Pattern: Follow Your Arrow Mystery KAL by Ysolda Teague
Clues: BBBBB
Yarn: TFA Red Label in Smoke (YICC July 2012) and Delightful (ooak)
Ravelry project page here.
I participated in my very first mystery KAL this year and man was it ever fun! I'm actually quite surprised at how addictive it was. Each week I would look forward to the next clue coming out, I'd deliberate over wether to knit Clue A or Clue B, it was exhilarating. In the end I opted to go Clue B all the way, it just made things easier. I can't say enough about Ysolda's brilliance in orchestrating this massive KAL. There were 2 clues to choose from every week, instructions for a single colour or two colour version provided. There was lace, short rows, knitted on borders... honestly, this was an epic undertaking and I am in awe of her design prowess.
This shawl is larger than most of the shawls I've knit. I tend to love a good "one skein of fingering weight yarn" shawlette, though even on my petite frame, it's nice to have something a little more substantial to wrap around my neck.
I struggled big time with the asymmetry of this shawl. With the second Clue, those short rows that make the shawl veer off to the side, I worried that there would be no coming back from it. By the time I had worked Clue 4B I had 3 symmetrical lace clues and 1 super asymmetrical clue that was sticking out like a sore thumb for me. I was very worried that I wouldn't be able to live with it. But I love the yarn I had chosen, and really wanted to see this project through to completion since I had enjoyed the experience so much. I was thrilled when Clue 5B offered an asymmetrical border option, I think that it goes a long way towards balancing out the shawl. I opted to knit the border in intarsia. It was a ton of work managing 3 balls of yarn, 2 colours, lace and short rows all in one border. But I think that it was so worth it. I am certain that I would not be as happy with the shawl if I had taken the easy way out and knit the border in only one colour. However, I should mention that I am positive that my border has no less than 100 mistakes in it. I am not a perfectionist, so I can definitely live with it, but please don't look too closely!
This project has given me the mystery KAL bug and I've already taken a few moments to flip through my stitch dictionaries and plot out my own mystery shawl design. Isn't that just the best? When one project inspires another?
Did any of you participate in the Follow Your Arrow Mystery KAL too? I'd love to see your shawls, add a link in the comments so we can all check 'em out!
