Every Shawl Tells a Story

I started knitting years ago, before my cancer diagnosis.  I started off with scarves, then added in blankets and scarves.  I took some classes at the local yarn store to learn new techniques.  I don't knit anything complicated; just basic geometrical shapes.  Rectangular scarves, infinity scarves, square blankets, rectangular blankets, triangular shawls, rectangular shawls.  Before my cancer diagnosis, I knit scarves for myself, for my family, and to sell at craft fairs.  So, those early items don't necessarily have a story, except that I wanted to learn a new technique, maybe.  The items below all have a story.

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Pattern:  Pamuya
Yarn:  Yankee Dyer Yarn Yankee Sole II in the Pool Party colorway.
The first shawl that tells a story is this one.
The yarn was gifted to me from a wonderful couple, a coworker and his wife, to help me through chemo treatments. Boy, was this the right gift. You all know how relaxing and de-stressing knitting can be. Having my world turned upside down with the cancer diagnosis and subsequent chemo treatments has been, by far, the scariest thing to have happened to me, and the most stress I’ve had in my life. The yarn is wonderful, soft, beautiful, and I think I found the perfect pattern for it with the Pamuya shawl. The pattern repeats vary from easy (garter, stockinette) for when I wasn't feeling so well and needed something mindless, to a bit more complicated (wave, tiny cross) for when I needed something else to put my mind on.  I began knitting the shawl at my first chemo session.  The plan was to finish it and wear it to the last chemo treatment.  That did not happen.  I made mistakes, had to rip back and re-do a few times.  I wasn’t able to wear it to my last chemo treatment, but that’s okay. It seems that this shawl, that I began at the beginning of my treatment, wanted to see me through surgery recovery.  I finished it just in time to wear it to work on my first day back.  Finishing this project and active treatment at the same time was meant to be.

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Pattern:  Abhain
Yarn:  Wandering Wool Jaipur Lace in the Blue Gentian colorway
After chemo and surgery were done, my husband and I took a weekend away.  We stayed with his brother, who lives near a casino, where we had dinner and saw a show (Bill Engvall).  This was the first trip I've taken where I sought out a local yarn store, and inside the store, sought out yarn by a local yarn dyer.  The pattern was suggested by the shop owner; they had a sample in the shop.  I loved the semi circular shape, and the lace pattern.  When I wear the shawl, I remember the weekend away.  A photo of the finished shawl is forthcoming.

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Pattern:  Allegria
Yarn:  Pandia's Jewels Hand Dyed Yarn Snug in the Wibbly Wobbly colorway

Myrtle Beach

In October of 2016,  we took a family trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  We were the guests of Little Pink Houses of Hope.  They grant retreat vacations to breast cancer patients.  It was a wonderful week.  I had the yarn already, and the pattern was gifted to me, which was incredibly nice.  I worked on this shawl on the drive to Myrtle Beach, and while we were there.  If you'd like, you can read about the week here:  Little Pink Houses of Hope Retreat.  When I wear the shawl, it brings back memories of this trip.  A photo of the finished shawl is forthcoming.






  
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Pattern:  none yet

Yarn:  Malabrigo sock yarn in the colorway Whales Road
We found a local yarn store in Myrtle Beach, and I fell in love with this color.  To me, this color reminds me of the ocean at night.  It has all of the beautiful colors.
I have yet to find the perfect pattern for this yarn.  When I do, and finish it, I will place a picture of it here.

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Pattern:  The Plains
Yarn:  Dashing Mouse Designs sock yarn in the Cerulean colorway

During the summer of 2017, my older son took me on an epic road trip.  It started with a visit to my aunt, who at the time was living in a retirement home (convent) for nuns in Cincinnati, Ohio.  As we drove to Cincinnati, we stopped on the way to have lunch with some cousins in Western Maryland, and then made a slight detour to visit Fallingwater.  Once we got to Cincinnati, we stayed for a few days at the convent with my aunt.  We took her out to lunch, we met her friends, we found a local yarn store not far away that had this beautiful blue yarn.  My son bought it for me in anticipation of making a shawl to commemorate the trip.  We also picked up a skein of yarn for my aunt, who liked to crochet.  The yarn sat for awhile, waiting for the perfect pattern.  It came as an unexpected gift, from a very nice woman I had met on a previous trip.  When I was a good way done with the project, I got word that my aunt was not doing well; she was 92, and in renal failure.  So, my son and I made a road trip to visit, and I worked on the shawl there with her.  She died not long after.  I wore the shawl to her funeral.  I think of her every single time I wear it.
Bonus:  it won blue ribbon in the county fair.  I like to think that Aunt Kathryn had something to do with that.  😊

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Pattern:  Farrow Rib Scarf 
Yarn:  Green Dragon Yarns Colonial in the Squires-White Effect colorway
The second part of the epic road trip was from Cincinnati to Radford, Virginia, to spend a few days with my sister.  We had such a great time.  We found a local yarn store.  They had yarn dyed by a local dyer, in the colors of Virginia Tech, which is a nearby college, and where my sister works.  I made the scarf for my son.

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Pattern:  Reyna
Yarn:  The Fiber Seed Sprout Sock yarn in the Deep Sea colorway

After detouring through the Smoky Mountains, we ended up in Clearwater, Florida, to spend a few days with my other sister.  Man, was it hot.  Summertime in Florida.  What were we thinking?!  My sister's son and his family were there at the same time.  We had such fun.  Again, we found a local yarn store, and this yarn reminded me of the colors of the ocean, during the day.  Once I got home, I found a pattern that I though it would look good in.  The shawl is done, but not blocked yet.  As soon as I do that, I will place a picture here.

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Pattern: Wonder Woman Wrap
Yarn: Hedgehog Fibres sock yarn in Sin (red), Pollen (gold), Wish (teal), Envy (green), Jelly (pink)
These two shawls, I think, need no explanation (except that the second one is done in Metavivor colors).  If they do, search this blog's archives for any mention of Wonder Woman.

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Pattern:  Boneyard Shawl
Yarn:  Noro Kiri in colorway number 6, which is sort of a teal with some dark grey mixed in

The closest local yarn store to me, Crazy for Ewe, had a Noro yarn tasting.  A yarn tasting is when a representative from the yarn company visits, and brings samples of their yarn.  They bring yarn, and items made from that yarn.  We, the customers, get to try out the yarn before buying any, and win prizes (yarn, of course).  A friend of mine, Melissa, and I went together.  We made a stop at the local chocolate shop a few doors down on the way.  It was such a fun evening. 

I chose this pattern because I thought it would look good with the tweedy characteristics of this yarn.  It is currently on my needles, and so far it's turning out well.  Picture to come after it's completed.

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Pattern:  bias stockinette shawl with garter stitch border
Yarn:  Humble Acres Yarn Sparkle Sock yarn in the I Don't Want to Go colorway
I saw this yarn and just had to have it.  First, the colors.  The colors are based on a photo of a scene from Doctor Who.  I am a fan of that show.  Not only that, but the colors remind me so much of Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night, which is my favorite painting.  The other draw was the name of the color.  There is a scene in Doctor Who just before the 10th Doctor regenerates, when he says, "I Don't Want to Go".  This may be melancholy, but sometimes when my mind wanders to my impending death, I say that line in my head, in David Tennant's voice.  Last, there is an episode of Doctor Who called Vincent and the Doctor.  In that episode, the Doctor and Amy travel to visit Vincent Van Gogh.  I won't give anything away, but the last scene is my favorite scene in the whole series.  I finished the shawl in time to wear it on a trip to New York, given to us by Inheritance of Hope.  This organization grants retreat vacations to terminally ill people and their families.  If you'd like to read about that trip, click here:  Inheritance of Hope trip to New York.  During that trip, we were able to visit the Museum of Modern Art, where Starry Night currently hangs.  It was amazing.

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That's all for now.  As I knit more shawls, I'll share their stories with you.