Woman vs. Shawlette

I mentioned earlier in another post that I was in a sort of Mexican standoff with "Ishbel". I thought that this fight would be won when I called in the cavalry on knit night. To be fair, this wasn't their fight, and they were as mystified as I was. A day or two later I rallied the troops for a frontal assault. I didn't think I would win. In fact I thought that there would be heavy casualties, mostly involving me swearing a lot, and then weeping in a corner. Within two minutes I had found the stray yarn over and was advancing towards victory with no doubts as to my superiority. After years and years of knitting, I am a battle hardened commander of yarn. I should have known that the shawlette was just feigning a retreat so that it could sneak around for a good swift kick at my rear.
Mid way through the lace, I realized with horror, that I did not have enough yarn left to finish her off. The shawlette had me surrounded and was cutting off supplies. The only way to win was to throw the original battle plan in the bin, and go all in. First, I dug out some a small ball of cashmere in a similar colorway. By some miracle of Jupiter, it was actually the same weight, and looked pretty next to the body of the shawlette, but it was far too small a ball. I knit forward, and ripped back. I tried to skip lace charts. I tried to rewrite lace charts. I was losing. I started to swear. I started to yell. In a completely unladylike display, I ripped out the needles, frogged back several inches and tossed the shawlette on the table. I was preparing to wave the white flag, when I noticed that the shawlette looked good, remarkably good for something that was missing it's border.
I made a snap decision. I would let my enemy lie there thinking she had won. The following morning I would retrieve my needles, and finish her off. After a sound nights sleep, I went in for the kill. By 10am the following day, I was casting off. Victory was mine. I tossed her in a hot soapy bath, and pinned her down.


I am not above humiliating a shawlette on a towel.


I was so pleased with this victory, that I cast on for a matching beret.


I'm not prepared to wear these two items at the same time. There's something a little creepy about a matching beret and shawlette. However, it's nice to work on another knit with the same lace pattern, while it's still fresh in my head.


The beret is also cashmere, and so far, it's been a real pleasure. I'm not going to let this one get even a step out of line. Remember the Alamo, or whatever.