Once in a lifetime*

164,000 stitches + 1500m of silk thread + 350 hours of work = one cobweb-weight wedding veil and a delighted bride.

I’m so pleased with how this turned out. It was an insane amount of work and it isn’t perfect but it is beautiful and everything I hoped it would be.

Remember those stitch patterns that I claimed would really “pop” after blocking?

Speaking of the blocking, it turned out not to need to be painstaking after all. A simple wash and stretching out was enough to let the stitch patterns shine. I could have pinned out the edges to get a more even circle but the slight unevenness doesn’t show at all when the shawl is worn.

The shawl is now destined for life as a family heirloom. It’s somewhat impractical for every day use but will make a beautiful christening shawl when the time comes.

* I like to stay positive on the internet, which is why this post’s title is “Once in a lifetime” and not “Never again under any circumstances whatsoever”.