Signed, sealed, delivered...it's Elisha's!

I think knitting the baby shawl has taken me nearly as long as a pregnancy! I probably first picked it up at the end of March so it's really more like a premature baby popping out at 6 months but finally the gestation period is over and the baby shawl is finished and delivered to its new owner. Why I do them I do wonder sometimes but I'm always finishing them off at the last minute. When I made one for Molly I was sewing it up before Anna flew back up to Orkney with her. When I made it for David then I was knitting the last of the lace edging in the car and sewing it up on the ferry across to Orkney. And with this one I was relieved when Eli took her across to Norway to meet the family so that I had a bit of extra time to get it finished.

So first it was stretched out on floor in our spare room to try and get a bit of stretch in it...

Sewing up - stage 1

Then the thought of all that lace to sew in did start to make me realise - oh bugger, this is going to take a while!

Ball of lace!

But the detail is rather lovely.

Lace edging

Especially when you see it close-up.

Corner detail

And then the completed version is spread out on the bed to catch it in all its glory.

The full shebang!

And what do I want to do next on the shawl front - a 1 or 2 ply job that will fit through a wedding ring. Better not give myself a timetable for that one or it will never be done. Roll on 2mm needles!

On another note - what was rather lovely to come home to last week, after my course in Edinburgh, was yet another parcel from my Secret Pal. I have been pampered most wonderfully by her. Look what was in this parcel.

SP5 - another parcel...

Pattern book, soap, flower and herb seeds, wooly wash for my jumpers and some Artesano Alpaca. I have been so spoiled and have loved every minute of it. It does remind me to get my arse into gear and send the last wee things to my SP.

Although a Jean Moss scarf pattern comes with the alpaca I've decided to the a lacy, bell-sleeved shrug from this summer's Knitty instead. I did try making it with some Kaalund Mohair that I got from Get Knitted but it was too slippy for it (it shall be comandeered for one of the patterns in Hemp Hugs instead I think).

Alpaca shrug

Now that I'm finished the shawl I just feel overwhelmed with how many things I want to make. My creative juices are in an absolute shuggle of jumpiness. It's knitty time...!