Finished!

I finished knitting the shawl for my Mom's Christmas gift.

Now that its done and all the ends are woven in its time to block the shawl. First I place the shawl in a tub of hot water.

I let it sit and soak for a bit...30 mins or so making sure the wool yarn has soaked up as much water as it can hold.

I then take it and very gently squeeze out as much water as I can being careful not to felt the fibers. That would be BAD. Then I wrap the shawl in a towel and squeeze out even more water.

 Next I lay the shawl out on my blocking boards. These are interlocking foam blocks that I can configure to fit the project I am blocking.

Now I pin the thing into shape. I pin a lot.

Now I just need to let it sit and dry.

So why block you knitting? You are able to shape the piece into the way you want them to live. It makes your knitting more even and it sets the stitches. You can fix a lot of wonky stuff with blocking. Once the piece is blocked it will hold the form you blocked it to. Never blocked your knitting?  Give it a try.

Christmas Gift

Can you keep a secret? I am knitting a shawl for my Mom for Christmas. This is my hope at the least, worst case is she gets it for her birthday at the end of January.

I am not a fast knitter, not even moderately fast. I am a ...S....L.... O.... W.... knitter. I began this shawl probably 18 months ago. I don't knit on it every day or even every week but slowly but surely its getting done. I didn't start it as a gift for anyone, to much pressure. I just started making it and now that its almost done and the end is in sight I have decided to gift it to my Mom. It will be perfect for her to use while sitting and watching TV or reading a book. She can throw it into her purse and take it to Church for when she catches a chill. 

In my family we draw names for Christmas and each year you get a different person. Okay its not an actual drawing as I keep a list of who you have had and everyone is on a rotation. My plan is that if you had a boy last year you get a girl this year and vice versa. I have a big family, 2 brothers and 2 sisters. 2 of us are married so with my Mom that is 8 of us. In theory that would mean a easy peasy 7 year rotation for everyone except the married people can't have a spouse so that has to be added into the mix. I have managed this list for years and I tell my family that the first one who complains about who they got this year then next year they get to manage the list. No one ever complains darn it. I may need to relax this rule and come up with another one. Its not that anyone of us doesn't like the other one its just that some are easier to buy for than others. This year my husband and I have my oldest sister and her husband, no idea what to get him. My sister is easy, she's a quilter. Even though I don't have my Mom's name this year I always get her a nice gift. Last year it was a new recliner.

Back to the knitting. This shawl is a pattern I got from Raverly. Its called Nae. Also pictured is my Signature needles. These are really my favorite needle and someday I hope to own a whole set of circulars and double points.

This is another item that I just adore, its a yarn bowl. I picked it up on a business trip with my husband. Knitting + pottery= divine. Since I am not quick quick in my knitting it tends to sit around and I love when it looks pretty. Who cares about a languishing project if it looks great just sitting there.

I also like to be able to throw a project in my bag if I am heading somewhere that I will be doing a lot of waiting around. For this I use a knit sack. It just keeps my project protected in my purse. I have several and will fill them with different projects so I can just grab and go. Just a little helpful hint if you are taking your knitting with you, make a copy of the pattern so that if you lose it all is not lost. Ask me how I know!