The Thoughtful Shawl Project: Shawl Two

Shawl Two: Holden by Mindy Wilkes

Back in 2013, I was a very inexperienced knitter. I'd learned to knit as a child. My grandma taught me how to knit and purl, while I stayed with her for two hours every morning during the Summer holidays while my mum was at work. But it was in 2013, while quitting smoking and looking for something to do with my hands that I really got back into the hobby. And then, as it does, the hobby became a lifestyle. I became not just a knitter, but a Knitter.

I'd stuck mostly to Hobbycraft's meagre selection of acrylic mix and luxury Rowan when I could afford it, but I'd been hearing whisperings of beautiful yarn dyed by people. Not companies, but people. In their kitchens, sheds or home workrooms. Soft, delicate and hand-painted yarn, yarn full of love. I headed to Etsy to browse around and soon found RosiesMoments. I browsed her webstore with wide eyes and an itchy trigger finger, desperate to get my hands on some of the most beautiful yarn I had ever seen.

I fell hard for the soft, pastel, sweetshop colours of Sugar Candy and sent it packing on its way home to me. When the yarn arrived, I fondled the skein for weeks, desperate to find a pattern that truly deserved to be knitted with a thing of such beauty.

I had a few stumbles with lacy shawls, that were far too advanced for a beginner like me, before finding Mindy Wilkes' lovely Holden. The whole shawl took me just four days to complete, it was both my first indie skein of yarn and my first shawl. If only I'd known then what I know now, that it would open a new world to me. A world where I ended up dyeing my own yarn, and being the owner of more beautiful shawls than I knew what to do with (hence this project!).

When I look at my Sugar Candy shawl now, I see multiple flaws. The picot edging is a mess. I dropped and picked up stitches most inexpertly all over the place and my tension is wonky - to say the least.

But I know I will never have the heart to gift or frog this shawl. It will stay with me as a reminded of what it started for me. Because this shawl was a key to a brand new world for me. And that's why I will keep it, and I will wear it. Wonky edging and all.

What is the Thoughtful Shawl Project?

I saw a post by Jennie of tinypaperfoxes about her 39 shawls project, it sparked something inside of me.

Like Jennie, I have an absolute wealth of shawls, but wear the same ones regularly which means that I own unloved, neglected shawls, just like Jennie.

The Thoughtful Shawl Project is my journey to reassess and explore my shawl collection and decide whether to frog, donate or keep. 

You can read the whole post about the project here: The Thoughtful Shawl Project or you can browse the other blog posts about shawls here: Previous Thoughtful Shawl Project Posts.

Book Review: Bonfire

Bonfire by Krysten Ritter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Can you ever outrun your past?

Krysten Ritter's debut novel is like some bizarre mash-up of Erin Brockovich and Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects and it kind of works.

I found that it seemed to borrow a little too heavily, for instance Sharp Objects is a pacy thriller that follows a newspaper journalist who returns to her small and slightly odd hometown to report on a series of brutal murders. Bonfire follows Abby Williams an environmental lawyer who returns to her small and slightly odd hometown to investigate a scandal. Sounding familiar so far?

Both focus on teenage girls running wild in a small American town from the POV of an unreliable narrator with an entire suitcase of personal problems, from a troublesome family, a morally ambiguous love interest and alcohol consumption bordering on addition.

However, that's not to say it wasn't thrilling to read. Like Sharp Objects it's a gripping and at times uncomfortable read, letting the action pick up pace before hurtling to slightly predictable outcome.

Personally I found Flynn's novel more accomplished and would recommend it over this, but this tale isn't without merits if you manage to pick it up for a quick read.

View all my reviews

The Thoughtful Shawl Project: Shawl One

Shawl One: Messalina by Kay F Jones

I remember seeing this shawl all over instagram when it launched. I immediately fell in love with the snuggly looking cables and squishy garter. I must confess to generally feeling very anti-cable. I love how they look, but I find it difficult to get into the swing of them. I either find myself fiddling with two needles and a bendy cable needle, or having to pore over information to do needleless cables.

However, I'm prone to a bit of knitting FOMO, so I couldn't resist the gorgeous projects popping up here, there and everywhere. I shelved my cabling consternation and ran to my stash to pick out some lovely worsted weight yarn.

I finally settled on a gorgeous sea green Rowan Pure Wool Worsted that I picked up from my LYS Little Houndales a while ago. I thought the lofty, soft wool would be perfect for that squishy garter and lush thick cable. But, I feel this was possibly my first mistake. I tend to have a very much preferred palette of neutral tones, grey, oatmeal, cream coupled with purples and pinks. Lilac, plum, fuchsia, mauve; you name it - as long as it sits in that range, I'll wear it. I have very few clothes or knitted objects in green. I like the colour, but I just tend to steer away from it in clothing choices. 

I cast it on at the same time as my chum @karenhtodd. When we usually do a co-cast on, we have plenty of chat and waffling about our chosen project. However this one was suspiciously quiet. I think we were both struggling with the rhythm and shaping, but didn't want to put the other off. 

So, I ploughed on like a trooper. I cabled those cables and gartered that garter. And finally it was time to bind off.  But, the moment it was finished, I knew it would never be a favourite. Or even a worn shawl, if I'm honest. I hated the way it curled up and wouldn't sit straight. No amount of blocking would make it sit right for me. So it sat unloved at the bottom of my shawl chest.

I hasten to add, this is no comment on the shawl or the designer. I've seen many well-loved and beautifully made Messalina. I think my knitting tension was off, or my yarn choice was bad or maybe I just angered the knitting Gods. Who knows? Sometimes these things just happen. 

So, this was an obvious first choice when I started this project. I steeled my courage with a cuppa and pulled out that delicious Rowan worsted wool to be reused in something else.

I thought that perhaps I would feel guilty or sad, but if anything I feel lighter and refreshed. And above all, excited. Because, it's almost like free wool and who doesn't love that?

What is the Thoughtful Shawl Project?

I saw a post by Jennie of tinypaperfoxes about her 39 shawls project, it sparked something inside of me.

Like Jennie, I have an absolute wealth of shawls, but wear the same ones regularly which means that I own unloved, neglected shawls, just like Jennie.

The Thoughtful Shawl Project is my journey to reassess and explore my shawl collection and decide whether to frog, donate or keep. 

You can read the whole post about the project here: The Thoughtful Shawl Project or you can browse the other blog posts about shawls here: Previous Thoughtful Shawl Project Posts.

Book Review: Winter's Bone

Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Fading light buttered the ridges until shadows licked them clean and they were lost to nightfall.”

Daniel Woodrell's bleak Ozarks tale spins a yarn of poverty, survival and family - it's a crime-thriller but with a twist, the story follows 16 year old Ree as she tries to track down her bail-skipping, meth-cooking father. Ree is a powerful heroine, she's morally good but manages to avoid staying into saccharine territory by keeping her rough edges.

The writing itself is a beautiful, but stark portrayal of rural poverty in America, and reads almost like poetry. It keeps a powerful pace and you really feel every disappointment and beating alongside Ree.

The vivid prose paints the scenery perfectly, a beautiful haven juxtaposed with the darkly delicious meat of the book, the lengths that the poverty stricken residents will go to to survive the harsh wilderness.

I devoured this book and a day, and could have easily flipped the pages back and read it all over again.

Buy Winter's Bone on Amazon

Finished Object: Lustre Shawl

This humble looking shawl is Lustre by Amélie Bernier. But to me and my closest friends it's known as my prayer shawl. And there's a reason for that. It's become my go-to shawl in times of sadness, stress, anxiety and pain. The soothing rhythm and chunky squish is like a salve for the heart. If I'm knitting this shawl, you can guarantee my life is less than peachy.

And that's the case recently. My mum has been struggling. She was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease recently and that's triggered an incredibly serious and severe bout of depression. My family is in turmoil. So, I felt like it was time to revisit my old friend, Lustre.

There’s so much I could say about this shawl, but nothing as much as telling you this is my third time knitting it. That should tell you how much I love it.

It’s become my go-to project for when I’m feeling stressed or sad and need a simple, comforting project to pour my feelings into.

I made it for the first time in 2014: Prayer Shawl and then again in 2015 Prayer Shawl the Second.

The 2014 iteration was knit in beautifully warm, soft Artesano aran with pops of a Debbie Bliss silk blend. I knit the shawl while I was on holiday in Loch Lomond, Scotland. It was my husband's birthday and I'd booked the trip for him. But a few days before the trip I was suffering with terrible stomach cramps and nausea. But I decided to soldier on through it, because who wants to spoil a birthday surprise, right?

Wrong. Absolutely wrong. I pushed myself hard to enjoy the trip for him, but spent most of the time curled up in the foetal position, crying in pain and begging for mint tea to stop the sickness. And the moments I wasn't crying in pain, I was knitting this shawl and putting every bad feeling and thought into the soft, squishy stitches and hoping it would ease my turmoil.

Side note: I did manage to enjoy a trip to the wonderful Yarn Cake in Glasgow. If you get the chance to visit, do. The cake is wonderful and the atmosphere is just as cosy as you might imagine being surrounded by cake and yarn feels.

When I got back home, I was diagnosed with a serious kidney infection. I took my medicine, got better and learned never to do a seven hour car journey when feeling like crap again!

I knit the second Lustre in 2015 with my lovely friend Karen. We had both been going through incredibly difficult struggles with our health and personal lives. So, I thought a KAL with this beauty would soothe both of our problems. Karen was a much less experienced knitter than me, so I perhaps should have accounted for that when choosing a pattern - however she did eventually find the rhythm with me. And she made the most beautiful mustard and yellow shawl. I think the wonderful thing about co-knitting is how much closer it binds you to the person. From shared failures and triumphs you bond over the stitches and it's really wonderful.




Each time I stumble, this pattern has soothed my heart. Both the knitting of it, and the subsequent wearing. It’s a beautiful pattern and it makes my soul feel rested and soothed. So when times got difficult for me this time around, I knew immediately what I had to do.

I wanted my 2017 Prayer Shawl to be exceptionally cosy and gentle on my fingers to knit. So, I immediately thought of one of my favourite yarns. Malabrigo Worsted is just so buttery soft and warm, I knew right away that it was my dream pairing. The gentle stitches of the Lustre combined with the beautifully squishy Malabrigo. 

I also had been dreaming of a beautiful neutral with a really bright pop of colour. So I ordered three skeins of a soft, biscuitlike taupe colour and one skein of an outrageously bright berry pink.

I packed up my yarn and pattern in my favourite project back and took in on holiday with me to Ardnamurchan. And I spent hours knitting it while away. I chatted and knitted, I watched sheep and knitted, I listened to the waves in bed, stargazing and knitted. It was my constant companion. And once again, it did its job perfectly.

Every stitch melted away a worry or a sadness. I don't know what it is exactly about this shawl that's so magical, but I thoroughly recommend you try it for yourself.

Because it truly is magical.

Book Review: Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Still, the image haunted his dreams throughout the night: a lovely girl gazing at the stars, and the stars who gazed back.”

The opening book to Sarah J Maas' action-fantasy series is a hardworking book. It not only features a thrilling and suspenseful plot, but also aims to introduce us to the characters and the fantasy world itself.

It's something it does with ease, never feeling over-explained or under-realised. I found it incredibly easy to imagine the sweaty confines of the salt mines of Endovier to the smoky and packed streets of Rifthold.

I found Celaena Sardothien to be a surprisingly likeable heroine. She's had a lot of criticism levelled at her for being immature, vain and petty. But I think those flaws are what makes her human and easy to relate to. She may have had an action-packed life in the Assassin's Guild, but we have to remember that she's still an 18 year old girl. So, she's bound to be flawed and still forming her personality. This is also true of the fact it's the first book, so I'm expecting her to grow alongside the series.

Her supporting cast are slightly less well fleshed out, but I think it's only right that the book offers a strong introduction to the leading lady, with more time dedicated to the supporting players further along.

I really enjoyed the book on the whole, the plot was suspenseful enough to keep me turning pages and I enjoyed the interactions between characters. I wasn't as invested in the characters as I felt with Six of Crows, but I'm expecting that to change as I delve deeper into the series. And I genuinely can't wait to see where the journey takes me.

Buy Throne of Glass on Amazon.

The Thoughtful Shawl Project

I remember very, very clearly when I first started knitting the moment the following words slipped out of my mouth, "I will never knit a shawl. I don't see the point, I wouldn't wear it."

And now, years later with 32 finished shawls currently in my collection and...a number of WIPs sitting in my UFO pile. I realise now how very, very foolish that statement was.

Because shawls are like pet cats, one is never enough.

But, even with 32 shawls to choose from, I find myself reaching for the same ones again and again. Which means that shawls that I loved once, that I poured time, yarn and love into sit languishing at the bottom of my shawl chest. And that just seems wrong.

So, when I saw a post by Jennie of tinypaperfoxes on instagram post about her 39 shawls project, it sparked something inside of me.

Like me Jennie has an absolute wealth of shawls, but wears the same ones regularly which means she owns unloved, neglected shawls just like me.

So, using Jennie's wonderful project as an example, I decided to start The Thoughtful Shawl Project.

My aim is to take out a shawl every few days. I want to assess the shawl, could it use a reblock? Is it an uncomfortable shape to wear? Does it suit my wardrobe?

Anything that doesn't fit into my life anymore will either be gifted or frogged to repurpose the yarn. Meaning that those sad, unloved, neglected shawls will get a new lease of life. Either with me as something new, or beloved by it's new owner.

I know it will be a tough journey, because it's hard to say goodbye to something you once loved, or still love. But my hope it that it will guide me to more mindful knitting in the future rather than just leaping into projects without thought because they grabbed me.

I'll be sharing information and updates on each of the shawls in my collection separately on this blog - so if you're interested then please stay tuned!