It was worth the wait.......

20 October 2020

 

Way back at the beginning of September I shared a peak at the shawl that was off the needles and waiting on buttons.  I had bought the twenty five that were in stock at my local sewing shop and they were going to get some more in, so I could purchase the five that I needed.  When this has happened in the past it has been a couple of weeks, but we are not living in normal times are we, several weeks later and there were still no buttons.

They were having great difficulty getting any more stock, compounded by the fact that most weeks that I went in the staff did not really know what was happening, the owners of the shop were not around on the day I visited for over a month.  When I finally spoke to the owners, a week later she had got hold of some.  She was very worried that they were different and I would not like them.

I prefer them to the original ones I bought, which were yellower and not so interesting.  These are slightly stripped and are a much better match to the yarn.  I am told they are made with olive wood, I love that no two are the same.  I had to remove the twenty five that I had already sown on, very carefully so as not to damage the yarn.  At one point I thought I had pulled a hole in the yarn, but I was looking at the buttonhole band not the button band, oops!


I could of course have bought some buttons online but I like to look at them, feel them and check them for size.  I also love my local sewing shop, it is a treasure trove of fabric and notions, I am so lucky to have such a good shop in my local town.  They also only charged me for the extra five buttons and trusted me to remove and return the twenty five I had previously bought.  I love that I am a valued enough customer that I can do that.  

My shawl is slightly longer and narrower than the suggested finished measurements, it is almost long enough to be a blanket at 160cm (63") x 66cm.  I bought the yarn at a local -ish yarn store, it is their own yarn.  Its is wonderfully soft and has the perfect drape for this shawl.  I had quite a bit of it left and have already knit a hat and am now pondering what to knit with the rest.

The buttons that I waited so long for are on one of the short sides and halfway down one of the long sides, the other half is button holes.  The other short side also has buttonholes along its length.  There are many ways to wear this shawl, I love buttoning it up and making it into the poncho, I have also been experimenting with draping round my neck, I am sure I will find many other ways to wear it.

Pattern: Everyday Shawl

Yarn: Methera in Natural Grey

Joining Kat

41 comments:

  1. Beautiful, and yes, definitely worth the wait. I think for things like buttons, you can't beat looking at things in the flesh, they often look different to photos when you buy them online. I like how the shawl can be worn in a number of different ways, I'm sure you'll get plenty of wear out of it, and it's all finished just in time for the cooler weather we're now experiencing.

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    1. Thank you Jo. I agree with you about buttons, I don't think I could ever buy them online. I am have worn this lots already and hope that it will get lots of wear. It was worth all the effort.

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  2. It looks beautiful and worth the wait. What a lovely pattern. The buttons just add a special new dimension. I bet it’s cosy. B x

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    1. Thank you! It is really cosy, just what I need at this time of year.

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  3. Gosh, it is even more stunning finished than the little bits you have previously showed. Proves just how much difference it makes to wait for the right trimmings.

    Your shawl is a wonderful antidote to these times of fast fashion, and I would imagine will become something of an heirloom piece?

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    1. The right trimmings can definitely make a huge difference to a finished item. I know that some people buy these bits before they have knitted things up but I always wait until I have finished as I am never quite sure what I am going to want.

      The shawl is most definitely not fast fashion and yes I hope it does become something of an heirloom piece. My daughter loves it too.

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  4. Beautiful! So glad you got buttons that you like and I agree that looking and touching are necessary when making a purchase, whether it is yarn or buttons or fabric.

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    1. Thank you Debi. I do buy yarn online occasionally but I could never buy fabric or buttons online.

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  5. That shawl is a thing of beauty - yes, the buttons are very important (and integral) part - well worth the wait and the swap :D

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    1. Thank you so much! Buttons are so important aren't they. In the days before I knitted things I have been known to buy things and then remove the buttons and swap them for different ones as I didn't like the ones it came with.

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  6. Looks amazing!! I love the color of it and the cute button details. :) Thanks for sharing!
    Jenna ♥
    Stay in touch? Life of an Earth Muffin

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  7. That is beautiful and looks lovely and warm for these cooler days. How about some fingerless gloves to go with the shawl and hat? The buttons finish it off beautifully and were certainly worth the extra trouble.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Thank you Ellie, it is really warm. Fingerless gloves are on my list, I probably have enough yarn to make them and something else!

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  8. that is a gorgeous finish and the photos are breathtaking!

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  9. It's beautiful, and looks so soft. Completed in perfect readiness for the colder weather. X

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    1. Thank you Jules, it is really soft, such a wonderful yarn. It is ready at the perfect time, it has had lots of wear already!

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  10. What an interesting and beautiful shawl just the thing as the nights draw in ❤️

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    1. Thank you San, lovely to hear from you. It is just the thing for these cooler days and nights.

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  11. it looks great and perfectly in time for autumn. So lovely that you could shop local too. I knit this up a few years ago but just couldn't get the buttons evenly spaced and then the moths got at it - sadly frogged. Its a lovely design and def one i should try again.

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    1. Thank you! Shopping local is really important to me, I am so lucky to have some really good independent shops in my local town.

      I can't believe that the moths got to your knitting that must have been so gutting after all your hard work, I am so sorry to hear that happened to you. It is such a lovely design, and so clever with the buttons too.

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  12. Oh that is exquisite! I've never seen a shawl with buttons before..what a clever idea. It looks so warm and comfy -- like wearing a hug. :)

    I'm glad you were able to give your custom to your local shop - those little shops are a dying breed and so much is lost when they close down. I remember my Nanna telling me how going into her local 'wool shop' was as much a social call as it was a place to buy what she needed...everyone knew each other and there was a personal touch that's missed in the online/big box shopping experience. xo

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    1. Thank you so much Mel. It was the buttons that drew me to the pattern, it made is so much more versatile in how it could be worn. It is really warm and just like wearing a hug.

      My local town is full of small independent, owner run/managed shops. I love to visit them and chat to the staff. I totally get what you Nanna said about it being a social call, it is for me too. I really miss that when I go to other towns to shop. The personal touch is priceless for me.

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  13. wow! That was definitely worth the wait....buttons are perfect and the shawl probably the most versatile shawl pattern I've ever seen! Thanks for introducing me to it!

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    1. Thank you Steph. It was its versatility that drew me to the pattern, I love the buttons and the endless possibilities for wearing this. If you do knit this one day, I hope you love it as much as I do.

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  14. That turned out incredibly! It is stunning! And the buttons are PERFECT!! Well done!

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    1. Aww thank you Kat. The buttons were totally worth the wait.

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  15. Oh, my! That is simply lovely! Definitely worth the wait -- althought I would have gone mad with impatience, I'm afraid, not to be able to finish and wear that stunner of a shawl. Well done!

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    1. Thank you Kym. It was a little frustrating not being able to wear it for so long after I had finished knitting and blocking it but it has been worth the wait as the buttons are the perfect finish.

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  16. A lovely shawl and waiting for the buttons was worth it. Knitting has such a calming effect and to watch something so beautiful as the shawl to appear must have pleased you immensely.

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    1. Thank you Thelma. Knitting is really calming, I am never without a project. I love to spend a little time every day slowly adding stitches to my projects, and yes it is wonderful to watch it slowly grow.

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  17. It looks amazing! Such a lovely colour.

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    1. Hello and welcome, thank you for your lovely comment.

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  18. That is a beautiful shawl. Enjoy wearing it.

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  19. This is beautiful! I can see how soft it is on the first photo. Lovely shade, too. It goes with everything. You finished the shawl just in time for the colder months, it will be so nice to snuggle up with on the sofa, with a good book and a cup of tea maybe.

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  20. That is absolutely stunning! Well done X

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  21. Olive wood buttons? How sweet is that! I'm delighted to hear you now have the complete set and are trusted to return the others. I'm pleased you didn't go online, supporting your local business is far more important, despite the wait. Your shawl is gorgeous...are you sure you didn't star in Poldark???xxx

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  22. Lovely to hear from your Laurie, I am glad you liked my shawl.

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  23. Your shawl looks beautiful and warm. I love the soft grey colour. I love wooden buttons too and especially so when each one is that little bit different and unique. I'm sure you'll get to wear your shawl a lot as the weather shifts into your cooler and then colder months. It will keep you nice and warm! MegXx

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  24. Your shawl looks beautiful and the buttons are gorgeous. Worth the wait!

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