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The current state of the moth shawl. I have started using the new red yarn. It's a pretty good fit considering that I bought the new red twenty years after the first. The moth body is in the old yarn. I'm stitching the wings in the new yarn so that I don't have an even more awkward change of colors. The new yarn is from Brown Sheep and is called "Red Wing". I like it so much I may buy enough for a sweater.
These process photos are really useful because I can gauge the "mothiness" from a distance. I may alter the white wings a bit...... I'm probably too lazy.
Here are photos of the shawl so far. I just finished knitting the base shawl two days ago. It took seven skeinc of Patons Chunky Shetland Tweed in Charcoal Grey. I started with seven stitches and increased every other row until I had 228 stitches and ran out of yarn. The borders are in seed stitch. The photo on the left shows the shawl laid out with a temporary gridwork to help me place the graphic. The vertical lines are placed every 10 columns. I also have markers placed vertically every 25 rows. The phot0 on the left shows my "pixellated" photo of a Virgin Tiger Moth. The actual chart is about 220 stitches by 70
rows, which does not fit the shawl exactly. I have done a sketch, in pencil of a moth on a graph that is closer to the dimensions of the knit piece. Between the two diagrams, I am duplicate stitching the insect graphic. I have just started on the head and will next outline the abdomen. From there, I will work the wings on either side.

The triangular shape reminded be of Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewelry, which I just love. The only problem I have with this project is that I can't make it scientifically accurate. I've been wrestling with the charts the entire time I spent knitting the shawl and simply couldn't work that part out practically.