Ruffly Shawl Ta Dahhhhhhh!

This Ta dah is going to be very brief as I have a six year old who is yoyoing in and out of bed and I am on a roll with some Poppy Treffry style pictures for the Seaside House. I'm itching to get going with a set of three for the kitchen. I'm thinking a bunting clad fish and chip shop, an ice cream parlour and ummmm not sure about the third. It'll come to me. I just have to stop thinking about it and let inspiration creep in. I'd like to go blog surfing tonight too but I fear I'll run out out time so I'll save them all up for another day.

So with out further a do here is my Rrrrrrruffly Shawl (one must roll one's 'R's when saying Ruffly Shawl!). I started it sometime last Autumn, it was supposed to be this pattern but I made quite a few alterations on the way to make it longer and wider and to make the ruffle more gentle. I frogged this darned thing several times, I'd get a quarter of the way through and think "No. It's not how I imagined" and then I'd start over. I wish life was like that sometimes. Something goes wrong, you say the wrong thing, you're in the wrong place at the wrong time, you're late....Not to worry, just frog the episode away and start over, make it better, make it right.

I digress! Here's the shawl which can be worn in a few different ways.

Here it is flung over my shoulders and then wrapped around itself with the thin bits hanging over my shoulders and down my back.

Here it is worn in the traditional shawl style, I love it like this and I have crocheted a large simple flower and stuck a kilt pin through which I pin the shawl in place with. But I have forgotten to photograph it.

I will also wear it like this, flung over my shoulders from front to back and then the ends tied in the front and left to dangle down.

I learnt a lot from this shawl. I learnt the importance of using the specified yarn and if you choose to use a yarn of your own choice (like I did) then a tension square is vital. I could have knitted three of these shawls if I had taken the time at the beginning to do a square and get my ruler out! I learnt that keeping this large item in a small bag was a sure fire way of making it bobbly and worn before it was actually worn. I learnt how to pick up stitches along and edge and I learnt a different way to to increases. But mostly I learnt patience and perseverance. I love this shawl and I'm glad I kept on trying even though I wanted to set fire to it sometimes.

It is knitted in Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk which I got online from Black Sheep Yarns some time ago when they had a fantastic offer on. If you click on the link you may see that they have another stonking offer on. The colour I chose was Buff, a perfect peachy pink. I used about eight balls. 

Mr C took these photo's on Mothers Day a few weeks ago now. Look at how blue Little Cuckoo's eyes are. He has my eyes, I used to have very blue eyes as a child. There's a photo of me when I was about seven in the bedroom we nick named 'Portland Bill' because of the wall paper and cabin bed. I'm wearing my Dad's flying helmet thingy (the big camouflage green ones they wear in the back of Royal Navy Sea King helicopters) and my eyes are the same colour blue in that pic. They went green around the time I hit puberty. They were a pale green but now I notice they have darkened up somewhat. It's weird. I thought eyes stayed the same colour but mine haven't at all. Even odder is that I hadn't noticed till recently that they have changed again! I hope Little keeps his spooky blue eyes, I think he has a touch of the Daniel Craig's about him!

xxx

ps Pinterest has changed it's T&C's!!!!!! Hurrah!!!!!!!!!! Phew!