Seemingly Endless Last Rows of Top Down Shawls.

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I just finished the "Wings of Horus" mystery shawl from Kalinumba. It is always tricky doing a mystery shawl, one never knows quite how it will turn out. But this particular designer has a nice collection of designs, all with quite clear and precise charts, so I knew it wouldn't be too risky. What I didn't count on was having to solve a riddle relating to Egyptian mythology in order to obtain each of the six clues. Suffice to say - this was one aspect of my education that is sorely lacking. I didn't have a "clue" so to speak. I never DREAMED Egyptian mythology was so complex. I actually ended up reading the Kalinumba forum on Ravelry, searching for hints, and finally (for some clues) just typing in random names willy-nilly. (That can shoot an entire afternoon!)

I used the 2008 California Variegated Mutant fleece by "Tattoo" which I bought from the White Barn Farm in Michigan. I separated out about 200 grams of what appears to be all the same shade of grey, lock washed and combed it. I was religious about spinning from the cut end of the locks.

I wanted a fine single, I spun it on my electric wheel from Alden Amos and spun as I knit. I have never been able to spin all the yarn for a project ahead of time very successfully, I lose interest. This worked swell, and there was some variation in the shade of grey which added to the design features of the shawl.

The shawl took 1560 yards and ended up weighing 130 grams, it is quite light, it fits thru my engagement ring (well not MY engagement ring, really some dead woman from Yountville's engagement ring, but that is another story . . . ). My choice of beads was spot on in terms of their color, just about two sizes too small, they really only add weight to the bottom of the shawl, they are lost in the design.

Was just cooking with the knitting until the last clue. One always forgets with top down shawls just how L. . O. . N. . G the knitting takes for the last 10-20 rows. And stopping to put on beads with the tiniest crochet hook ever slows one down as well.

Quite happy with how this turned out, I think I am going for one of those "Cast on 486 Stitches" shawls next!

Oh - about Raggs, the Standard Poodle, if you have ever owned a poodle you will understand the "product" placement aspect of the picture. It was all I could do to keep him out of the other pics!