

The next stage of Icarus really puzzled me. The only other lace shawl I've knit is Birch which starts with about 300 stitches and then decreases. Starting with so few, I assumed I was at the bottom point, but I couldn't understand where the lace would come in. Only gradually, I realized that these stitches were fanning out from an inverted "v" into the wide top of the shawl. And then when I was chatting about this with someone at my LYS, I found that this is really typical of Shetland shawls. So ingenious.
But after figuring out that puzzle, the excitement faded with all those hours and hours and hours of stocking stitch. What kept me going through this stage and stopped me from complaining too much was knowing that it's the simplicity of the stocking stitch that makes this shawl so beautiful to me -- the calmness of the body really sets off the busier "feathers" edging.
Finally, though, I got to the lacework -- challenging but not too difficult to keep track of, and I managed not to make any huge errors that would make me regret not using lifelines.
I finished late last week, September 7th, and then blocked the shawl outside in the sun where it dried in a day. I do wonder if I should have blocked it more aggressively -- I see more pronounced "feathers" on other shawls. Maybe next time, if/when I eventually have to wash it. Here it is blocking:
Cast on: January 2007.
Cast off: 21 August 2007.
Knit in KnitPicks Shadow, in the Oregon Coast colorway. Edges beaded with jade chips. I used a 3.25 mm circular bamboo needle (metric knitting needle sizes make more sense, so I'm trying to switch... but that's a US 3) of whatever length Miriam suggested in the pattern... I forget. (Note to self: use a pointier needle for lace next time.)
More details and pictures can be found at my blog (either Blogger or Wordpress).
I've been trying to get some projects off the needles before plunging into this one. After about two weeks, I couldn't wait anymore. Here's the little that I have so far.