Although I learned to knit before I ever learned to crochet (when I was around 5 or 6 years old), the truth is I never even made an actual knitted object until I was 24. At that time I made a seed stitch scarf for eseprimo, after deciding that one crocheted one was enough. I don't know why, but I always found crochet to look better on women. Since then, a 2x2 ribbed hat with its corresponding ribbed scarf were my only FO's until now.

Well, some months ago I was in the middle of my last crochet obsession (triggered by joining LJ) and my sister kept on asking me what she could do with three balls of kidsilk haze she bought in England a few years ago. She absolutely adores the stuff, so I decided to make her something out of it. I bought some kidsilk haze in liqueur to make her a shawl.

I kept my eyes opened for a pattern but, unfortunately, she didn't like anything from Knitty... Then I saw Shawls and Scarves: The Best of Knitter's Magazine. It contains a very simple lace pattern that looked pretty and doable:

As usual, clicking on the pictures will show you bigger versions of them.

I think the stitch pattern is called ostrich plumes and it's just a variation of the usual feather and fan. The shawl took five balls of yarn and was worked with straight 3.5mm needles, just like the pattern calls for. The final measurements after blocking are: 22x80 inches. I know it's not perfect, there are at least three mistakes in it that I know of, but the mohair is forgiving enough that hopefully nobody else will notice.

Anyway, the shawl is now on its way to my sister and should arrive home with plenty of time to spare before her birthday.