While I really, truly enjoyed knitting every stitch of this, my first pi shawl, I really didn't feel that I got cocky- as far as I had been aware, The Greatest Knitter in The World did not put in an appearance, I did not deserve to be humiliated by the fates, as a penalty for my hubris.
Even so, I managed to find a novel way to balls it up. Taking it off the needles last night, ready to start crocheting the beautiful border, I found that it seemed, well, smaller than I expected it to be. On inspection, I realised that at some point (probably the 24 rows @ whatever stitch count one) I, kind of, forgot to double the number of rows. So I knit two consecutive bands at the same number of rows. Which meant that subsequent doublings were also out by one. I wondered why I had the idea that EZ had said you'd probably only need to knit 40 rows or so at 576 stitches. That would be because you were MEANT TO KNIT 96. You (and by you, I mean ME) were meant to have already knat 48 rows at whatever the stitch count before 576 is (I refuse to further humiliate myself by trying to work it out). So, you know. My pi shawl is really pretty, but quite a lot smaller than it would have been if I could count. Ok, so you live and you learn (again, by 'you', I mean 'me). Next pi will have the correct number and width of rings in its trunk.
What I want to know, if you have read this far- is it worth continuing with this pi? I can stretch it, easily to my arm span (5'4" ish). Could I expect to block loosely knit merino/mohair laceweight to this extent? That's probably 30% larger than its unstretched circumference. Would a shawl 5'4" across be any use to any adult-sized person? I want to have a hint before I mess with the border. Yes, I can block it and see... and I will, but I thought some of you more experienced shawl mavens might have ideas- this is my first, "complete" shawl project, if you can call it that!
I am calling the pi shawl "done" even though it remains to be seen whether it will get a border or not. This gives me the opportunity to work on my friend E (who I don't think reads here)'s birthday present, only a month late. Delicato mitts in Abby's
special handspun handdyed merino- my friend E loves orange as much as I do, and this yarn is so special I really have to use it for a gift, yaknow?
Look, ma, I'm doing magic loop- twice in a month now. The only needle I had in close to the right size for the mitts was a circ, so I gave it a go. Those Knitpicks cables are so flexible- even a very short cable is working fine.
