Wrapped in lace

Over a year ago I made a lace shawl based on Bernadette Ambergen’s pattern. I wrote back then that I’d like to crochet it again in a more neutral colour, but as usually, there was always something else to do and it took me many months to even think about it again. But some time in early spring I bought this wonderful, soft lace yarn from West Yorkshire Spinners – Falkland wool with silk – and I knew it was time to crochet my neutral lacy shawl.

Except that when I started browsing Bernadette’s designs, I found another shawl that I just had to crochet instead of the previous one. The pattern is called Grace, and I think it’s absolutely beautiful, so I decided that this would be my choice.

The pattern is written very clearly, with charts (which are definitely my preference over the written instructions), and I enjoyed working on it so much. The yarn made the process even better: it’s amazing, and I love this light, pearl gray colour with a subtle sheen of silk.

My only problem? Blocking. I simply don’t have sufficient blocking mat or in general, enough flat space for it in my apartment. I could probably use the bed, but then there’s a chance that the cats would jump on it (we normally never close the doors so it would be easy to forget) and hurt themselves with the pins. Because with a pattern like this, simple wet shaping is not enough – it has to be pinned carefully to really open up and show the lacy details.

Because the yarn is mostly composed of Falkland wool, the shawl, despite being lacy, is actually quite cozy and really keeps the warm air close to the body. It’s perfect for cooler spring or even summer evenings. And because I can’t resists wearing something I made and love immediately, as soon as it’s finished, I had to take it for our weekend seaside walk. It was windy, it wasn’t the most fitting and comfortable thing to wear on such occasion, but I felt absolutely happy anyway 🙂 And it definitely kept me warm despite the cool breeze!

I have another skein of this yarn, in minty green shade, and I think I might try to knit a lace shawl this time. I actually have a Shetland lace book with a few patterns that I must knit at some point because they are so gorgeous – and that includes one that is not overly complicated and one skein would be enough for it. It’s been added to my queue and I hope one day to feel adventurous enough to give it a go!