The Sky Bandit, She is Finished

Thank goodness.

In the last update you will recall I agonized over the size, proportions and color. Ach, not to worry, it's is all good. The color is fine, not baby. The proportions (six body repeats, one edge section) work fine and the size is good for a scarf/shawl/bandito-style neck warmer.

Thanks to all of you in the knitting blogworld who gave me the encouragement to continue on this project.

Not without some little ups and downs, mind you. You know how you're knitting along and you're seeing the yarn ball getting smaller and smaller and you're thinking 'oh NO! I'm running out of yarn! Knit faster!!" Yea. That works every time. There was a moment or two when I thought for sure I wouldn't have enough despite ripping back to six body repeats. Turns out my remainder is about the size of a small plum. As in, not much - note scale next to Eiffel Tower and Peggy's Cove Lighthouse.

There is a rhythm in this pattern that had me thinking of drives I used to take down into southern Lancaster County back in the day. I'd go for these drives on summer evenings and the hills would roll and roll and roll, then the road would straighten out and calm down for a bit. But before too long, there you are again rolling and rolling and rolling, up and down, twist and turn. So this pattern has these sections you're knitting along, stockinette,all easy and sort of lullaby. Then whoops! you got the YO, K2tog, YO, SKPSSO, whammo bammo combination, all rapid fire and rat-a-tat-tat, you know.

That's how the body section works up in this shawl. Then you get into the edge section and things are a bit more interesting. Hold on, things change up and there are mental adjustments to make! Pay attention! Before you know it, you're up to the last four rows. I don't know about all you other Bandit knitters, but I had to knit verrrry slowwww to avoid making mistakes.

All this edge of my seat nail biting excitement happened over two weeks ago now. I finally blocked it yesterday. As I was threading the shawl onto the blocking wires, I couldn't help but think how using these things is like putting lace into bondage. I mean, seriously, it's like beating the lace into submission or something.

Astute shawl knitters will note that the spine on this pattern does not act like other shawls as this one has an integrated leaf pattern rather than the straight line of YO, K1, YO as in most patterns. That little difference and the lack of points in the edge make this a unique, intriguing and thoroughly modern pattern. Now that it's finished, I have a mental note to try this one again, in a different yarn on a different gauge.