I did something yesterday that I almost never do any more - I bought a knitting magazine :)  Interweave Knits Spring 2009.  I’d like to tell you it’s because it had several patterns I was interested in - and it’s reasonably true that there are at least three things in there I’d like to make.  That’s my basic magazine rule; there has to be at least two patterns (and preferably three) that make my pulse pound before I’ll buy a magazine.

But really, I bought it for the Fountain Pen Shawl.  Not only is it a beautiful and not-too-difficult piece of work, I happen to love fountain pens - always have.

I’ve had 4 hanks of Kntipicks Gloss just waiting for the right project to sing for them and I have been thinking about a lace weight shawl for a long time now.  I’ve even started a couple at different times but eventually I lost interest in them or they otherwise told me they weren’t interested :)  So the yarn was there and any number of appropriate needles - all I needed was some inspiration.  And I got it when I saw the photos at the above link.

I even dragged out my Harmony wood needles for this.  My only complaint ever about them was that they are dark and a little difficult to use with dark yarn.  I thought I’d give it a shot though, since I imagined combining this yarn (wool/silk) with my lovely, slick, Options needles would be a recipe for dancing, screaming, cursing disaster :)  And you know what?  If I turn the light on over my shoulder, it isn’t too bad after all!

I very much like the way this looks, though the scale is smaller than I had imagined.  On the other hand, I have plenty of yarn and can do a couple more pattern repeats if I’m not satisfied with the length when I get to what the pattern suggests.  It is simple enough not to be scary (I’m easily threatened by lace) but, I hope, not so simple that I get bored with it.

In fact there’s only one thing about it that I don’t like - nupps.  I know, I know - time honored technique and tradition and all that.  Trying to purl a bunch of yarn-overs together is not my idea of a good time.  So I’m using beads instead.  While they’re not terribly apparent in the photos, they actually look very spiffy!

Just an aside…  I’m liking the Gloss lace weight but I have the feeling that it’s a bit heavier than usual for lace weight.  Not that I have any objection to that - heavens no!  I’m really very grateful because my fumbly fingers would have a tough time with something really fine.  I’m sure cobweb would just make me cry :)

I think I’m going to have to order some of this in the undyed form to play with in the dye pot!