Nautilina

I finished the second shawl of 2012.  I really like it.  This is Melinda Vermeer's Nautilina, a simple-to-knit pattern that ends up in a very intriguing shape.  This is how I'm most likely to wear it, from the front.

Here's the back.  It used exactly 450 yards (okay, my yardage is an estimate, but it used every last bit of what I calculated as 450 yards) of handspun from a batt called "seashells" by Butterfly Girl Designs.  It's got lots of merino, bamboo, tussah silk, and sparkly bits in it.

A closeup. 

Blocking it was really quite fun.  It required 7 blocking wires and just a few pins.  It was really fun to pull the wires out after it dried.

The love factor for this shawl is high because of the fact that I had so much fun spinning the yarn last summer during the Tour de Fleece, and so much fun knitting it (I go to Knit Nights every Monday with the designer, how cool is that?!), and I really appreciate the poetic justice of using "Seashells" fiber to make "Nautilina."  Pretty close to the perfect storm of shawl knitting.  I think I even have an upcoming event to wear it.

Now, back to the frustrating job of putting the borders on the Orca Bay quilt.  I'm having to use my seam ripper a little too much.