds of heaven by Christy Verity. It was a great first shawl pattern, and is a free download on ravely. The yarn is pure cashmire and was an xmas pressie from Robyn and I think this was a perfect project for it.

My first shawl knitting experience was exciting and challenging. I found it hard to read the chart, but I think that was my own inexperience with lace knitting as I found it hard to know when to start and end repeats.

At the beginning it was taking my whole 50min commute to do one row of the chart, and I was putting in lifelines every 2 rows, but I got pretty quick by the end. I didn't use stitch markers but instead used the two purl sts at the start and end of each repeat to mentally note where I was up to (If I had to change trains mid row).

By the end I could turn back on my audio books and easily knit without too much effort, and I found the edging easy. Blocking was so exciting as it all stretched out and I finally understood the pattern I had been knitting