More projects!

Photo credit: brooklyntweed

 I have had the casting on bug lately.  I have at least 3 projects lined up in my head, one that needs to be written, one that I need to order yarn for, and one that need to be written and have yarn ordered.  Since I couldn't / didn't want to start doing any of these projects last night, I decided to cast on something completely different: an intricate lace shawl.   Yay for having the right yarn in my stash for at least one thing!

The yarn is Malabrigo lace, the pattern is Rock Island by Jared Flood.  

The pattern begins with the lace border that goes across both sides of the triangle.  It's worked from an 8-row chart that you repeat 71 times.  Aargh.  I'm all for doing what it takes to accomplish something awesome, but 71 times?  It was kind of a bummer way to begin.  I'm sure it'll be worth it in the end though - the finished shawl is really stunning.

I worked on it for an hour or so last night, then a couple more hours this afternoon and I have 22 repeats down….49 to go.  Maybe by this weekend I'll be on to the body of the shawl.  That chart is way more intimidating than the lace border chart, but whenever I see something like that,  I just remember the words of my knitting guru, Paula: "Work the first row.  Don't worry about the second row until the first row is finished."  You can really do anything if you follow that advice.  Focus on whatever is in front of you and don't worry about the next thing until the first thing is complete.