Rescuing an Orphan

It all started when our MadTosh shipment came in to the store. There was this purple-ey green colorway that I really loved, but one of our customers snatched up seven of the eight available skeins. (which was fine. I'd just finished a MadTosh sweater. I didn't need another one)

But I couldn’t let that sad little orphan sit all alone in the store.

So I decided to knit a Daybreak shawl.


I like Stephen West’s shawls because they aren’t lace. I had a decent idea of the blocked shape, but since I couldn’t really find a picture that showed off the crescent, here’s a semi-crappy shot of the shawl, flat, in its natural state after blocking.


When it’s worn, it’s very easy to tie the thin corners in lieu of a shawl pin and it sits nicely on my shoulders. Yeah, I didn’t manage to get a modeled shot. You’ll get over it.

There were a few minor hiccups (reading comprehension errors, the pattern is/was fine) as I embarked upon the two-color section. But I decided I didn’t care and soldiered on.


If you’re really sharp, you can see those “hiccups” down the center spine. The lavender blended perfectly with the green. At times I thought it blended too perfectly. I kept hoping to catch a really dark chunk of green on a stitch that would be slipped the next time through. That almost never happened.


The lone swear-inducing moment of knitting this shawl happened in the border section. I was knitting the small size with DK-weight yarn, and I knew this was a distinct possibility. It's why I chose the color placement that I did. But I was still peeved as all get out when I ran out of yarn roughly three rows away from bind-off. Too far away to just quit and bind off. But if I was going to purchase a second skein of Logwood, hell if I was going to bind off immediately after the fifth purl ridge. So I kept going until I knew I could go no farther without dipping into yet another skein. I’m glad I did it that way. So this shawl has a much larger outer border than “normal.”


Blocking-wise, I did my best to get a non-pointy smooth edge. But I only had so many pins in the house. I think it turned out just fine and will be comfy to wear.

Daybreak Shawl

Pattern: Daybreak by Stephen West
Yarn: MadelineTosh, Tosh DK
Colorways: Lichen and Logwood
Yardage: Golf ball-sized chunk of Lichen left over from the single available skein. Just scraps left over from the two skeins of Logwood.
Needles: US 8 KnitPicks Options
Started: 18 August 2010
Finished: 10 September 2010
Mods: Extended border to eat up the non-optional second skein of yarn. Used Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off.