Hmm. My usual take on shawl lengths is that the heavier the yarn, the longer it ought to be knitted to come off feeling like the proportions are right. This is a fingering weight baby alpaca (what else?) It seems to be about 20″, maybe 21″ long; I’ll know after it’s blocked. Each repeat is 3 1/2″, and I’m thinking one more repeat. If I left it as is, it would come out like how the pink Julia shawl looks on the model in “Wrapped in Comfort.”
I’m thinking yes, one more repeat. I would put it onto two circular needles to hold the stitches over a greater length, dampen it down and let it dry to get a more precise measurement before stopping, but I have lost my other pair of size 9 Holz and Steins. Let me repeat that. I lost my Holz and Steins. The rosewood 32″ circs I knit every size-9-needle shawl in my book on. The not-sold-in-the-US-anymore, best-tipped, best needles on the (not on the) market, made from leftover wood from making musical instruments, irreplaceable Holz and Steins. The last time I definitely remember seeing them, I packed them in my knitting bag along with an extra ball of yarn to go hear Stephanie, just in case I should run out of my Sea Silk project. (Fat chance, especially with my then-sore hand, but knitters understand. That extra ball of yarn happened to weigh a pound. Of baby alpaca. Of course.)
I am writing about my acute sense of loss in the hopes that Murphy will smack me upside the head and instantly taunt me by finding them.
Meantime, I thank you all for the respectful discourse on my Why Vote post. I photo’d our holly bush and captioned it “prickly subject,” and I’m pleased and relieved at the reception the post has gotten, even from those who quite disagree with me. I think I’m going to keep it to that one entry and just let the comments continue, should anyone feel so inclined.