Quite Proud indeed!

The Pride shipment for the Seven Deadly S(p)ins club was a beautiful stole in the Unique Sheep's Luxe in a special gradiance set (the Gluttony socks were gradiance as well, I think I am in love with this style!)

I started this back in January when I got the kit, but put it down when I needed the needle tips (love my harmony set!) for my Venus sweater. I picked it back up shortly after my FO round up, and sailed through it. There were a few mistakes in the pattern so I checked errata and went on my merry way, but missed an important on. Colour change #3 was listed on the pattern as happening a full 24 repeat sooner than it should have. I didn't discover this until I noticed that my 3rd ball was getting awfully small. I didn't rip it back, instead I improvised the colour change to the 4th colour and kept going. I'm still pretty pleased with the end result.

Once done, I came up against a problem: where to block this thing? Once washed it was longer than my daughter's bed, and I couldn't lay it out on the floor with the kids awake. Then I remembered a blog post of the Yarn Harlot's where she showed a shawl blocking by hanging it and weighing it down. This stole really doesn't need to be vigorously blocked, as it's supposed to be "springy" so I figured this would work. But...how?

A quick look around found no nails, but I did find this:


Leftover hangers for my pleated curtains. Using a hammer and a nail, I made holes for each hanger and stuck them in (I unbent the pointy part) all down the hallway



Then I threaded my longest blocking wires through the top part of the stole and hung it on the hooks. I looked around for things to weigh it down with, and came up with a rather creative solution...



My tea infusers filled with rice

The look on Phil's face when he came home was pretty priceless. He actually said "So, you're knitting wall art now?"

When I looked at it and thought about all the work that went into it and how pretty it was a thought "man, it's a shame I won't wear it". Then I thought "WTF? Why not?" I then thought about all the pretty scarves and shawls I have knit that rarely see the light of day because I get self-conscious in them.

Then I decided that this would have to stop. I can't knit things for my closet. I knit them with an idea of wearing them and wear them I shall, dammit! I started last night with wearing my Queen of the Waves shawl to the fireworks for Canada Day. I felt good in it, and I had a few "oh that's pretty, where did you get it?" from strangers.

I even went out today and bought a couple simple tank tops that would be worn under my pretty pretty shawls

And I have to say...I'm pretty darn proud to wear it