Finally finished

The Leaf Lace Shawl is finished. I finally managed to block it somewhat, even though I'm not completely satisfied with the blocking. I don't have a good place to block such a large thing. Maybe install wall-to-wall carpeting in a room somewhere... I would also like a set of blocking wires, I didn't manage to bet the top completely straight. Now I blocked ot with string on my parents spare bed which is wide but not long enough. But the shawl is wearable.

Pattern: Leaf Lace Shawl
Yarn: Sandnes Peer Gynt, 7 balls @ 50 g in a tweedy grey
Needles: The ones specified in the pattern (which I can't find at the moment)
Size: The largest size of the pattern, with the thickest yarn suggested. About 90" across the top and 38" down. It's suppsed to be 45" down, I will block it better some other time.

I'm very happy with this shawl. The pattern is very well written and easy to follow. I'd say this is a great beginner pattern. I wanted a big warm cosy shawl and I got it. It's great indoors and outdoors over a jacket maybe.

Peer Gynt is a classic Norwegian yarn usually used for Norwegian style ski sweaters and such. This tweedy variety is slightly scratchy, but I put a little hair conditioner in the water when I soaked it for blocking and it came out rather softer.

When little H saw the shawl she wanted one too, so now I know how to use the two balls I have left :-) Mine has 15 leaves along the spine, I think 7 or 8 will be good for her, she is a rather small 2.5 year old.

I finished the first RPM sock! As I knit it toe-up I was able to use up almost all the yarn without running out. The leg is 9 pattern repeats instead of the suggested 6, and then I made the ribbing 20 rounds. I bound of using Elizabeth Zimmermann's sewn bind-off.

Here's a (blurry) picture where you can see the pattern a bit better. And yes, I've cast on the second sock. No second sock syndrome with this one! It helps that the weather has turned colder and I want more wooly socks.

A gratuitous picture of my cute kids, lying in the sofa watching tv! Yes, I made that quilt, very scrappy nine-patches and rail fences, tied. It was the first one I ever finished, when E was six months or so. I made it for him to play on on the floor.

H looks a bit under the weather, and she is. She has some sort of cold, fever and a horrible cough, and she's very cranky most of the time. She also sleeps more than usual and doesn't want to eat. It doesn't seem to get any better so we're calling the doctor tomorrow. Maybe she needs antibiotics or something.

I'm having much fun putting together the first package for my Sockret Pal. I have just one more thing to fix before I send it. How I'm going to remain secret I don't know, the stamps will be a big clue...
Note to my own Pal: I'm going on vacation for the whole of December (to Australia, yay!) so I won't get my post until after Christmas. It would be nice if I got the first package before I leave. Just sayin'.