Mohana shawls!

I don't have time tomorrow, so I'm posting today.
First, before I forget, and I do that quite easily, I wanted to thank you for the overwhelming response to the Grasshopper scarf/Blog Anniversary post. Thanks for visiting and for all your kind words.

Second (since there was a first) - I was sure that you would call me a crazy chick, but thanks for being so understanding and kind to my self doubting babbling in the previous post.

Letting go, let me sit down and start writing the pattern (I'm funny that way, I say I wont do it, and after that, I'll do it.), which is not easy, but I can see myself doing it now. I've got the bare bones down, and have to find a way to do the charts, and there are charts, but easy ones. I'm not writing it up row by row, I'm crazy enough as it is, but that would drive me over the edge. :o)

Angelika agreed to test knit it for me (she's an expert test knitter), and she will help me figuring out the whole thing, so everybody can understand it. She of course, gets to deal with EZ style notes, very pithy, so far. Now to see what I'm talking about (maybe you saw some pics on Ravelry), here are lots of pictures of both shawls: As you know Maggie asked me to knit a lace shawl with her sock yarn, for Knitters Frolic 2008, and I was delighted to do so. Since she let me choose my own pattern, I thought why not give it a try and design something myself.

specifics for "Mohana shawl # 1" (Mohana by the way, and I hope I didn't get it wrong, is supposed to mean "charming" and I hope you'll find this shawl charming:

yarn: Jojoland Melody (not superwash) 100% wool, color # Y23, 4.5 balls, one ball is 220yds = total 990 yds. About this yarn: I bought a bag of 10 balls, made 2 pairs of socks with it. I was disappointed with the color, it was more orange on the screen. It felts easily, but for a shawl it should work. However, I found 5 knots in 3.5 balls. After I cut out a knot, I found this weird cotton thread coming out of my ball, exactly like you see here. That reminds me, for this shawl I used a lifeline for the first time. After the first stitch pattern, I didn't know what comes next, and how it would turn out, so I'd rather put one in. It's very comforting to know it's there. I didn't need it though. I just hate knots in any of my yarn. I still have a couple of balls left over, but for now, I can't stand to look at it. Oh, by the way, I did some major "yarn butchering" for the edge. The garter stitch rows worked out so nice, and I thought I wanted to have a green only crown picot edge. So I cut out all the green one ball had, and from some left over yarn from the socks I made. This crown picot eats up a lot of yarn, be warned! But I think it's lovely, and since I had enough of this stuff, it didn't matter.

needle: 3.75mm circular addi lace needle (thank god for notes)

size after blocking: 76" x 40"

specifics for "Mohana shawl # 2":

yarn: medium fingering weight 100% merino, Dyed in the Wool Handmade, 2.3 skeins = 875yds

needle: 4mm circular addi lace, 47 " long

size after blocking: 80" x 45"

Since the second shawl was knit with heavier weight yarn I used less yds, and it was bigger after blocking. The less yds are actually due to me making some minor changes in the design (less rows at the beginning). I like working lace with sock yarn, especially for shawls. This was my second shawl knit with Maggie's yarn. I made the Alex shawl and it was such a pleasure too. I love her color sense, and her humour in naming her yarn, which is odd, since this yarn I've used here, does not have a name, at least it didn't come with a tag, so Maggie, what do you call this one?

Hm, anything else? As soon as the pattern is test knit and ready, you'll be the first to know! :o) I'm very excited about the whole thing.