Pattern: Ishbel from Whimsical Little Knits by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Squoosh Alpaca Silk and Cashmere (Fingering)
Size: Small
Yardage: ~ 275 m (300 yards) or 3/4 of the skein
Needles: 4.00 mm bamboo circular


Here we have another case of procrastination - not of finishing but of posting - I finished this shawl in time to wear it to my staff Christmas party in mid December. It took me a little while to get a nice sunny, uncluttered day when I could get some nice pictures of it but really it was the writing that was taking me ages.

A whole post of "it's just so wonderful" didn't seem like a very useful review but it's really all I've got to say:


The pattern is lovely and well written. Ysolda offers both text and charts (my preferred method for lace) and two sizes to accommodate your wishes and available yardage. The cast-on is the cleverest thing in the world and completely disappears into the top border.

This yarn is sublime - so soft - a little more prone to slipping along your needle than plain wool but it's a compromise I'm very willing to make. The colour is warm and shifts ever so slightly between lighter and darker shades - just enough to make the stocking stitch interesting but not enough to distract from the lace pattern. Perfect for this project.


I love wearing this shawl. It tucks around my neck like a scarf and keeps me just the right temperature. It's  fantastic at making an otherwise plain t-shirt look a little bit dressy and pushes whatever I'm wearing into the "outfit" catagory.