Dathan Hap- an accidental keeper.

 

In September last year I went through my wool stash in an effort to use up leftover wool. I set aside three bags - one of alpaca, one of English Breeds, and the largest, one of Rowan Felted Tweed, matching each bag with a shawl pattern. I resolved not to start or buy a new project until I had made at least one of these shawls. I did break my commitment to knit the Justice beanies but otherwise stuck to my resolve.

The Rowan wool was left from two major projects, a large cardigan and a blanket.

There were several complete 100 gm balls and more than a dozen substantial partials in a range of colours. 

I found a pattern in Kate Davies's  Knitting Season book. It is also available on Ravelry. Named Dathan Hap, its four row pattern, designed for stripes, increases at the edges and the centre, so infinitely expandable and ideal for my purpose. 

I began in early October last year, playing with colour combinations as I went. I had (still have) 3 balls of black, which I had intended to disperse throughout, but quickly changed my mind.

The pattern increases both in the centre and edges, adding 10 stitches every 4 rows, creating a roughly triangular shape. I stopped when I had 615 stitches on the needle. I still have wool left, and could have kept going. I stopped because I didn't want it to reach the ground when on - and I was finding half an hour to knit one row was getting a bit tedious. 

I had not intended to keep this for myself, but tried it out on an early morning medical visit. It was comfortable, warm, and easy to put on and take off. Two people at the surgery exclaimed and asked where I got it. Later in the day a man in a park stopped me to ask about it, called his wife and friends over to look at it, and told me it had made their day. Reactions at my Pilates studio were similar.

After 10 and a half months I'm glad to have finished it and surprised at its reception and usefulness. It seems I have a keeper!