Ta-dah of Happiness.........

As Soon as I set eyes on Annette's Nordic Shawl I was blown away.

Now, anyone who has read my blog for a while, knows what a shawl person I am.

I FLIPPIN' LOVE 'EM

Considered by many, an old ladies garment or something you only clap eyes on in some old victorian set film, well, I just see loveliness and quirkiness.

I have a really soft spot for fair isle, and Annette's Nordic Shawl sort of encompassed a fair isle kind of look for me, that's why I think it appealed to me so much.

Luckily for everyone, the very lovely Annette worked up a pattern. Oh WOW. I knew this just had to become one of my staple shawls.

It was my plan to purchase the pattern in January, sort of, as a 'something to look forward to in the grey January month' kind of thing.

Well, the pattern landed on my email doorstep a little earlier than planned, and this beauty became my christmas week make rather than my January make.

I was so excited I can tell you. I have a love affair with grey. I love it in all it's shades, especially teamed with pinks, so it was a no brainer that this should be done in grey with pink thrown in somewhere.

It was not all plain sailing though. The time spent ripping it all back, I could have made 3 Nordic Shawls. Not the patterns fault may I add. My own, for a) not concentrating, and realising almost to the end, that I had added an extra treble cluster on one side near the beginning, so it was all a bit wonky, and b) I couldn't make up my mind on the colour block. The pale blue had been teal, pale turquoise and green before it was pale blue.

But, I am happy I re-worked it to what I ended up with as, boy, this baby has not been off me for the past month! 

Seriously......

I LOVE IT

The pale grey is a great choice as it goes with loads, and I love the colour block that I ended up with. However, taking a peek at this gorgeous version, i'm loving the paler shades together too with the grey. Isn't it just lovely? Swoon.

I made it using regular dk yarn, bits and pieces from my stash. The grey is a lovely soft dk, King Cole Baby Comfort dk in 772. I used a 4mm hook and added an extra couple of rows in the main body to make it a little bigger than the pattern suggested. 

I guess the only drawback with any shawl is the ends, the tips. They can swing about a bit and restrict you if you are actively moving about. I don't like to tie the ends in front of me as the shawl can feel rather bulky then. I usually like to make my shawls fairly large so that I can wrap the ends round the back of me and either tie them or pin them together there. This way, my hands are free and the shawl is fairly fixed. I'll also pin at the front too with a big shawl pin or brooch. I liked to be able to make a sort of collar too with them if I make them a little larger.

This time I took inspiration from here and added a bit of ribbon to tie it together. It looks more like a poncho tied this way. I don't know why it has never occurred to me to use the tie method before as it's such a simple solution to holding a shawl together.

Perfect for the school run, as I have my hands free to carry lunch boxes, school bags and all the other gumpf I get lumbered with each morning.

It has been a school run staple (on the days when it has NOT been chucking it down) and seems to be a hit with the playground mums too. Way to go Annette!

Well, I can see a few more being made in differing colour ways. I am totally lovestruck with this piece and completely applaud Annette on such a wonderful pattern.

If you would like to make Annette's Nordic Shawl, the pattern is available here to purchase. Well worth it is all I can say.

So, in amongst the dull and soggy January, there has been something that has been keeping me smiling!

xxx