The Keeping Cosy Winter Shawl

 
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend, Colour: Atlantic
Started: November 2010
Finished: January 16th 2011

I think photographing this shawl has been ten times the challenge that knitting it was! I've taken several shots over several days to try and capture the glory of this red yarn, I'm calling it a day now though I haven't quite got what I wanted as in these grey, dingy days I don't think I will. Happily I feel the absolute opposite about the actual garment, it's everything I dreamed it could be when I saw the inspiring version A Girl In Winter made in the Manos Silk Blend and this shade, evasive though it may be to the camera is so uplifting that it's been the perfect companion for dark, winter days. It's a warm, deep multi-toned red with a pinky blue base, a real treat for the eye. The shawl is big and grand, but cosy and homely all at once. A wonderful pairing of yarn and pattern.
I didn't manage to get the bottom to settle into the points I was hoping for as I still haven't got my blocking skills or tools up to scratch! Maybe I'll start next year finishing this pattern but with my blocking house in order! Working it has certainly reawakened all that passion I had for shawls at the start of last year. 

It took a while as it's a big, ole snuggle of a shawl but it was as luscious on the needles as it is off. This pattern makes a lot of sense to my brain so I can follow along without too many checks of the charts and I even get it right most of the time! It's just been so beautiful to watch it grow and to work with this smooth, squishy yarn which drapes very nicely. Just looking at it makes me feel warmer, which is a good job as that's all I'll be doing soon as I must part with it and send it to my poor present-less mama! Easy to knit, hard to photo, even harder to part with!

Comments

That is really, really beautiful! I just love the hot red :)
Kitty said…
Wow! That looks so amazingly warm and comforting and beautiful! Lovelovelove!
Anonymous said…
that is such an uplifting colour and I can imagine just how delicious it is to snuggle into...beautiful work!
raining sheep said…
Oh, it is sooooo beautiful. Gorgeous. I am swooning. I love that luscious color. I am forgetting how to knit, sigh. I barely have any time.
Rose Red said…
I am halfway through the border on my own springtime bandit! Yours is just gorgeous - what a great red!! Am sure your mum will LOVE it!
Linda said…
What a beautiful shawl, gorgeous reds, your Mum will love it.
Charity said…
That is fabulous!!! Mmmm, that silk blend is scrumptious!
Gidgetknits said…
Oh. Oh. Oh. That is beautiful!
Anonymous said…
Oh this is lovely. I really like the colour, seems perfect for this miserable weather we're having (at least in Denmark, maybe in the UK too!). I have that pattern queued, I have some Noro Iro that would be perfect.. But now that I see this, I want something red, even though I never wear that colour!
Rachel said…
It's so very beautiful...I bet it is hard to give it up! And reds are so frustrating to capture aren't they?
bells said…
well even though you say it was tough to photograph and you're not 100% happy with it, I can tell you that as someone who's had the same trouble that from here at least it looks awesome. Just stunning. I LOVED that pattern when I made it. You're right it is intuitive and the results speak for themselves. Well done!
Anonymous said…
red is such a pain to photograph, but even so i can tell how gorgeous this is! a perfect match of yarn and pattern. beautiful!
twigletqueen said…
Photos look pretty good to me - that stitch definition is just gorgeous!
Alice said…
Really beautiful...worth all the effort. I'm knitting some socks with a similar stitch pattern and they've taken me about a year so far! And they're only short (but I have a short attention span!)
Modelwidow said…
That's amazing, totally gorgeous but how can you bear to part with it? Lucky mum, is all I can say.
Anonymous said…
That's beautiful. Photographing red is very difficult. I can imagine how cozy being wrapped up in Silk Blend is. Love it.
Lynne said…
The shawl is beautiful.

If it's any consolation, here in bright, mostly sunny Australia we have trouble photographing red too! Something about the eye seeing differently to the camera, I'm told!

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