I took on a challenge at the beginning of the year, to knit 10 shawls in 2010. I was doing well too, knitting one shawl a month. I’d planned my shawl for June – a large, navy blue Ishbel. I’ve made two large Ishbels before and it’s not a difficult pattern, so I wasn’t worried about making another.

Then I had what I can only describe as some kind of weird knitting mental meltdown. I started and ripped back my Ishbel so many times I lost count. I made the simplest mistakes. In the end, I had to leave it and work on something else because I was getting nowhere. Do you get this too, or is it just me?

Happily, that phase passed and I picked up my Ishbel again. Once I started, I made quick progress, knitting all the charted sections over a weekend and no mistakes! I used 4mm needles and Grignasco Merino Silk in ‘French Navy’. I held the yarn double because a single strand was more like cobweb than lace weight yarn.

I do like the finished shawl and the yarn is beautiful, it has the most amazing sheen. However, I am disappointed that the ends of the edging aren’t pointier. I cast off loosely using the p2tog method advised in the pattern, but I guess there wasn’t enough give in the yarn. I wet blocked the shawl but I couldn’t coax the ends into any more than shallow points. I’d use Jeny’s surprisingly stretchy bind off next time for a more springy cast off edge.


I haven’t been knitting much since I finished navy Ishbel because I’ve been experiencing pain in my hands and arms. I don’t think working on a computer all day helps, but I’m guessing that, sadly, the main cause of the pain is knitting.

I don’t want to do myself any lasting damage, but stopping knitting just isn’t an option. I enjoy it far too much. I like doing something creative in my spare time and I find it immensely relaxing. I love the other things that go with it, too, like getting to know other knitters and sharing a common passion. I’ve given my hands a break this weekend and I don’t know what to do with myself.

Unfortunately I’m going to have to knit less until the pain diminishes. Also, knitting cotton yarn is a no-no as its’ lack of elasticity makes my hands and arms hurt after a short time.

I’m wondering about learning continental knitting, as most of the pain is in my right index finger which ‘throws’ the yarn around the needle in the English style, whereas in continental knitting the yarn is carried in the left hand and ‘picked’ by the needle. It uses different motions and muscle groups in the hands, so I thought it might help avoid repetitive strain injury?