Did you bind off your Burning Branch Shawl? One of my favorite parts of any project with lace is the blocking.

Because of the unusual shape of this shawl, it can be a little tricky to block  I laid it out on m blocking board and pinned out the SSKs then smoothed the rest of the shape and pinned it.

I love taking a dried lace project off the blocking board. It is so satisfying when you remove the pins, pick it up, and the beautiful shape stays.

Now you can wear your finished shawl. Check out the different ways Katie is wearing our sample.

Do you love your shawl? Any questions we didn’t answer?

Now that we have completed our three leaf repeats, it is time to work the last leaf and twig border. You’ll work the first part until there are 9 stitches between each marker.

The twig pattern is formed in the next section and is repeated until you have 2 stitches before marker B. This will be your k1 and ssk like before.

Tip: As you’re working, you’ll being to be able to read your knitting. There were a couple times I was purling back on the wrong side row and I realized I missed a yarnover. This is super easy to fix without undoing what you’ve already done. When you get to the point where there should be a yarnover, simply pick up the bar between the two stitches and purl it – instant fix.

Kirsten designed this pattern to use all of the BFL skein, so you may run out before you finish the pattern repeats, but the great thing about how she designed it is that it’s okay! I ran out (with enough to bind off) when there were five stitches between the markers and it still looks amazing. You could also do the last section in a coordinating color for a different look.

Next week, we’ll wrap up the Burning Branch Shawl KAL and block our shawls!

This week, we move on to knitting the leaves of the Burning Branch Shawl. I love the leaf pattern of this shawl and the way it develops. It has me thinking spring, and I’m definitely ready to see leaves on the trees again.

In the first row of each leaf section you’ll be placing your ‘B’ markers. this is why it is important to have two different colors of markers.

Tip: If you don’t have different color markers, you can use scraps of yarn. I often just grab a short length of yarn from a nearby scrap ball and tie it and use it as a marker. Then I don’t have to worry if it falls off and rolls under a chair since it is just scrap.

For each repeat you’ll work until there are two stitches before your ‘B’ markers. These will be your k1 and ssk.

After working the first leaf you’ll repeat it two more times.

The wrong side purl rows are starting to get long! Purling is not my favorite thing to do, but I’ve been catching up on old TV shows on Netflix as I knit this.

How is your shawl coming?

We’re kicking off our latest KAL (knit-a-long) here on the blog today! When Kirsten finished 514 Burning Branch Shawl, we loved the unique shape and the BFL Fingering dyed by Gail is amazing to work with and wear.

For the KAL, you’ll need a skein of Valley Yarns BFL Fingering Hand Dyed, size US4 needles (I used 32″ Addi Lace circulars), and stitch markers*- 6 each of 2 different colors, and the pattern.

In the first section, you cast on, place you ‘A’ markers and work 12 rows to set up the pattern.

If you’re going to be at Stitches West this weekend, make sure you come visit us in booth 604-612 and 703-711. We’ll have the sample, pattern, and yarn so you can start right away. You definitely want to check it out in person. It is gorgeous!

We’ll continue next week. Hope you’ll join us!

*My stitch markers were purchased from Knitifacts etsy store.