Blocking my shawl…

I decided to make the shawl just a little shorter than I am tall because I knew it would stretch when blocking..   I completed the 24 row chart, then did my 6 rows of seed stitch and cast off. 

I washed it this morning using Citrilux shampoo which is a product sold for dogs.  I use it instead on my garments made of natural fibers because it has citrus oil, eucalyptus, pennyroyal and a bunch of other natural ingredients which deter bugs without stripping the fiber of natural oils.  And it leaves a light citrus smell.  

I rinsed and rolled the shawl in a thick towel squeezing out all the excess moisture and then blocked the shawl and pinned it down on my guest bed.   I squeezed so much moisture out of my garments that it doesn’t damage the bed at all, but I really need to buy a proper board for blocking, if for no other reason than to not have to measure as I blocked.    

I blocked it to about 72 x 26 inches knowing that when released it will be slightly smaller. Because this yarn stretches nicely, I really could have made it a little shorter and still had enough to wrap around myself.

I’ll post of photos of the finished shawl in a few days.   Meanwhile, here is a photo of the blocked shawl… I used a gazillion pins in order to prevent points … Along with a blocking board, I need to invest in blocking wires.  I’m interested in any recommendations on blocking wires and boards. 

  

Eve’s Shawl

Here is my progress so far, about 5 inches long. 

To make a larger shawl than in the pattern,  I cast on enough stitches to do 6 repeats of the 12 stitch section.  I wanted a seed stitch border instead of a garter stitch border. 

This is what I ended up with: 

3 stitches at each side edge = 6

6 repeats of 12 = 72

7 & 8 stitch sections at ends = 15

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Total stitches cast on  93

I did 6 rows of seed stitch for the bottom edge.  Then I did the 3 stitches in seed stitch,  the pattern according to the graph, then 3 stitches in seed stitch.. that’s it!

Using size 6 needles my shawl is about 24 inches wide without stretching, just the size I was going for.  After washing and blocking (drying flat, no pinning needed), it may  be a bit wider and the stitches will lay flatter.   

On your mark, get ready, ….

Ok.. so we aren’t quite ready yet.  

I’ve gone ahead and started my shawl while I wait for the yarn order to arrive.   I’ll post notes as I knit.