A Bit of Closure

I have had people who ask me why I make so many shawls.  They don't understand where I would go to wear them or how I wear them.  The answer is everywhere.  I wear them to church, to work, and a funeral.  I wrap them, and tie them, but most of the time I pin them.
Since I have begun knitting shawls, I have gathered quite a collection of shawl pins.  Here are most of them, graciously modeled on Gertrude with my Kudo shawl.
First up, is a metal one I got from Yarn Hallow at the first Greenville Fiber Fiesta  It is sterling silver wire curved and twisted into to an S curve, and skewered with a silver wire pin.

Next, are my straight pins.  From top to bottom, they are made of mystery red wood, ebony, bone, cherry, black walnut, and curly maple.  The white bone one is an old crochet hook I got to use as a shawl pin.  Later the tiny (very tiny) hook broke off.  I sanded it smooth, and rounded the point, and continue to use it. 

The straight pins are my favorite.  I pick them up at fiber festivals, or yarn shops.  The bottom three were purchased on etsy, hand carved, oiled and waxed.  And at a very reasonable price.  I especially like the larger knob on the ends that keep the pin from slipping through the holes of lace shawls.
I have two round pins.  They work like the silver one, in that they are two part ones, with a stick that catches the shawl in the middle and braces itself agains the circle.  The one is a shell like circle, and the other made of cherry wood.  The circle is smooth on this side and has a circle inscribed on the reverse side.

Yup, a bit of closure is a good thing.

And I can always keep my eyes open for more.