Mom's Chemo Shawl (Stora Dimun)

Yes I started yet another shawl but there's a really good reason ... yeah, like I need one ;-)

When I was visiting my mom in Seattle she asked if I would make her a shawl that she could wrap around her to keep warm while getting her chemo treatment, and of course I said yes. She then went on to describe how she'd like it to look and sketched the shape. Basically a triangle with rounded corners and pockets. The color would be a sage green which is both of our favorite color. We laughed at her sketch and said it looked like a jock strap and I proceeded to draw up a different design with her wishes and we both liked it and I would try to go ahead and design this shawl. Well after a week of contemplation and swatching I realized that I was wasting vauable knitting time since I had a self imposed completion date of the Autumnal Equinox (9/23) so that she would have it to wear all Fall and Winter. I went to KR and posted a thread asking if anyone knew of a pattern that fit the required shape and several came back with 'look in Folk Shawl's'. Well that was a big, huge duh moment. My very favorite everyday type shawl book in the world of course there would be at least one in there. Sure enough there was... the very first one. Stora Dimun Shawl inspired by Norway.

The thing about this shawl is the construction is very different. You cast on stitches for just about the entire perimeter of the shawl.... 449 stitches. So I got busy and did a crochet cast on of 449 stitches. Wow, that's a lot of casting on. But the upside is that as you decrease in the 4 corners you have fewer and fewer stitches as you move along. I really like the clean but streachy edge the crochet cast on gives and now on to knitting. This really is what I'd consider a mindless knitting project with garter stitch, decreases and a fairly simple lace section that is both charted and written.

I'm only using 4 stitch markers to mark the 8 stitch border on each end and the 25 stitch center panel.

You probably would like the details now. I'm using Frog Tree Alpaca Sport weight in Sage (13) and I estimate it will take about 7 balls. I'm currently on my 3rd ball. Needles: Denise Interchangeable size US 8 with a long cable.

Here it is where I left it last night begining of row 33 of 175. Not bad... I should have this finished in plenty of time for Fall.

This is currently my priority project and I do have self imposed deadlines for the others in my life but we'll get to that another time.

I'll be taking this with me to Sacramento today. Gotta help continue clearing out my grandma's house.

... back on Sunday.