It is, truly, not a difficult pattern. It’s symmetrical and has a simple enough rhythm to it. But the wool-silk blend yarn (JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk 2/18) slipped and slid on the needles, and I really struggled not to lose the many yarnovers. The opportunity to participate in a sock knit-a-long was a welcome diversion. When I finished the socks (yay socks!), I turned back to the shawl. After one row I realized what was wrong. The needles.
Since this is my first project knitted with lace-weight yarn, I didn’t have the right size needles when I got started. Not realizing what the repercussions would be, I splurged (thinking I was doing myself a favor) on a set of Addi Turbos. I already have a set in a different size and don’t recall having any problems, but I guess that wasn’t with a silk-blend yarn. Plus, both the needles and the yarn are gray. Let’s just say I had no idea how farsighted I had become until I started this project. So I put down the needles and eventually bought what I think of as my go-to pedestrian brand of needle, Clover Takumi bamboo needles.
What a difference! The yarn isn’t slipping and sliding any more. In fact, every so often I have to stop and move it forward on the needles, a task I will gladly enjoy when compared with desperately clinging to the yarn with my fingers to keep it from sliding off. The shawl is about the right size for an adult mouse right now, and I expect it’ll take some time to reach adulthood — but at least now I have confidence I will get there.
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