Proud as a Peacock

(It had to be said.) Yesterday Peacock Feathers got a tepid soak, and then the festival of pins started. The shawl fit, if I put the long top edge diagonally, onto our queen-sized bed. (I did start early in the day so as to not have a damp bed on the evening of my anniversary. I thought that just wouldn’t say “I love you” quite the way I wanted to.)

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Big shawl. Blocking wires (I use and like Handworks Dressing Wires) went along the top to get a nice straight edge, and I had to use four of them to manage. I pinned out each scallop and crochet chain loop individually. I did try just putting more wires through the loops to avoid the pinning, but it didn’t give me the beautiful deep scallops I was looking for, and besides, once you’re in this deep with a project it just didn’t seem right to skimp on the finishing. (That lesson, not to cop out at the end, is one that improved my knitting a lot once I learned it, which was embarrassingly late into my knitting career, but there you go.) I didn’t block it severely, just as little as I could to show off the pattern.

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Pin-o-rama. Pinfest. Pinoptic. Passels of Pins. Profuse Piles of Pins. Pins-o-Plenty.

The shawl reposed there, pinned to our duvet until it was dry – or more properly that it lay there until we went upstairs at bedtime after drinking a bottle of anniversary champagne and I was all “Oh, hold on. Let me just entirely kill the mood by removing 200 pins from our marital bed. One moment.” (To his credit, Joe laughed.)

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I loved knitting this shawl. To be sure, it’s a big one, coming in at just about the size that the pattern predicted. (Good call on my part with the gentle blocking.)

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Pretty, pretty, pretty.

On the Fiddlesticks website, Dorothy says that this shawl is recommended for “experienced intermediate knitters” and I’d agree with her. The Fiddlesticks charts remain the best in the business, and her instructions are very clear and concise, and if you’re looking to move up to a big piece of lace after working some simple things, this would be a good place to start. Challenging, but good.

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That said, if you’re just starting with lace, unless your the sort who doesn’t mind a challenge and learns quickly, you’re probably going to find a couple of things difficult. Firstly, there’s a lot of charts. They’re good charts, and easy to read, but you’re going to need to read them. This pattern doesn’t have an easily memorized pattern (mostly because you’re knitting a picture), and even if you do get the hang, once you do, you’re off to a new chart.

A secondary challenge is presented by the charts themselves. Only the chart to the centre point is given. When you reach the centre, after reading the chart row right to left, you then work the charts reading left to right, reversing the decreases. I don’t find this difficult at all, not even a little, but everybody has a different sort of brain. (I think you could get around that really easily by scanning and reversing the charts, and taping the two sides together, if you had a brain that resisted the effort.)

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Besides that, the only challenge is that this is a big and fiddly project, which only makes me adore it more, since it only gives you a better lace high when you’re done.

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Absolutely worth every single moment. (Even the cast off – since, wow. It’s perfect.)

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Pattern: The Peacock Feathers Shawl, from Fiddlesticks Knitting. Yarn: 50/50 wool/silk from Perchance to knit, in the Midnight Rainbow/Harlot’s Peacock colourway. It took 108g of yarn – or just less than 4oz. Knit on a 3.5mm needle, showed off in my Mother-in-law’s beautiful back garden.

240 thoughts on “Proud as a Peacock

  1. Wow! It is Perfect… and could it be? Am I actually the first to respond to a Yarn Harlot post?

  2. Beautiful shawl your brain works better than mine to get yourself around all those charts

  3. That shawl is stunning and the yarn you picked is perfect for it. The colors…so lovely.
    I just hope you did not lose any pins in the bed – that is the kind of thing I would do.
    Happy Anniversary.

  4. I am focusing on the lovely knitting. I am focusing on the absolutely gorgeous knitting and I am NOT going to make a damp-marital-bed-anniversary joke.

  5. That is an aboslutely beautiful shawl. Those are the kinds of shawls that suck me in and make me really want to knit lace. 🙂 Someday…

  6. Gorgeous! And you’re giving it to the ever-patient Joe for an anniversary present, aren’t you? He’s tall; the shawl’s big – I guessed correctly, right? I bet he’s just tickled pink. (does he have any single uncles?)

  7. Just gorgeous! Congratulations on two very happy years. My hubby and I celebrate our 2nd this weekend as well – cheers!

  8. On not copping out at the end: Yes! I’ve only just learnt this myself, actually. And what I’ve found is that when my intention is to finish well, I start better. (Like, um, swatching!) Like you, it’s taken me a long time to learn this lesson. Hope we all have plenty of good knitting years left 🙂

  9. (To his credit, Joe laughed.)
    And that is part of why you married him. That and the holding shawls in uncomfortable positions so a good photo of the pattern can get taken.
    It is gorgeous. Very lovely and useful color that in no way resembles my first refrigerator.

  10. WOW………….I wish I had the patience to knit something like that. It’s magnificent. I might have tried if there was a smaller size. Thanks for sharing.
    Janet MF

  11. Oh, it is LOVELY!! Sincere, envious, and utter admiration to both you and the designer!
    Ooooooh! And again: OOooooh! I’m trying to work up to that level of Ooooh. Serious.
    Congrats on shawl, Anniversary, and Joe 🙂

  12. What a gorgeous garden to model it in! (And who’s the dude with the cute butt?) 🙂

  13. Beautifully done! This was actually the first thing I ever ever did with lace. I had no idea what I was getting into!! It was so beautiful though that I was very inspired to make it through. And by the end I could tink like a champ. And knew the value of a lifeline.
    Again, well done!

  14. That is beautiful!
    And I am dumfounded at what an understatement that is!
    Mostly I see the pattern of the lace itself.
    But then the light catches it another way and I see the beautiful colors in the yarn!
    You did good!

  15. Aaaaahhhh, Stephanie. Another shawl so beautiful, yowza, those colours, has me nearly weeping. Joe is such a swell sport :^) Carole has a Beautiful yard.

  16. Absolutely beautiful. Having just started working with lace, I admit that the “lace high” is very addictive. Joe is such a good sport.

  17. OMG-beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!! Gorgeous pattern (will add to my Ravelry list) and a simply scrumptious yarn. It is the drfinition or elegance.
    ….oh and did I say, it’s beautiful!!
    ~margaret

  18. Stunningly gorgeous! I really, really want a COMPLETED one!! Anyone want to volunteer???? Wear yours EVERYWHERE and GLORY in it!

  19. Wow – that’s really beautiful. I mean, just stunning. A great garden.
    oh yeah, the shawl’s nice too. And Joe does have a cute butt.

  20. I’m not tempted to follow you down the lace knitting path (I’ve just taken up quilting, which is another time consuming hobby) but that doesn’t stop me appreciating a quality job of shawl making when I see it. Well done.

  21. I’m assuming you wouldn’t let anyone but Joe force that beauty to assume The Position against the garage wall, but he’s pushing my never-firm grip on the known universe. Glasses? Okay,look, here are the rules. Long hair, glasses okay. But short hair AND glasses? Witness protection program?
    Please. It’s like seeing Spock with rounded ears.
    And smiling.
    (That shawl needs an Occasion.)

  22. Wow. That was just about all she could say. Wow.
    (One of our favorite kid-book quotes, from Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse.)

  23. Hard to decide what to give you more cleverness points for…knitting that glorious shawl, or marrying a man who’d find a bedload of pins laugh-worthy. Well done on both counts!

  24. Stunning! Utterly stunning. I love that yarn too. The colorway is absolutely perfect. Up close you can see all the colors but from far away it’s a lovely dark colored shawl. Gorgeous.
    By the way, thanks for finally giving a name to that euphoric feeling I get when I finish a lace project. Lace high. I never knew what to call it. I only knew that I felt it. Thanks again.
    Now I’m off to check out the fiddlesticks website. I treated myself to some gorgeous midnight blue lace weight and it’s screaming at me that it wants to be a shawl RIGHT NOW!!!!

  25. In two words: beauti. Ful. It´s beautiful. Beautiful. I can´t repeat it enough. Congratulations on the anniversary and on the shawl. And it isn´t THAT huge in the end, it fits perfectly, doesn´t it?

  26. I love that you both modeled the shawl for your readers while celebrating your anniversary. It’s absolutely glorious. A peacock in the garden.

  27. The Dark Peacock shawl is gorgeously big, absolutely beautiful, and you can’t say The Blog didn’t warn you about blocking it on your bed on your anniversary. (Since I know I did. But needs must when the devil drives, or something.) I trust it didn’t kill the mood, and (as others have said) that there were no stray pins. I am certain not.
    Although as a less tall person I’m sure you are sensitive to drowning in clothing, there are advantages to a big shawl to wrap up in, and make dramatic entrances in also. (And exits.)
    Okay, now I have to scroll up to the pictures again. I HAVE that yarn, you know….hmmmm.

  28. Stunning! Just stunning! Love the colors. Happy Anniversary! and oh yes. This has been on my to do list forever!
    Thanks for the encouragement!

  29. That is beautiful!!! I am afraid of lace knitting or I would attempt it 😉 Yesterday was also mine and my hubby’s anniversary (2 years). So Happy belated anniversary! I was excited to find out we share that in common 🙂 The shawl really is gorgeous. I’m envious!

  30. This is gorgeous and the only thing, besides a lack of money, keeping me from ordering this kit is the nagging reminder that I have 4 of Anne Hanson’s lovely shawl patterns still left unstarted in my “To Knit” binder. The colors are perfect and you finished it perfectly. Very nice.

  31. What a sweet hubby to hold up the shawl for a blog photo – Thanks Joe! Looks better on you than the door though 🙂 Lovely knitting.

  32. Your shawl is Gorgeofabuloustiscutio!
    Your veautiful shawl cheered me up and made up for the sh**t neighbour who stole a bin bag from the landing outside my flat containing a whole dirty, smelly, unwashed shetland wool fleece covered in sheep doody that I was planning to wash, dye and spinl. It was sitting outside my flat for two months to ensure that whatever was living in it was dead before I brought it into the house to wash it.
    I am partly relieved that the thief has saved me a big job that needed to be done before the fleece had any value, but on the other hand I feel really sorry for the pathetic person who felt that it was worth stealing, and left them a note telling them how to clean it and wishing them good luck. What else should I have done? It wasn’t worth calling the police over, and everyone I told about it has laughed at the stupidity of the thief.

  33. Damn, that’s a gorgeous shawl! Think I’m gonna have to buy the pattern. (Not that I don’t have plenty already, but damn, that’s a gorgeous shawl!)
    And you MIL’s garden is fabulous! That’s what I aspire to, as I look out upon my field o’ weeds.
    Be proud, you deserve it!

  34. Wow – it really is beautiful. Congratulations on not only the terrific lace knitting, but also on your anniversary and on having a great guy who knows just the right moment to laugh 🙂

  35. whoa. I bow down before you. any chance we’ll get to see it in CA on Saturday (she asked hopefully)?

  36. Beautiful shawl! And belated congratulations on your anniversary.
    I got a copy of your new book, by the way, and I’m trying to savor it slowly. Very good stuff so far, thanks.

  37. Everything about this shawl is gorgeous! I love the pattern, the yarn is stunning (and I covet some) and your knitting and finishing are superb. Yup. It is awesome.

  38. *eyes peacock shawl*
    *eyes lotus shawl in the works*
    *eyes peacock shawl*
    *eyes college homework*
    *eyes peacock shawl*
    I will be a dedicated knitter and finish what I’ve started, I will be a dedicated knitter and finish what I started…
    I want to do that shawl.

  39. Really, really lovely! Bravo on the finish! One of my favorite sayings is “You only have to do it right once and it is right forever!” And, not to worry, this was learned late in my knitting career so you are in good company!!!
    Happy anniversary!

  40. The shawl is absolutely breathtaking! Not one I will be attempting anytime soon (baby steps, baby steps!), but most definitely something to aim for in the future.

  41. WOW great lace!!!
    TO all the harlot fan around here, the 2008 Bloggers choice voting is up and our dear Harlot only has 30 votes at last check. Come on everyone this is a vote I think that we can all agree on!!!
    PS She is nominated for best Hobby Blog, Best Blog Design and Best Blog of all time.

  42. That is spectacular, as in spectacle! It’s so big, so grandiose, so epic, so over the top; I love it. And the yarn is really pretty. Great knitting job, too. Bravo!

  43. You removing 200 pins from your bed on your anniversary reminds me of me removing 200 pins from my hair on our wedding night. I have very fine, slippery, hair, and I had a pretty fancy updo for our wedding.

  44. A truly exquisite shawl. Very beutiful colors to match the name. You did an excellent job and what a wonderful thing to help celebrate your anniversary… by the way Happy Anniversary.
    Happy Knitting
    Linda

  45. Talk about gobsmaked !!! Makes me wish I was younger to take on such a challenge. Oh well I’ll try the smaller lace projects.

  46. Stephanie,
    You were right about the negative space, ’cause during the whole “peacock shawl”, “peacock shawl” “peacock shawl” talk, talk, talk I was thinking yeah a shawl,why?! But now, OH MY GOSH! The proof is in the blocking and draping. Exquisite! And when you talk about your knitting, you make it seem so accessible, that I honestly think, yes I can aspire….You and those darn sock photos are why I am knitting my first pair of socks–many times in public (and loving it)despite the many kinda negative comments, you know “buy ’em at Walmart for .99”. I’m sure you’ve heard them all…So I say Thank you, for your inspiration and sharing.
    Happy Anniversary! Peace…

  47. Wow! I would have been frustrated trying to knit that! It looks gorgeous, and yes, perfect.

  48. I vote for you keeping the shawl for yourself. I am sure we will have another cold winter, and you will need severe weather shawl coverage.
    That shawl would be a once-in-a-lifetime project for most. The results are terrific.
    Congratulations!

  49. It is beautiful! I have always loved that pattern. By the way, are you losing weight? That shawl makes you look very slim and trim.

  50. that is an object of such beauty as to take my breath away! and you look fantastic in that photo. definitely a good hair day! 🙂

  51. Wow – I know the shawl is huge and all, but looking at Joe holding it, it appears to be the size of a doily. I don’t envy you knitting his sweaters, or socks for that matter!
    Beautiful shawl, madam Harlot.

  52. Wow! The lace itself is impressive but the yarn was just perfect for that pattern! Now, of course, I have to drop my Christmas gift knitting and the baby gift I’m working on so that I can pick up my lace WIP…

  53. The empty room around me got a loud,
    “Oooooooooh!”
    right at the 4th picture. That yarn is perfection. Peacock. Mmmm.

  54. That colourway is *gorgeous.* That said, I can’t believe anyone could ever have the patience to knit that much lace. Congratulations.

  55. I’m agog.
    There was much blathering and drooling. I even forced Mr Wonderful to look at the photos. He was greatly impressed too.
    BTW, he loves your books as much as I do, which definitely means you write not just for knitters but those who love them. He was excited when Free Range arrived in the mail, almost as much as me!

  56. Wow indeed! Nice work there marrying the yarn to the pattern. You’ll have to grow into that lovely shawl, or just become more dramatic. That may work…

  57. Hmmm.
    Maybe this one could have been quite wonderful,
    worn in a sort of Lady Godiva mode,
    especially on one’s anniversary.
    But I won’t say more. It IS truly beautiful,
    congratulations on its completion and on your anniversary.

  58. The gleam in your eye on the photo says it all!
    No other colorway would look as grand, and the larger scale justifies the name.
    It’s perfect. Which daughter is going to claim it?

  59. Absolutely beautiful. What a work of art! The yarn complements the pattern so nicely, and I agree the blocking is just right – soft and drapey. That said, I never say never, but it gives me a little twitch to even think of adding this to the queue. Although, if someone were to gift it to me, I’d be eternally under their spell :~)

  60. Gasp!!! Stephanie, it is beautiful!!!! I am in awe!!!!
    I think I will try knitting it like in a year or so…. !
    You continue to inspire me!

  61. ::drops jaw and gazes wild-eyed::
    Good heavens! No, really! That’s gotta be the stuff you find in heaven. Simply the most beautiful – ever.
    (And don’t you look all swanky and pretty and blonde!)

  62. Absofreakinlutely amazing. I love knittng lace, but I shall stick to admiring this shawl in pictures. We have no room for a plethora of pins, and Little Himself has not yet learned to interpret the whole head-bobbing-while-knitting-and-trying-to-respond-while-keeping-count-of-stitches thing.

  63. beautiful. and a belated happy anniversary. i must take lessons. ours is april 14th. in good news we complete our taxes early every year because i *refuse* to be doing them on our anniversary and don’t quite think the IRS would grant us an extension for that. 😉

  64. See, I was beginning to worry about myself, until I saw NewarkKnitter’s comment about wearing it in “Lady Godiva mode” as anniversary-appropriate.
    I had the exact same thought, but she phrased so much better than I was going to….

  65. This is a gorgeous piece of work. You are incredibly talented. Congrats on finishing such a great piece.

  66. love your shawl – it is the perfect length for something so fancy! What a wonderful anniversary ‘gift’ to yourself …. nice day too – we celebrated our 20th today as well.

  67. My poor brain is missing some important cells, so I scanned all of the charts and then flipped them on my computer so I could read the second half of the patterns. To assist with blocking, I “drew out” the triangle’s outer dimensions using string so I could pin it out easier. I loved this pattern, too!

  68. Awe inspiring and Awesome!
    Happy Anniversary-hope you wore the shawl and nothing else and if you did, Happy Anniversary to you too Joe!!!!!!!!!!

  69. I have that pattern, I have the yarn, and now that I’m sure what it’ll look like on a real person, I’m dying to cast on! Must finish some of the 9 wips before casting on another project.
    It came out absolutely gorgeous and I’m jealous it’s not mine. Enjoy wearing it. And a Happy Anniversary too!

  70. Lovely! Isn’t it gratifying to finish such a labour.
    Peacock feathers was my introduction to lace. However, I did knit 3 easier lace shawls between the midpoint of the second to last chart and finishing the thing.

  71. First, Happy Anniversary!!
    Second, holy-moley, that’s gorgeous!
    Third, now I must hate you because I’ve got that pattern. And yarn to knit it with. And, because of you, ma’am, everything on my needles seems sort of blah and it would be so nice to knit peacock feathers…and…and…
    Oh! And love the book. Especially the story about Cass.

  72. Wow, that’s beautiful. I’m almost ready to try knitting lace, and that’s really inspiring. And I love that Joe found humor in having to wait for romance until the shawl was undone! AND that he was willing to pose with the shawl. What a wonderful man. Happy 2nd anniversary!

  73. Stunning. Really. Enjoy flaunting it every chance you get. (that sounds so naughty!) Cheers.

  74. Me Peacock
    WHAT’S riches to him
    That has made a great peacock
    With the pride of his eye?
    Adding feather to feather
    For the pride of his eye.
    William Butler Yeats
    *********************************
    All the Proud Peacocks curtsey in your direction Stephanie!!! Hoorah!

  75. PS. Which is a comment on my lack of patience and skill rather than any reflection on the pattern itself, mind you.

  76. Wow!! That is an enormous piece of work! Very pretty and breath-taking! I love the subtle color changes it has.

  77. Happy belated Anniversary! I hope that you managed to take out all of the pins. (I don’t know about you, but champagne and a attentive, expectant husband would make me likely to miss one! Attentive, expectant husbands can be very distracting!) The shawl is stunning! Are you bringing it to SOAR? I’m sure that it will be a hit with all the attendees. The yarn is perfect for that pattern. I’m going to have to find a friend to knit one for me because I’m so slow that it would take me 20 years to knit it. Not to mention that I’m one of those people whose brain would seriously not like reading the chart one way and then another. It might be worth trying though because it’s so pretty! Just gorgeous!

  78. That is gorgeous. You did a fabulous job pairing the pattern and yarn. I think about getting the pattern and knitting that one from time to time. I may need to one day.

  79. may I add my “WOW!!!!” stunning, magnifque, gorgeous, bellisimo, and every other adjective in every language I can think of doesn’t begin to cover it. this one definitely has heirloom status.
    and congrats on your anniversary -bet unpinning it was a fun game for you and Joe.
    L

  80. that shawl is absolutely gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I also love your mother-in-law’s back garden.
    Back to the shawl. It is certainly perfect. Great job well done again. The colors are fantastic too.

  81. That is a beautiful, gorgeous, stunning shawl. And a very nice picture of Joe holding it. Nice backside on Joe too, I must say. Wait, that is Joe with the shawl, right? Hopefully all pins were accounted for and back in the pin box before, well, you know…Oh! Must get ready for work now.

  82. I loved everything about it.
    I’ve only been knitting a year. However I run a knitting group which has some fantastic knitters in it. I haven’t tried lace, but am just knitting the sarah dallas shawl. Seeing this is such an inspiration to do a lace project. I’ll float the idea at the group next week, watch them all head for the hills!

  83. Steph – the shawl is amazing. But I just picked up your book yesterday…and your new calendar. The book is lovely. You should have no worries that we will all love it.
    Thanks.

  84. Really, really gorgeous. You’re totally right about the finishing, too. I always surprise myself now by looking forward to the end of the project, because doing a good job with the non-knitting parts makes all the difference.

  85. Magnificant!! The colors capture the details of your knitting perfectly, and the size for the pattern is right on target for the style of the shawl!
    Discovered your blog (and books) not very long ago and love your take on knitting and life! Although I’ve known how to knit for years since my grandma taught me as a pre-teen (and didn’t realize my true passion for it), I’m now tackling my second project involving lace – a basic sweater for my daughter. After having ripped the thing several times, and having my husband look at me as though to say “…and you actually love doing this?” and what seems stressful to him, I can only respond ABSOLUTELY!
    Congrats on a shawl well done and thanks!

  86. Beautiful. My friend just got a new 60 inch loom and has been talking about weaving a lot. It’s been making me look at my knitting and think “I should warp the loom” (yeah, I know, disloyal but as she points out– it’s all ONE hobby– Fiber Arts 🙂 but that shawl makes me want to finish up the knitting I have going so I can start it.
    I have a lot of knitting going. So maybe I’ll get to it… in 2016.

  87. Wow! This is wonderful. I’ve got this project on the needles – seeing yours completed has inspired me to get working on it again.

  88. Oh wow I love it and in that yarn it’s fabulous! I have yarn and the pattern for this, one of these days maybe I’ll get to it?

  89. Pretty pretty!! I love the against the garage shot heheheh If we can’t wrangle our loved ones into helping photograph our work where’s the fun?

  90. WOW! A beautiful work of art! And you must be feeling such pride at having accomplished this without losing your mind! Absolutely gorgeous!

  91. Your shawl is beautiful! I thought it would be a little more bulky, but it’s airy and light.
    I’d make one for myself, but I fell into the rabbit hole chasing your lead (Vintage Sock). Once burned, twice … no way!
    Did your mother-in-law ask for the shawl?

  92. Oh, your PFS is breathtakingly beautiful! I’ve half-knit it once (back when I thought it would work just fine in baby-weight acryllic), and am now attempting to finish at least one of the three shawls – no, wait, four – that need finishing before I start it in the Good Stuff (some Claudia Handpainted Silk Lace).
    Yours is so lovely – I MUST finish something so I can start mine!!

  93. Absolutely exquisite!
    I also wanted to let you know that I forwarded your blog about Harper to some friends who are artists and artisans, writers and film makers. Seem to be lots around me.
    They are now forwarding that blog to other artists and friends. Amazing!
    Hope you don’t mind.

  94. This is so wonderful. It gives me courage to start my shawl project. Wow, what a treat to see yours. It is really beautiful.

  95. Wow. Juno’s going to love it. *snark*
    And Happy Anniversary! Me, I would’ve just ripped the duvet off the bed in a fit of marital impatience and said “I’ll reblock the thing tomorrow… We’ve got work to do!” And then been stuck by a pin at a most inappropriate moment.

  96. Whoa. Stunning. Applause.
    Hope you had a happy and lovely anniversary tryst, and no pins in anything besides the shawl.

  97. Simply lovely~! Maybe after I get a few swallowtails off the needles I will give this a try.
    Aren’t you concerned about pinholes in the duvet? You don’t want all the down to leak out!
    Happy Anniversary!

  98. Um… I might have just carefully pulled the whole comforter off the bed, pins, shawl & all. Who needs a blanket with that much heat? Congratulations on everything – beautiful shawl, beautiful husband, beautiful life.

  99. So if one, for example, had already made an icarus shawl and thought that was pretty easy, this shawl should be within their skill set? It’s gorgeous!
    Just checking cause I have it in my queue, but I’m also waiting to check out the new Nancy Bush Estonian Lace book to see what patterns she has.

  100. Fabulous Feathers!!
    You were right to pin each little curlicue, as the
    result is beyond terrific (rather than thread the blocking wire through the bits); each little curlicue has it’s own little direction enhancing the feathery end even further. I love the size of it. I’m very very tempted to try it as well.

  101. Just SO beautiful. You should demand a second anniversary dinner so you can go show it off. Then you’d get a second chance with that whole champagne moment, too!

  102. Wow!! It’s amazing! It’s stunning! It’s beautiful!
    I showed these pictures to my mom, and the first thing she said was “That’s Knit, right? Can YOU do that??”

  103. You did an amazing job and it looks great on you. Dorothy is one special designer isn’t she?
    Happy Anniversary Lovie!!

  104. I’m not going through 204 comments to see if someone’s made the same joke, but you know…
    …nothing says “I love you honey” like “no, no- I’ll sleep on the wet spot!”
    *groan*

  105. It is truly lovely!
    I live in St. Paul Minnesota, and in the spring time the peacocks strut there stuff at the Como Park Zoo. It is a sight to behold. Well, your shawl totally reminds of that amazing display.
    Wow!

  106. The peacock shawl is absolutely gorgeous, I am in awe of your talent in making it – and patience in blocking and pinning it, but what a difference it makes to block the finished piece – not something I’ve been over-particular about doing in the past.
    Congratulations on your wedding anniversary – my husband and I celebrated on the same day (19 years) but dinner out with our teenage son didn’t have quite the same magic as your bottle of champagne!

  107. The thought of you having to remove 200 odd pins from your bed after celebrating with a bottle of champagne had me in giggles. Your shawl is just awesome. I’m certainly not ready for that type of knitting yet.

  108. So. Now that you’re done, and you realize that the finished product is
    a) freaking gorgeous, and
    b) not trailing on the ground behind you…
    Are you going to keep it?

  109. Wow! It’s beautiful! You continue to rock! But what is this lace high of which you speak? I’ve never experienced it, and not for lack of trying to knit lace. Do I just need more coffee? More beer? More chocolate? A different (larger) project?

  110. I have to say that I let out a really breathy “ahhhh….wow” upon seeing the finished product.
    That is a really gorgeous piece of art.

  111. Gorgeous! I am amazed and in awe of all you accomplish and thoroughly enjoy reading your blog! Thank you! Was thrilled the other evening when I came home from work and on my doorstep was “Free Range Knitting” that I’d ordered awhile ago. A wonderful surprise!

  112. Absolutely amazing. I have just started knitting my first lace shawl. It’s really hard work. I admire what you have done immensely.

  113. That is absolutely beautiful! You should be very proud of that shawl. And also of the ability to follow the chart backwards. Awesome!

  114. Gorgeous! Your time was way better spent than the time I spent playing word twist on facebook… Let that be a lesson to me. 🙂

  115. Oh wow. It is FANTASTIC! Such a beautiful pattern. I have a love-thing for peacock feathers, and now I’m going to have to learn to knit lace so that one day, I can have one of these beauties too!

  116. I have been working on this same shawl off and on for over a year – now that I’ve seen one completed, maybe I’ll feel inspired to finally finish it since it looks so good!

  117. this is the shawl that never ends,
    it just goes on and on my friend.
    some person started knitting it not knowing what it was,
    and she will keep on knitting it forever just because…
    this is the shawl that never ends,
    it just goes on and on my friend.
    some person…

  118. I am in awe of your mad lace knitting skills. Magnificent!
    And your husband is a good sport to boot. That man deserves a handknit gansey.
    Just saying.

  119. Your shawl is gorgeous, and it makes me want to start knitting lace (when I typically shun any needle smaller than US8). Does anything quickly come to mind as a good starter project? THANKS.

  120. Of course it’s beautiful! You don’t do anything lace that isn’t beautiful! I do think though you need to invest in some of those interlocking foam squares. Then you could have lifted the whole thing off the bed and not interrupt the mood quite so much. Also, you can fold things in half when pinning, to make it easier to be symmetrical and take less space 🙂

  121. WOW!! You have given me hope! I’ve been knitting this since last summer….yes last summer. Somewhere along the line I made a mistake and threw off the repeats, I’ve knitted enough lace to adjust it up and get it back on pattern but…I can’t decide if I should rip it back and start again. I can see where the pattern hiccupped…and so it sits ..till I get brave enought to ~sigh~ rip…

  122. I love your shawl. It is one of the best lace knits I have ever seen. I think it’s because it’s not just random lacey pattern but actually looks like peacock feathers. Beautiful.

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