When All Else Fails . . .

. . . Follow Directions!

Lace shawls are all the rage now, with both knitters and crocheters.  I think their ethereal beauty is what has been drawing fiber artists to them in droves in recent years.  I've started making lace shawls, largely because of a real need to bust my stash, particularly of the lovely fingering and sock-weight yarns I have been lucky to receive in my various Ravelry swaps.

My current project is the Ostrich Feather Fandango Shawl, created by Tracey McCorkle.  It is a very different shawl; its feathered shells add a three-dimensional quality to what traditionally are flat, two-dimensional pieces of fabric.  See what I mean? It looks like it is ready to take flight.  

This beautiful Ostrich Feather Fandango Shawl was crafted by 

Siljuska 

from Finland.  I only hope mine turns out as well. 

Linda, my friend and crochet mentor, often jokes that I am an "uptight crocheter" because I tend to crochet on the tight side.  One would think I would have a strong preference for following written crochet instructions.  Hah!  I embarked on this project much in the same way I approach most of my crochet jobs crafted from someone else's pattern.  First, I glance at the pattern, then memorize any repeat, and wing it from there.  Unfortunately, my modus operandi didn't work here.  Unlike all other shawls I have made, this pattern is not symmetrical, although the result is supposed to be.  Clear as mud?


Rows 1 through 14.  All was well -- symmetry reigned.  

Row 15.  A shell seemed to be missing.  Okay.  Easy fix.  I added one.
Row 16.  Don't know why but it started with a sc but ended with three dc. Again, the shells were off.  Thank goodness shawls are symmetrical and it is easy to match up the right and left sides.  Fixed this one.
Row 17.  Ughh!  My wide shells and open shells and closed shells seemed to fall in all the wrong spots.  And that nonsense about starting the row with a sc and ending with a dc just didn't seem right, right?
Row 18.  Damn!  Nothing is right.  In fact, it's looking more than a bit lopsided.


Made the decision to frog, to rip back to the last symmetrical row. Printed out an updated version of the pattern, studied the offending rows, and marked up the margins like I used to do when cramming for college finals.   


Row 15, again.  Ignored the obviously missing shell.
Row 16, again.  Worked it as written.  Still not comfortable starting with a sc and ending with a dc.
Row 17, again.  Made sure to count every stitch.
Row 18, again.  Things are looking up. I'm beginning to see the symmetry. In fact, it's no longer lopsided.
Rows 19-21. Making progress.  Finished the first repeat, although row 21 was a bit convoluted!  
Rows 22-26. Finished the second repeat.  Only another four or five repeats to go.


I guess I should have taken Tracey's cautionary notes to heart:

"PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS, INCLUDING THE NOTES AT THE END OF THE PATTERN, BEFORE ENDEAVORING TO BEGIN YOUR SHAWL. THE NOTES FOLLOWING THE PATTERN WILL BE TO YOUR BENEFIT, AS THE SHAWL IS NOT SYMMETRICAL WHEN THE PATTERN IS BEING WORKED."

Tracey notes that several people have complained about the pattern because it is not truly symmetrical, although the finished product looks symmetrical!  Last week, i would have been among that crowd.  Now, after frogging, I see the error was with with me rather than with Tracey's pattern.  Admittedly, I would only recommend this pattern for advance crocheters who feel they can grasp the pattern and then recreate it themselves through the repeats.


Now that I am following directions, this shawl is going to be beautiful when completed.  I already have a recipient in mind.