Well this post has been a long time coming! But, I’ve finally woven in the ends and blocked my Find Your Fade!
As you can see, it’s GIGANTIC … and I love it!
I mean, it’s really massive….
One might say even a little unwieldy …
But it’s all the better to snuggle in for it:
I started this shawl literally as we drove out of Los Angeles on the last Saturday in July. In our mad dash to move out, I hadn’t even had time to wind the yarn!
It was the perfect project for our cross country adventure — the color changes and bits of lace kept it interesting, but simple and easy knitting, with minimal pattern consulting necessary (key if you get car sick!) And, if you squint, I think the color progression, from the sunny yellow start to the deep teal green, sort of represents the changes in landscape we witnessed from sun-bathed LA, to deserts, to the Grand Canyon and red rocks of southern Utah, the plains of the midwest, and the summer greens of the Appalachians.
Despite some second guesses that happened along the way — in the end, I purchased three skeins on the road, none of which ended up in the finished shawl — I knitted this completely from stash, with one exception. Most of the yarns are tied to a special place or memory: from the Lime and Violet yellow yarn that starts the shawl, one of the first handdyed skeins I remember buying, to that bright, lime green I bought from Neighborhood Fiber Co. in Baltimore when I still lived there, to the skein of Arcaunia wool that I remember purchasing with my mom on a trip to one of our local yarn shops at home many years ago, to the teal that finished the shawl off — the remnants of a special skein that Mr. N bought me from New Zealand, which I’d used for my Droving Socks. The only new yarn in the bunch is that light gray with speckles — bought from the lovely Gather DTLA from Long Dog Yarn during her trunk show — but I was glad to incorporate a piece of California into a shawl that began its life there! (Full details on each skein are over on my Ravelry project page.)
I got maybe two thirds of this knit done during our road trip — and I love that the memory of each color is tied to the places we saw! Then, when my visa didn’t arrive in time, I continued knitting on this while I waited — I think it’ll be many months more before I can look at that neon green section and not think of the hours I spent on the phone, repeatedly changing my plane tickets to Britain. I stood knitting on the shawl in lines at the airport when it was finally time for me to fly over to join Mr. N here — and I suppose I finished it amid the craziness of my first days and weeks in the UK– though between the jet lag and the hubbub of finding a place to live, I hardly remember doing it! But I know it was done before we moved into our little house, and its sat patiently in the WIP basket by the couch, waiting to have its end woven in and for a good blocking.
I imagine I’ll spend as much time wrapped up in this on the couch as I will wearing it out — and that’s just fine with me — though I’m sure when I do wear it out, it’ll brighten a grey winter day! I love it, but between this and my Starting Point, I think I have enough fingering weight ginormous shawls to last me for quite awhile …
I love that I’ll have this shawl to remember a very special trip — isn’t it funny how our projects can be imbued with such meaning? I am a bit annoyed with myself though, that I did so much second guessing about colors and bought some yarn I really didn’t need. Both gorgeous skeins bought from lovely shops … that deserve to be knit with, rather than thrown in my stash heap! So I thought I’d try something I haven’t done before a…
GIVEAWAY!
The cake on the right is some gorgeous Dream in Color Jilly in the colorway Anything Goes. It’s a nice 100% superwash merino single ply — I love all the beautiful, complex autumnal colors it contains! The greeny blue one is Shalimar Yarns Breathless yarn – 75% superwash merino, 15% cashmere, 10% silk in the color Lean on Me. It is just a very few yards short of a full ball as I knit a a couple of rows of my shawl from it — I was worried I didn’t have enough teal, so I tried to stretch it with the Shalimar (ultimately, I would have been fine without it, but no matter!) I love that together they even look a bit Christmas-y!
Anyway, it’s all very simple, if you’d like one of these beauties to come live with you, just leave a comment here and tell me which one you’d like (I’ll ship it anywhere)! If you’d like, you can also tell me about a particularly memorable project you’ve made, or what you’d do with the yarn if you win, but it’s not required. On December 8, I’ll make up two baskets of names, one for each yarn, draw a name, and contact you by email to arrange mailing the yarn to you (so make sure to include a current email address where it asks for it in the comments!)
Hope your week is off to a good start!
Xo K
fiber and sustenance 
Wow, that is a biggie! Lots of gorgeous colours. A project that gives you such a mixture of memories about a significant time of your life is wonderful. I’m a sucker for autumn colours so would like the Anything Goes if I win the generous giveaway. I’m interested in merino singles at the moment and it would contribute to one or two projects I have in mind.
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Your shawl is absolutely gorgeous! I love the colours you chose!
I love merino yarn. I think the greeny blue one is my favourite.
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Your Find Your Fade is gorgeous! What an amazing memory of your road trip. I love both of those yarns….but I think I’m leaning toward the Anything Goes. I’ve started knitting a lit bit again, despite my arthritic finger not having gotten any better. I should be finishing my mom’s Antarktis very soon and then back to my Starting Point! Possibly with the Arctic Cardigan thrown in somewhere…
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Your shawl is stunning! The size and colors are just perfect. Having the special yarn and memories will make it a treasure:)
I’m game to enter your giveaway. Just drop my name in with the Anything Goes group:)
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Both cakes are gorgeous! I love that you did this on a cross country trip with the color changes. My husband and I are hoping to go on a cross country trip this year, so this is a great idea.
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I’ve recently fallen in love with all things fade. I need to make one! I think the autumnal color cake is gorgeous! Love your shawl.
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Your Fade is stunning!
I love the Shalimar colours.
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It’s such a lovely shawl! Nothing better than a giant, cozy wrap at this time of year. My favorite knitting project was a lacy New Look dress in red yarn; I found the pattern a few months after I started to learn to knit, and was so excited when I made & wore it a couple of years later.
I’d love the Anything Goes yarn; I adore reds & maroons.
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It’s beautiful! I never would have been adventurous enough to think to combine all those yarns, but I love how they came together! Sadly I have too many skeins marinating in my stash to join the drawing…
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Oh my goodness! I have been waiting with bated breath for this post! This is so very, very gorgeous and God bless you for having the patience to complete such a humongous project 🙂 It really is stunning and I love your hair like that. It’s super cute. You can put my name in either bucket…they are both gorgeous 😀
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Oh, I love the Anything Goes colourway! I just came back from a vacation in Hawaii and knit a sleeve throughout the week – now the one arm will always remind me of coconut trees and the road to Hana!
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Reblogged this on Yarnsage.
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Your shawl is beautiful… I love the colour combinations and how big it is and how different the shapes are of the different coloured sections. I can sense your excitement and completely understand it. I’d love my name to go in the shalimar draw please. The greeny blue colour is gorgeous
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What a mighty shawl, and what wonderful colours you used. I love that it reminds you of a trip, it’s nice to have fond memories in the shape of a shawl, not just photographs!
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I absolutely love everything about this post. ❤️
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Your Fade is just awesome! and I loved hearing about all that went into its creation. I have similar memories from many of the things I knit, where I bought the yarn, who I was with while knitting it, etc., and that just adds to the charm of the project. I often try pass along one of these memories when I give a piece away (knit at the highest spot in PA…), but fear this is something only another maker could appreciate 🙂
I would be happy with either yarn and think it’s very sweet of you to offer.
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I love the autumn colors of the Dream in Color Jilly. so much pretty.
I love the idea of you wrapping up in your shawl on chilly mornings and having all the memories good and bad of your journey.
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I really loved the story of your shawl. My stash is like that – travelling is when I break my yarn diet, and I only ever buy single gorgeous skeins of sock yarn. Perhaps I should knit a Find Your Fade as well! Choosing the colours gives me the fear, though. Both of your yarns are gorgeous, but the Anything Goes is calling to me.
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Just found your blog this morning. Cannot imagine knitting such a huge shawl riding in a car—it really is a beautiful remembrance of your trip. So kind of you to offer your extra skeins. If I should be so lucky, I would love the Lean on Me skein. Thanks and enjoy your new home.
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I love either ball of wool they are beautiful but I particularly love the russet one on the right! A memorable project was some socks that I bought the wool for at Maryland Sheep and Wool and started in the US and finished in the UK – the wool was a lovely purple Marigold Jen! The feeling of starting a project in one country and finishing in another!
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Gorgeous! Lots of work too. I’d love to enter for Anything Goes
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Typo on my email.
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I love how intertwined your shawl is with your journey, the places you’ve visited and your memories. And it looks so cosy and perfect for the impendeding chill! I would love to win the blue-green yarn; I also have my sights set on a big enveloping shawl, the puddle dive by the Crochet Project. Thanks so much for the giveaway! And delighted to have found your lovely blog, I’ll have a good read tonight when I’m not meant to be working! 😬
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Found your blog some months ago via the monthly AYOT KAL. Whenever I don’t feel like writing I check here to see if you have written something: the perfect positive distraction. Like you I spend most of my days at home trying to finish my monster of a dissertation. It has something to do with manuscripts and printing as well and thanks to your Instagram I just spend 30 minutes searching for the Karie Westermann book (no luck) I always tell people that my knitting helps me to handle the academic world…unfortunately there are some who think me even more crazy once they know I am a knitter.. 😉
I do feel rather greedy for joining your give away..but the Anything Goes colourway is very welcome to come and live here 🙂
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Wow! Your shawl is amazing!!! My favorite project is the one I’m finishing up right now. A test knit sweater that is turning out drool worthy. I like the blue green because I am a sucker for blue!
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I would not have the patience for that shawl! It’s gorgeous and big and much respect to you! I’d love to be entered in the red skein but throw me in either, they are both gorgeous!
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I would love the Dream in Color Jilly colorway Anything Goes, it’s absolutely stunning! I would use it to make a hat for myself. I’m totally in love with this color!
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Your shawl is absolutely gorgeous!!! I would love to win the green and blue wool/cashmere/silk blend in the color “Anything Goes”. It would be an awesome Christmas suprise! I would possibly make a hat, or a pair of socks, or a pair of mittens, or a… oh I can’t decide!
Thanks for the chance!
Anna
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I would love the Dream in Color’s “Anything Goes”!
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Oops I meant Jilly!
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