So today, perhaps inspired by Eunny’s post on blocking, I decided to finally get around to blocking my Diamond Fantasy Shawl. I knit it with some very very very fine black lambswool (825 yards/60 grams). It was a challenge, but then I suppose it’s best for me to knit black lace while I’ve still got good eyesight.
First I soaked it with a little bit of gentle soap. Some of the dye seemed to come out in the washing, but the rinsing was fine. I squeezed it gently in a towel. In case there was more colour leakage, I got out an older sheet to block it on. When gingerly started laying it out on the guest bed I realized that it was so big it would have to be laid out diagonally. 
It was light and lovely, then disaster struck – I spied a gaping hole that wasn’t part of the design.
It looks like there was some breakage here causing the hole. Hmm, sad, and it’s way down near the bottom. I decided to press on. A little later on this other hole became evident. This just looks like a little knitting boo boo. 
Hmph. Now I’m worried, but I continued blocking.
Great. I love it. It’s light, it’s mostly done, but now what the heck do I do? How am I to properly repair these holes? I can unknit & drop stitches wonderfully, but I’ve no idea what to do with this finished cast off shawl. Time for a bit of denial before moving on to a solution.
Oh, my goodness me! Your knitting is beautiful. What an absolute pain to find disaster like that. I have two suggestions – look at Jackie’s tale of woe, here: http://www.heartstringsfiberarts.com/shawlrep.shtm
and maybe get a copy of “Flawless Knit Repair” by Rena Crockett. It’s not very expensive and I know Marsha has it at The Needlearts Bookshop. (http://www.needleartsbookshop.com/knitting_books/Flawless_Knit_Repair.html)
I wish you the greatest of good luck with it. It really is beautiful and so worth the effort to try and repair.