Folk Shawls

The second BSJ is moving right along. I expect to finish tonight. When it is done, I am going to delve into my Shoalwater shawl again and work through the pattern line I am on, yet again, and I will figure out why I have one more stitch than I ought too. Even if I have to rip back a few rows.

Having made it to the end of the second repeat with no significant ripping is the real victory and except for the error making me put it aside for a day or two, I am thrilled beyond measure.

But neither of these two projects have given me any good photo footage (if photos had footage as film does) so I'll tell you about a wee book I picked up.

I've been looking at Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle for a long time now. It has always been on the really nice book list as far as I was concerned and now, with a little found money(funds I did not feel was owed to me), and a need to put those funds right back where they belonged, I picked it up yesterday for a mere 26 cents of from my pocket unfound money. In my heart, this book cost me 26 cents and it worth much, much, much more than that.

The book was published in 2000, so as far as book life goes, it has been around forever. As usual, when you see a book with that publication date still being sold and still being admired, knit from, and talked about you know you have a winner. These are not complex patterns, but are patterns reflecting lace shawls as they were knit and worn day to day. They are the shawls of working people,and the designs, the shapes and the simplicity are very attractive in our busy world.

Shawls have gone lacy and light in the intervening years. We we talk about shawls today, we are usually looking at what people wore when they dressed up or what they sold to wealthy women. This book is the shawls and shapes of the people who knit the fancies for sale and knit these for warmth and comfort.

The Wool Peddlers shawl is eye catching, Little Dimun is quite fetching, the Aran pocket shawl appeals with its little pockets to tuck things into. Simple shapes, knitting for warmth and elegance, knitting for comfort. These all strike just the right note.

Its a book I am thrilled to have in my collection and you will see me knitting from it sooner rather than later. Its a a solid Double crochet sort of book and is going to fit in just fine on my very full book shelves.