Lilaceous

Ravelry informs me that this, the Lilaceous Shawl by Derya Davenport, was my second finished object of 2013, which would make it the first object finished in our new home of New Mexico.  (In fact, I remember binding it off while we were still living in a hotel.  In the blocking photo below, you can see there are still unpacked boxes by the piano; I must have blocked it just before I went to visit my parents in Cyprus.  About which more later.)

Overall it was a quick and relatively easy knit. As I noted on my Ravelry page, some of the instructions weren't very clear.  Specifically, the construction is unusual (you begin with the central portion and then the three "wings" are knitted separately), and the way the designer oriented the pattern made no sense whatsoever to me.  The jury is out on whether the problem is hers or mine.

The yarn is Palouse Yarn Company Super Lace (75/25 wool/nylon, 1000yds/113g skein), with which I really enjoyed working.  (In fact, I have another two skeins still lurking in my stash.)  I don't know if it's the nylon or that it's on the tightly-spun side for laceweight, but the stitch definition is just beautiful.

It went off to live with my friend Brittany, because she deserves it.  And I went on to block more things.  (In fact, I blocked my Rose of New Mexico today.  But you won't get pictures of that one for a few more days.)