Hot off the (knitting) needles.

I haven't done a knitting post in a while, have I?

This is my latest project, which I just finished today. The pattern is the Spirit of the Southwest Shawl. The way the front panels hang reminds me of a serape, but the back has stitches added in each of the contrasting bands so that it drapes the way a tiered skirt would. If you click through the link above and look at the second photo, you'll see what I mean about the back.

Anyway, I'm not much of a fancy-edging fan. So I skipped the designer's edging for fringe. I thought it would be simpler. Oh haha -- it took me all freaking day today to cut and tie on the fringe.

The giant silver thing stuck sort of randomly on my left side in the photo is an etched metal button. After this photo was taken, I rigged up an I-cord loop for a buttonhole and attached it to the opposite side.

Disaster only struck once during the making of this shawl. I was antsy about how long it would be, so I tried to drape it around my shoulders not long after I'd finished the fourth section in the contrasting color -- and succeeded only in pulling a bunch of stitches off the needle. Recreating the lace diamonds where I'd dropped stitches was no fun at all, let me tell you.

Anyway, I'm pleased with the way it turned out. Especially the fringe -- it gives the shawl quite a '60s hippie vibe. Now I can't wait for fall so I can wear it.

My other recent project was this stupid easy cowl, which I completed on one of my flights to Denver and immediately put on -- not so much for warmth, but because I'd managed to spill something on the shirt I was wearing and the cowl covered the stain. (You can't take me anywhere...)

When I say this project was stupid easy, I mean it. It takes one ball of yarn. You cast on 150 stitches with big needles, join to make a circle, and go 'round and 'round in garter stitch 'til you run out of yarn. No muss, no fuss.

So now that I've finished the Southwest shawl, I need to figure out what to make next. Whatever it is, it's going to be a shawl. I've had my eye on the Dreambird for quite some time, and I finally purchased yarn for it last year. Another one I've been thinking about for a while is the Ojo de Dios shawl, and recently bought a kit to make the jewel-tone version.

In addition, I've been playing with the idea of seasonal shawls. I'm already halfway there -- I have the Celestarium, which could be for winter, and the Maple Leaf for fall. So all I'd need would be spring and summer. I have some yellow-gold yarn that I could use for the summer shawl. And I think I'd make the spring shawl a bright green. Now to find suitable patterns...and green yarn. Decisions, decisions...

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Oh, right -- publishing news: Five59 Publishing's latest anthology, Other Realms, is available for pre-order at Amazon. This one is fantasy, and I'm pleased to report that I have a story in it. Release date is this Wednesday, July 15th, so the time to pre-order is now!

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These moments of knitting blogginess have been brought to you, as a public service, by Lynne Cantwell.