Shawls All the Time

I titled this post Shawls All the Time because that's how it has been feeling here at P:Stash. Every now and then, I go through periods when my knitting seems to be all about fill in the blank.  Over the last couple of years, I've gone through a serious hat phase and then a sock phase and then a blanket phase and this fall, my needles have been happily occupied by shawl patterns. 

If you have been keeping up with my blog, you know that I did my darnedest to finish my Shaelyn in time to wear to my niece's wedding, but I fell short.  Still, it was a real joy to knit, and I'm definitely going to knit another one.  The design in this Madtosh colorway is gorgeous and I can imagine knitting another one in a plum.

I then cast on and have since finished my first Lonely Tree Shawl which was a great knit.  I started this pattern several times a few months ago and just kept getting frustrated because I couldn't figure out how to read the charts.  So, I sadly set this pattern aside and then a month ago, I watched Staci's video tutorial for knitting a cabled cowl and once I saw her explain how to read a chart, the biggest light bulb went on over my head.  I grabbed a skein of LB superwash merino dk and cast on immediately.  I'm now an expert chart reader (not really, but I definitely get it now!!).

So, after the happy success of my Lonely Tree, it was obvious that I had to cast on an Elder Tree Shawl, this time for a dear friend who has a big birthday coming up.  I've had trouble with this yarn in the past ~ I guess I'm not the most comfortable knitting with yarn that has a silk content ~ but it's working perfectly in this pattern.

I'm tempted to really challenge myself with a heavy-duty lace shawl pattern but then again, it just may be hat season again!