FO: Temptress

Intended to be shawl number 12 of last year's Boo Challenge I actually didn't really have high hopes for this shawl.  I'd already completed enough regular shawls for the challenge and I was using yarn leftover from Dare to Dream so I knew I'd end up giving it away because I don't need 2 shawls made from the same yarn.  So it wasn't with too heavy a heart that I put this project aside, first to join in the Boo Knits halloween MKAL, then to knit little cardigans for my sister's bridesmaids, then to knit everyone winter hats and then to knit Dragonfly Wings when I realised I still needed to knit a triangular shawl to complete the challenge.

Eventually I ran out of reasons not to and picked it back up again and I'm so glad I did.  This is a slightly more complex pattern than some others I've knit, with lace patterning on both the knit and purl rows for a portion of the shawl.  I was really worried that I'd miss those rest rows but it's not too onerous at all as it begins with just the centre section, followed by the centre 3 sections and then finally the entire border has you knitting full on lace on every row.  It's a lovely effect, so totally worth it.  The only issue that I really had was when I couldn't find my 4mm Hiya Hiya sharps and ended up using some mega blunt Knit Pros instead.  Do. Not. Recommend.  The decreases on the purl rows were particularly annoying to complete without a nice pointy point and I would estimate that each row took about 12 times longer than it really needed to.  Clearly the answer would have been to wait for replacements to arrive before continuing but apparently I just prefer to struggle on!  I know where my limits are, however, and realised that a picot bind off with those needles would most likely put me off knitting for life and just went with a stretchy bind off instead.  I have no regrets.

So, I hope you'll agree that this turned out to be beautiful and so I thought it would be a lovely birthday present for my mum.  Her birthday is 4th January, so inconsiderately close to Christmas and I always struggle to choose her a gift so having this finished just in time was fantastic.  She really liked it (thankfully) and it means I'll still get to see it from time to time as as I see my mum all the time.

Yarn: Fyberspates Scrumptious Lace in Wine Gum with size 6/0 Miyuki beads Metallic Forest Green Iris.  Model: (At her own insistence, I might add) Felicity