Small Fans Shawl

In an attempt to post something quickly last week, I learned, again, how much I dislike drafting posts on my tablet. I'm not sure what it is, but it is so much more twitchy than my desktop, so here I am, completely rewriting that post so it won't look horrible and might have more than three words.

I wanted to try out the Small Fans Shawl. I thought I might like it in this fine ombre yarn I received from Aunt Betty. I decided I really liked the work but hated the yarn. I'm sure it is a very nice yarn, but the wool is somewhat scratchy and not suitable for something you intend to put up against your neck. The design is free on Ravelry. I must warn you, though, it is not a pattern, it is a chart, and only a chart. If reading crochet charts isn't your thing, you've been warned.

I grabbed a softer yarn and gave the design a try. This is Chroma Worsted. I only had a partial ball, but I wanted to make sure I could read the chart and that I liked the result with this yarn before I pulled out enough for the project.

I grabbed three balls in one colorway and caked them up. Why did I cake them? I've had terrible luck with ombre and self striping yarns. I will almost always find a knot, joining two very different colors, in the middle of the ball. I don't want that to happen while I'm working, so I almost always cake the yarn. That way I am touching every yard of that yarn before it gets wound and I know what to expect. It also lets me make sure those joins are quality joins and to ensure the color flow is at least some semblance of what I want. I only found a couple knots in one of these balls. The other two were perfect. It also lets me cake them so the colors merge from cake to cake.

This was a fairly quick project. I worked on it during the week after dinner during our television time. We're watching Justified and enjoying every episode. This is pre-blocking. It measured about 64 inches along the top edge.

I wet blocked the work to open up the motifs. I really like how wet blocking opens up crochet or knit to really let the design shine. After blocking it measures 76 inches across the top edge and I don't think I stretched it as far as it would go. 

It is a very nice finish for a quick project. Next up is a test to see how far 100 grams of fingering will go with this pattern. I think this design would work up great in a single color, too.

Project details:
Clover Armour Crochet Hooks (set)
Clover Armour Crochet Hook (size H)
Chroma Worsted Yarn (five pack) The colors I used are no longer available but there are load of wonderful new colors. Or buy Chroma Worsted directly from Knit Picks.
Knitter's Pride Blockers Kit
Knit Picks Blocking Wires Kit