I’ve been on a “finish all the things” kick since the new year, which is why I once again picked up the Askews Me Shawl I started over the summer in January.
Admittedly, this project was a beer-induced brain child, as I convinced Scott to stop at Conversational Threads after getting our engagement photos done and stopping at Funk Brewing for few drinks. It was a nice day, my hair and makeup were done, and I’d rented a dress, so it seemed like a waste to not go out and do something about it.
But I’d also made the decision (at the time because haha I’m obviously not doing it anymore) to only buy new yarn if I had a project in mind for it, so I immediately took to Ravelry to figure out what I could make from the yarn I was drawn to, which happened to be DK weight.
Now, I don’t usually knit with DK weights, typically defaulting to fingering because it’s applicable to so many projects I like to make (namely socks and shawls). But I really loved a purple DK weight yarn I found and knew I had to have it.
The Askews Me fit the bill for a number of reasons, namely that it’s designed by Stephen West and seemed like a pretty mindless brioche project that didn’t require too much yarn, so I picked out a contrasting teal and called it a day.
I ended up using the teal as the main color, which was kind of a mistake because I like the pastel purple side so much more. That said, it doesn’t really matter because the beautiful thing about brioche is that it’s usually 100% reversible.
This shawl saved me from freezing to death on our recent trip to Vermont, where Burlington served us daily highs of 10 degrees. While my fingering weight shawls end up being warm because they’re usually pretty ginormous, it was nice to have something to act like a wall between me and the negative wind chills. Best idea for something to knit ever.
Project Info
Pattern: Askews Me Shawl by Stephen West
Yarn #1: Wonderland Yarns & Frabjous Fibers Mad Hatter, Pigments Of Imagination
Yarn #2: Spun Right Round Sport, Happy Holi (note: I’m not actually sure about the base on this one, as the sport version I found on Ravelry has a different twist than what I used)
In the meantime, I’m also:
Reading: We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry (Feminist Book Club’s February selection; the 80s, field hockey, witches, and Salem - my vibe!)
Watching: Bel Air (I really thought this serious take on “Fresh Prince” would be bad and almost quit after the first two episodes, but I kept going and now I like it)