A Forest House Fiberworks original, this shawl was commissioned as a Christmas gift for December, 2001. On October 23, 2001, I fell during a tap dancing class and broke my left wrist (See "Bear Magill"). Though I was only kept from knitting for two weeks during recovery, the work of knitting was significantly slowed, resulting in the shawl not being completed until January 12, 2002 (the cast was removed January 4). I didn't miss any tap dancing classes, though!

The shawl is shaped in the style of the Faroe Islands; that is, it rests hands-free on the shoulders. Guidance for the neck-down construction of the shawl came from Myrna Stahman's Stahman's Shawls & Scarves Lace Faroese-Shaped Shawls From The Neck Down and Seamen's Scarves (Boise, Idaho: Rocking Chair Press, 2000). Its lace pattern is adapted from a 1950s lace curtain design by Marianne Kinzel called "Rose Leaf" (New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1972). The yarn is two-ply handspun dyed black merino.

The most significant liberties (risks) taken with Stahman's formula were in the areas of the width of the center back panel; the length of the "seam", which allows for the proper drape at the shoulders; and with the center front increases, which stopped at the bottom of the "straight" section of lace panel before the start of the rose leaves. Happily, the yarn and patterns cooperated resulting in a pleasing design of completed lace panels.

The shawl is shown laid out on the Tibetan Rug in my livingroom, drying after blocking with blocking wires.