I started this shawl on a Wednesday and finished it on Sunday. That’s right, it took less than one week to knit. The combination of a few different simple lace charts and larger yarn and needles really made quick work of this pattern.
Pattern: “Springtime Bandit” by Kate Gagnon Osborn
Yarn: Diamond Galway (100% wool)
Needle: 5.5mm (The pattern pdf suggests this size, but the Ravelry pattern page suggests 5mm, confusing!)
This shawl is destined to be a store sample at Knit Knackers. I can totally see myself knitting it again however, next time I would like to try it in a yarn with some silk and/or alpaca fibre content.
Points:
2 points – simple shawl
4 points – yardage (400 yds used)
3 points – lace
1 point – first time knitting this pattern
10 points – total
I think that the real reason this was such a quick knit is because of one of the paradoxes of knitting: things that logically seem like they should take longer to knit actually take less time.
Examples of this phenomenon are stranded colourwork and lace. The patterns are more complicated than “just plain knitting”, but for some reason they seem to knit up faster.
Maybe it is because the knitter’s interest level is easier to maintain due to the variety of stitches or colours. Maybe the desire to “knit just one more row” or to finish another repeat of the chart is a stronger motivator than finishing another inch of plain stockinette or garter stitch.
I don’t know! What do you think? Have you ever worked on a more complicated project that seemed to fly off the needles?
I agree that the complicated ones fly off…..until they go wrong, and then they languish on the ‘I’ll get back to it’ pile for much longer than others would, too much trouble to sort out I suppose! I love this pattern by the way, think you may have sold me on it!
So true!
Yup, you totally have to knit one!
I love this pattern too! I think that I might need another one…
I know, it’s so beautiful and easy to knit.
lol, I just realized I forgot to update my points. I’m crazy! Will do that now