The shawl that finally ends

Front of the shawl

I finally finished my Damson shawl! I've been knitting this shawl for over a year. Ok, that's kind of a lie.  I mean, it's been hogging my needles for a year, but I was so over it that I put it down for about eight months.  I decided it was finally time to complete it as I was only about 20 rows from completion.  It just so happened that they were rows of 300 stitches and more, interspersed with an entire row of purling between each pattern row. Uggghhh!

Back of the shawl

I forced myself to sit down over the course of a few nights and whipped out (ok, well, slowly churned out) the end of the shawl.  The final bind off row was over 500 stitches and was pure torture, but it was so worth it when it was completed! I blocked the shawl into place and within 24 hours was wearing it in this perfect California Spring weather.

Pre-blocking

Blocking

This was my first knit shawl, and like childbirth (well, from what I've been told) I forgot the pain this inflicted and instantly cast on another shawl.  Not the same pattern, and I swear it seems like it should be less painful... right? Uh oh, what have I got myself into...