Elizabeth Zimmermann's Pi Shawl-Plain

Meet Knit Picks, Shadow Gypsy Tonal, 100% merino hand painted lace weight wool. Isn't she lovely?

Last July when I first started knitting with our local library's knitting group, I was told about Elizabeth Zimmermann.
I rented her books and videos and she quickly became my knitting 'hero', not so much for her knitting, which is superb, but for her attitude toward knitting. Her love for wool influenced me greatly and I, too, love wool. The beauty of her Aran sweaters and the ease in which she knit them, make ME want to knit an Aran sweater, and I will, someday. But for now, I am working on her Pi Shawl. You can find the pattern in her book, Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac.

I really want to make the pretty shawl in the picture there, which is 72 inches across and those appear to be life size sweaters and mittens, etc., but I believe I should attempt the plain shawl on page 81, since it is my first shawl. I think with the red wool it will be as lovely as any shawl. Future shawls may be more elaborate.

I will keep you updated on my progress.
Oh, I want to thank my sister Robin for her gracious assistance in helping me learn the Emily Ocker's crochet cast on for the center of the shawl. If you decide to make a shawl and don't have a 'Robin' to help you with the cast on, you can go here and here to watch it on YouTube.