Flagellation Shawl

I showed a glimpse of this shawl last week. 
It is Ilvy by Berniolies Designs, and a streak of masochism had me crocheting it on a 3mm hook out of coarse Swedish weaving linen that had been gifted to me. 

It was painful, frustrating and yet kind of enjoyably medieval. Despite several alarm bells, I stubbornly persisted.
A week later it looked like this, a heaving, hard, tangled lump of flaxen knots.

It was scratchy and shrunken in on itself and altogether unpleasant. As I completed the single crochet short rows at the top, it also became heavier and heavier and I sighed at my grievous error in yarn choice. But I had once again underestimated the awesome power of blocking. 
Be free, shawl, be free!! 


I love the finished shawl. And the pattern. I know I will wear this to death. I have already purchased another of this talented lady’s designs, Oswin, which I’m planning to do in a silky laceweight.

I also thoroughly enjoyed my birthday celebrations last week, and received a veritable mountain of beautiful handmade gifts! 🙂 Feeling very spoilt! Here are a couple:
M made me a treasure box full of goodies, plus this butterfly for the garden from 100% recycled materials.

He’s called ‘Crazy Eye’. 🙂

Scissor case and keeper made by my gorgeous mum.

A cedar window from my poppy, which he designed himself and carved from a single piece of wood.

Birthdays in our family are always a good excuse to make something. Next in line is Poppy, who will be 81. And I think I may have finally found a sock yarn that he won’t find too ‘scratchy’! 🙂
B