Endless Winter

Boy, when I disappear, I disappear don't I? Sorry about that! I was sick for a week and stressed the next, but both the illness and the stress have been managed and I'm back! I have finished knits to share too! Here's the first.

Thea Shawl

Pattern: Oana Shawl by Kirsten Kapur
Yarn: Queensland Collection Kathmandu Aran in Dark Grey and a touch of Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed in Potpurri (the yarns have both been discontinued, it seems)
Needles: US 10 1/2
Project Page

Over the summer, one of my favorite designers, Thea Colman, did a destash of some of her yarns. I had been eyeing the one ball of Kathmandu Aran at the shop where I worked in the exact colorway she had to offer, so I snatched up the one ball and emailed her immediately. She threw in the Jo Sharp skein as a bonus. The color was pretty close, tweed and all, but not perfect, which turned out to save my tail in the end.

The pattern is pretty good. There's a major erratum right at the beginning, so watch for that. I also wish it explained how many repeats of the chart to do the deeper you get into the shawl, but eventually, the pattern becomes so intuitive that it's not really necessary, I suppose. I did two extra repeats to use
up as much yarn as possible but still leave myself enough for the fringe (the fringe!!!). Calculations told me I needed just over one full skein for the fringe, even after my increased shawl size, but I actually needed more like one and a half, I think. I used quite a bit of the Jo Sharp to finish the fringe (those fringes are slightly lighter and greener). It's possible that full skein of Kathmandu I had was light, too, if i know the distributor like I think I do.

I have bundled up in this guy every day since I finished it. It's been so cold here that the shawl has been a blessing. I'm totally crazy about how huge it is, how squishy it is, how warm and soft and the fringe! Fringe is incredible. I sort of want to put it on everything I knit now. It was a huge pain to cut it all, but...look at how glorious it is!

I am definitely knitting this sucker again. I love an over-sized scarf/shawl/cowl for winter wear and since this winter is never, ever going to end, I had better start bundling. :)

How have you all been? I've missed you! What do you think about this never-ending winter? Are you still knitting heavy stuff or are you optimistically prepping for spring?