Frank is Finished

This knitting journey is complete! From a fabulous European vacation in 2022 that included a stop at the famed Stephen and Penelope Fine Yarn shop, to multiple pattern fails, to lack of motivation and other non-knitting projects, knitting this shawl has taken longer than I expected, but it was a lot of fun!

The shawl is inspired by the bold linear art of Italian-American Frank Stella, especially his early years in the 1950s. 

As usual, the Shady Grove yarn was not stretchy, so the piece does not block out to the full size as advertised. I’m not sad, since it is a monster size in the fully stretched version. I also felt that the eyelet rows were open enough to see the lace detail. 

Details:

Pattern: Frank Shawl by Joji Locatelli

Yarn: 3 skeins of fingering weight LITLG, color ways Dragon Seed, Hearth, and Tangerine and 2 skeins of Shady Grove Alpacas The Eleven lace weight held double 

Needles: Size 5 circulars

Date started: April 7, 2023

Date finished: November 19, 2023

Total weight: 305 grams 

It turns out to be in the perfect colors for fall and I enjoyed wearing it for Thanksgiving. 

Not sure if  “Signals,” by Jeremy Moon (1967) at the Milwaukee Museum of Art is inspired by Stella or just belongs to a general trend of that time, but it has some things in common with the shawl!

Modeling the ‘fit with my Herdwick sheep bag that I got on the same 2022 Europe trip in the Lake District in northern England. Beatrix Potter was famous for saving this variety of sheep and for preserving the tradition of Fell Farming before donating her Lake District properties to the British Land Trust after her death. 

Dark Star is also looking on. The Eleven was his half brother and the lace weight held double is so buttery soft and drapey! Of course it felt like twine while knitting before it was washed. 

Here’s wishing a peaceful beginning to the holiday season! I hope all gift knitting will be completed with time to spare!