there and back again

It is done! Melanie Berg’s Sunwalker shawl has been in my Ravelry queue since November 2015 when I bought the yarn at Knit, Purl on a Thanksgiving trip to Portland. While it took me a long time to start it, it took just a month and a half to finish. I think that speaks to both the simplicity of the pattern and how much I enjoyed it. I certainly intended for it to be a longer knit, but there you go. Couldn’t put it down.

I did need to refer to the pattern at the beginning and end of each row to make sure I had my increases correct, but the fabric itself is quite simple. The textured sections are moss stitch and the lace panel pattern was not only easy to memorize, but easy to read from the row below.

I remember taking the photo above and thinking “omg am I ever going to get to the lace section???” As the rows of moss stitch grew, the long stretches of k1/p1 motion was getting harder on my hands so I switched back and forth between working on this and the other things I have going. I mean, what else is a girl to do while watching all of the tennis?? 

The first rows of the lace felt like a huge milestone only to be eclipsed by the first rows of the second moss stitch band. I must admit, once I started that last part I ignored the rational me who knew it would be an awful lot of knitting for one day and just kept going until I finished. The I-cord bind off wasn’t cumbersome but took a long time. It is a lovely way to finish off an edge though. Taking stock, this thing is huge. Like I wasn’t sure how to take pictures of it huge, and I am likely not going to block it and the lace looks just fine without it huge. As for me, I like the larger shawls because they wrap easily and in many ways. 

I’m not totally sure where the color name ‘Shire’ came from but I’m assuming it is a Lord of the Rings reference, so instead of Sunwalker I’m calling this There and Back Again. We still have some chilly days ahead of us in April so despite the fact that I did not finish this in time to wear it for St. Patrick’s Day I’m hopeful it will get some use before it gets too hot. 

Pattern: Sunwalker by Melanie Berg (my Ravelry page)

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in ‘Shire’

Needle: US 6

Size: 124” x 30”

Update:

I decided to block it. It is now more like 140" x 40" Huge! And awesome. The lace panel looks way better and even the textured seed stitch sections are improved after the soak and stretch.