Rosa Shawl

I've finished the Rosa shawl which I cast on for the Spring Shawlathon which was being hosted by Fran at the Franny Do Makes podcast and Helen at the Giddy Knits podcast.

This is a pattern by Collete Audrey, free on Ravelry. I used yarn from Fondant Fibre in the Coral Roses and Wooden Heart colourways which have been in my stash since 2017, so it really was time that I put it to use. This yarn dyer is no longer in business, such a shame as she dyed some beautiful colours.

It was the beautiful lace section which sold this shawl to me, it's so pretty and gives a gorgeous finish.

I also like the pretty sections within the shawl which are knit in the contrast colour. The technique of wrapping stitches with yarn makes an interesting feature.

Shawls often need to be blocked rather aggressively to get their shape as the way a shawl is cast on usually leaves a small 'hump' in the centre at the top so you have to make sure you deal with that, and any lace always looks better once it's stretched out, it really opens out the pattern so that all the details can be seen. Unfortunately, despite blocking this shawl, it will just not keep its shape. I did suspect this would be the case whilst I was knitting it as it seems to knit up in a reverse triangle shape with a sharp point at the top rather than just a 'hump', and the pattern gives no indication as to how it should look once knit, there's no schematic diagram included in the pattern, and even the photo, which I've shown above, seems to hide the top of the shawl. I just think it's a shame that the top section doesn't block straight as it would make the shawl a more wearable shape.

I'm definitely disappointed in the shape but I like how the yarn has worked with the shawl and the drape it gives. 

There could have been another repeat of the main colour and contrast section, I had 32g left of the main colour and 30g left of the contrast. This would have made it a more substantial shawl, which is what I would have expected from a two skein project.

It's a nice, simple pattern which I enjoyed knitting and I think it shows the yarn off beautifully but it's just a shame about the shape. I know some people won't mind this but a schematic in the pattern, or at least a clear photo, would have shown me what to expect.