# Look At This Shawl!



## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

I am in love with this shawl. 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/holbrook-shawl

Not like I can tackle this now...but... ohhhhhhhhhh...it is so beautiful. I would even buy the yarn now (anticipating tackling this) if I could find it but none of the links to the recommended yarn have any available. 

Isn't it just beautiful?


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

Wow! I absolutely love that!


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

I've made that one!!:sing:
I've actually got all of Dee O'Keefes patterns, she is an awesome designer.
The little white one I posted a pic of awhile back, is her Tristano Shawl.

I made the Holbrook for my dd last year for Christmas, did it in a soft grey silk, came out wonderful.

If you want to try a great lace shawl, her Ashton Shawlette is a great beginner one.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ashton-shawlette
Her directions are very complete, easy to read, and she gives blocking instructions as well.
I HIGHLY recommend her patterns.:thumb:

Kas, it's just a sock/fingering weight yarn. Pick any one you like, you don't have to use what she did to get awesome results..


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Farmchick, I felt the same way as soon as I laid eyes on the pattern! 

Debi, that's great feedback to know her directions are good and best of all to know that you made it! Maybe I will buy the pattern and start looking up the stitches...

I just have to make that shawl.... 

What if I become a shawl-aholic? :shocked:


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

hercsmama said:


> I've made that one!!:sing:
> I've actually got all of Dee O'Keefes patterns, she is an awesome designer.
> The little white one I posted a pic of awhile back, is her Tristano Shawl.
> 
> ...


i don't think I even remember how to knit. I can crochet...only the very basics. I don't know that I could ever read a pattern! LOL Quilting, now that's another story.....


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

I wish I were thinner so that I would look better in shawls.

That shawlette pattern is very pretty! It sounds like a good one for a beginner.... Thanks for that link!! I downloaded it and I think I can do this one!! I really think I can!!!


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Farmchick, I have crocheted all my life but just took up knitting recently. I have done one scarf, all in one stitch.  Now I'm working on a shawl that is made of bulkier yarn that's kind of lumpy - so it's very forgiving. I pester everyone here for help because I have NO CLUE what I am doing. 

I love quilting, too, though I am not tremendously skilled at it. My sewing machine knows more about it than I do. hahahaha


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Kasota said:


> What if I become a shawl-aholic? :shocked:


:rock: Welcome to my world!!!!


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Look at this one!!! I'm not ready to tackle it yet...but someday I WILL! 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/california-poppy-rectangular-shawl


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Psstt... hey, hey Kas.
come and check this one out.....
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/alpine-meadows









I downloaded it the other day...


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

OMG - another beautiful shawl and a free download, too! I could so see that in sage green worn with a black top and pants for work...


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

The tutorial in the Ashton shawlette pattern is EXACTLY what I needed! I am going to learn to read charts!!! There is a wealth of information in that pattern! I can't believe how little yarn it uses...and it's just the perfect thing to dress up some of my blah work clothes! 

I think I'm doomed....


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

I have a cone of a merino/silk, lavender lace weight, I'm going to do maybe three extra repeats of the lace edge, to make the whole thing deeper, and possibly add beads, but I haven't decided for sure on that yet.....:sing:


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

:gaptooth: I have converted another to my evil ways!!!!!

Seriously, the Ashton is a great one for beginning lace knitters. Just remember the row counters, and the trick regarding the lifeline.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Now, this one http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/summer-love-wrap








Is one I am currently working on.
It's a ridiculously easy 4 row repeat, nothing to it.
It also might be a really good one to build your confidence.
I work on this one in the car, as I have the pattern memorized, it's just that easy.
I've already got it to the pattern length, but am going to go ahead and use one more skien, that way it will be a bit longer.
Oh!
I also made mine a few inches wider, by simply taking the pattern stitch count, and adding another three repeats.


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## MamaRed (Dec 18, 2013)

These are so beautiful! I have GOT to figure out how to read patterns. I know what all the abbreviations mean, my brain just refuses to translate them into English.


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

You ladies are killing me! I love shawls!!!!


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

More shawl patterns!! YAY!!!


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Beads? BEADS??? Shawls with bing?? Oh, be still my heart.....


I found that Summer Love shawl yesterday and have it bookmarked! I would want to put some kind of fancier edging on the short ends. I have some yarn I bought at Shepherds Harvest that I was thinking of for that one! 

MamaRed, if I can do it anyone can. Seriously. I have no clue how to read a pattern. I have one window up with my simple pattern and one other window up to show me how to do a stitch...and I just do the next thing. I am working on the world's most simple one right now and I simply "do the next thing" on the pattern. My biggest problem was losing my place so I took the directions and put them into an excel document. That way I am not confused by "Row 7 and 8 are repeats of rows 3 and 4" and then further on it will say repeat rows 2-12 9 times." (or something like that) There were repeats buried in the repeats. So I just put each row on it's own line...and then I can highlight the row I have completed. It's been way easier since I started doing that. I am also using a bulky lumpy yarn because it is very forgiving of my first attempt. When the tension isn't perfect it doesn't show at all. It's giving me confidence. 

I can see where people like charts for some things.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Debi - will you post a picture of the one you are working on currently? 

I think we should re-nick Debi. We could call you Shawlmama. hehehehehehe

Come over to the shawl side, Luke.....


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## MamaRed (Dec 18, 2013)

Kasota, that's a good idea! I watch tutorials on YouTube, and take notes, then keep going back to watch and rewatch. An Excel sheet would make it much easier. I think a shawl with beads would be dangerous for me. I'd have too much fun making it make noise everywhere I went.


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## Jacki (May 13, 2002)

For free patterns, try MMario's patterns. The site on rav is MMario Fan-knitics. Most of his patterns are charted and written. Some have a choice of nupps, or beads. Unless his one brain cell is misfiring, all the patterns are surprisingly easy, and there are many enablers to hold your hand.

Jacki


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Jacki. good point!
MMario also has a yahoo groups page, it's free to register, and the people, in my experience, are very nice!


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Kasota said:


> Debi - will you post a picture of the one you are working on currently?
> .


I'll see if I can get one today...:thumb:


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

Here's a shawl I did recently ... handspun the yarn ,AND my first time with BEADS !!! ( it's SOOOO easy !! )


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## lambs.are.cute (Aug 15, 2010)

This is he one that I'm working on. Well eh pattern anyway since mines back and not done yet.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

LAC, what pattern is that?
I'm dieing over the edging!:bouncy:


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## KansasFarmgirl (Jan 1, 2008)

Miz Mary, what a beautiful shawl! I love the idea of the beads in it too! 

I didn't think I wanted to do a shawl, because I don't know if I would ever use one, until I saw this pattern. And now the one Kasota just posted too! And the others too! They are all so pretty! 

View attachment 31370


It's a free pattern also. 

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEss14/KSPATTregenerate.php


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## lambs.are.cute (Aug 15, 2010)

It is from my all time favorite knitted lace book Victorian Lace Today. Here's the ravelry link 
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/myrtle-leaf-shawl-with-willow-border 

I've done this pattern three times and love it every time. First two times were with silk in lace and then cobweb weight and now I'm working on one in cobweb weight wool. I had to double he number if stitches to get the width and it is even prettier the finer you go.


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## mrs whodunit (Feb 3, 2012)

*drool*


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## Mrs_Lewis (May 15, 2014)

hercsmama said:


> Now, this one http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/summer-love-wrap
> 
> 
> 
> ...



When you say ridiculously easy, would it be possible for someone who's ever only mastered making knitted "let's call it a scarf"?

I once bought a book on " Easy knits for baby", that didn't turn out too well, but great for pressing flowers!

I've got arthritis and a short attention span, but would love to make something like that.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Well, I would say it is, with a bit of coaching for sure!
The stitches used are Knit, Purl, Yarn Over's, to include YO's before a Purl, Slip Slip Stitch, Slip 2 Knit 1 Slip 2 Slipped stitches over, and Knit Two Together.

None of them are difficult really, except maybe that Yarn Over before the Purl, for that you simply bring your yarn to the front, yarn over all the way around to the front, and then Purl the next stitch.

I'm sure you can do it.


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## Mrs_Lewis (May 15, 2014)

I'm going to try it.

Downloaded the PDF file, I've seen programming code make more sense than this lol, will be some Google involved.

Quite excited, this forum is great!

Thank you.


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## MamaRed (Dec 18, 2013)

Oh, gosh! I'm feeling like a kindergartener trying to stay in the lines while coloring with fat crayons. OK! I'm spinning a multi-colored merino yarn that I'm planning on using for a throw. Instead of going for a basic pattern, I'm going to find something that at least LOOKS a little more challenging. I'm still crocheting, not knitting. My left hand doesn't always do what I want, so I'm better with just one hook.:ashamed:


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

> What if I become a shawl-aholic? :shocked:


 Don't worry, you will :hysterical::hysterical:.

Funny you should mention the Ashton Shawl. Im currently doing its top & Im going to try & swap out the bottom. Im going to try to put on the bottom part of the shawl I just finished instead :dance:


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Jacki, I will for sure check that place out, too! 

Oh, Miz Mary! Your shawl is so lovely and you handspun the yarn! And beads, too! 

LAC, that edging is really unique! Someday...someday...I will be able to knit that up, too! 

KFG, I didn't know if I would use one, either...but they are so beautiful...and so fascinating! And there are so many kinds! Winter shawls and summer shawls and little shawlette's to dress up an outfit for work. I love that deep purple color...

Mrs. Lewis, I'm so glad you found us! This forum really IS wonderful! I am looking at that one, too. I downloaded the pattern and haven't quite figured out one part of it but I'm sure someone will help me when I get there. I was thinking the pattern would look nice as a scarf done up in something worsted and pared down to two of the long row patterns.

MamaRed, there are also some really nice shawl patterns for crochet. I've got some stashed somewhere and I'll see if I can find some tomorrow. 

PearlB, I would love to see pictures!  I think the one I am working on is my gateway shawl. haha! There's no turning back...


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

I can do pics soon. Im at the beginning of the switchover row. Im not sure how long that's going to take, or if this is going to work. Since both patterns have a 12 stitch repeat, Im hopeful it will.

I did an Ashton Shawlette version about a few months back, in Noro fingering.I gave it to someone for a B-day present.

I had real problems with chart 3. I don't know how many times I ripped out & redid that part. Its not complicated stitches either. Its just the amount & way they are laid out. At least for me it was, :hysterical::hysterical: Its near impossible to use stitch markers too. That shawl taught me a lot!


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

I took the pics of that wrap, but as usual, I have to wait until I leave the house to have a signal, so my phone will send the pics to my email.:bored:
Heading into Kearney today , so I should be able to post it this afternoon sometime.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Here you go Kas, and Mrs Lewis, and who ever else is interested.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Its going to work! Got the 1st few rows of the 2nd pattern in.
Its these 2 patterns,
Ashton Shawlette, up to Chart 2A, Leaf Bud
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ashton-shawlette
& Echo Flower Shawl, border charts 1, 2, 3 & Edge chart.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/echo-flower-shawl

I love doing the top part of the Ashton, & the bottom charts of the Echo.
I cant wait till its done! Both patterns are free. 

Im using Cascade Yarns, Forest Hills. Lace Weight, 785 yds. 
51% silk & 49% Merino. I love this yarn!


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Pearl, that's great!
As long as your stitch counts are the same, where you start the next chart, it should be fine.:goodjob:


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

PearlB, how beautiful!! Where do you get the yarn? Is there someplace you can order it online?


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

what GORGEOUS shawls !!! Love that color, Hercsmama !!

Pearl, that pattern is so pretty !!


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## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

This thread seriously needs a "Holy cow! That's gorgeous!" button. Stunning work!


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Thank you!



hercsmama said:


> Pearl, that's great!
> As long as your stitch counts are the same, where you start the next chart, it should be fine.:goodjob:


 They are nearly identical. All I had to add was 1 stich per side :sing:



Kasota said:


> PearlB, how beautiful!! Where do you get the yarn? Is there someplace you can order it online?


I got it from paradisefibers.com. I think its a new line. I love the stuff :kiss:. I bet I wont even need to block much. 
http://www.paradisefibers.com/cascade-forest-hills.html

The bottom is going hopefully to look like the bottom on this one
I love doing the nupps!


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

That is so beautiful!! 

What are nupps?


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

They look like little bumps/balls of yarn. I found it in Estonian knitting, Im not sure if its exclusive to it.

You Y/O 7 or 9 times in one stitch. On the way back, on the purl row, you purl all loops together as one.

Took me a little while, Ive got a kinda technique worked out for making em.
[YOUTUBE]NpSIViuXTBs[/YOUTUBE]


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Nupps can be fun, but can also be a pain, that's were I substitute beads sometimes....


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

This project has a lot of em too. That's why I wanted to repeat this part of the shawl. Its going to be slow going for awhile, with lots of breaks, as they do get a bit tedious.
I definitely like your idea of beads & am going to remember it :rock:


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Fresh off the needles. Still needs to blocked & tails tucked in.

My yarn was 785 yards. The 2 small bits is all I have left. Towards the end I was really sweating whether it would make it or not, I got Lucky! :sing:


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Oh, PearlB! That is just flat gorgeous!! Everything is so nice and even! I'll bet all those nupps took forever!! What a tiny bit of yarn you had left. I would have been anxious....

I posted this on the FAC thread but I'll post it here to tuck in in the shawl thread, just for fun. Here's a picture of my first ever shawl.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Pearl your shawl looks beautiful! I can wait to see it after it is blocked.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Thank you! 

Im happy with the way the nupps came out. I think its going to look so much better when its blocked too. Its smaller than I thought it would be, strangely triangular too. :shocked: I thought it was going to be more square.

Kas,

That's fantastic for your 1st shawl! :thumb: Its the perfect size, & looks like it will be warm too. Your Mom looks so happy & cute!:sing:


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Thanks, Pearl! I am beginning to think that all the women in the pictures of shawls that I see as I sleuth for patters are diminutive. LOL! What I need to do is take a piece of fabric and figure out what would drape well in terms of size. 

I am struggling some with keeping the tension equal when I knit vs when I pearl. Haven't quite figured it out yet. It's easy for me to control the tension when I knit...but pearling just feels awkward to me...like there isn't an easy way to hold the yarn and so the pearl stitches always seem a bit more loose! 

Practice...practice...find the right YTube video....practice....


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

A bit of advice on size. I'm not a little person at all. 
I have found that any shawl with a finished size, after blocking, of 72x20 to 72x24, or at least 72x anything over 24 seems to suit me well. I normally wear a size 14 in jeans, so not small!
What ever happend to that size 5 me, I often wonder where she went....she seems to have disapeared sometime after the 4 kids came along...need to find her...:ashamed:

ANYWAY!
If there is a pattern I like, but the finished size is smaller, I just do more repeats of the body pattern rows. Now, this of course means you need to adjust for more yarn consumption, and possible do a bit of math to make sure you stop at the correct point to get the border stitched right, but that isn't really all that difficult.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Debi, thanks for those words of wisdom! I wear size 14 jeans also, so I'm not small either. My problem is that I'm decidedly larger on top. Buying shirts has always been a pain. If they're big enough in the chest they are falling off my shoulders and look sloppy. I will have to figure out how big a shawl needs to be to cover the bazooms. More repeats, yup!! 

Hey! That could be a whole new sideline...shawls for curvy girls!


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Kas, 

I knit & crochet tight. I have to consciously loosen up, especially for shawls. My 1st Ashton Shawlette was tight......... & it was a nightmare.......... especially when I had to go back & take stitches out & redo. To tight looks bad............. It does it just looks ugly if its really tight.

So ya, its just practice & figuring out what works. I still have to work at all that too.

Hercsmama, Thank You!

Im small, just 125pds. Im going to apply what you said. I like my shawls big & loose! I thought about it last night, maybe Im wearing them wrong. Or have the wrong idea on how they should fit. My neighbor who is bigger than me likes em small, & they look good on her too.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

OK, true confession time...I'm a DD on top, and find the 72" works, but if your bigger than that, you may need to take it to a 74-76 whatever. 

To measure for the right length, put your arms to your sides, hold them out at a slight angle,45* should be good, and have someone run a tape all the way around you, then add for the amount of excess you want, usually at least 12" per side. You can add as much as 18, but that would probably allow you to tie it in the back.:thumb:


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Pearl B said:


> Kas,
> 
> I knit & crochet tight. I have to consciously loosen up, especially for shawls. My 1st Ashton Shawlette was tight......... & it was a nightmare.......... especially when I had to go back & take stitches out & redo. To tight looks bad............. It does it just looks ugly if its really tight.
> 
> So ya, its just practice & figuring out what works. I still have to work at all that too..........


 Pearl, go up a needle size or two. If the pattern calls for a 4 use a 5 or 6, I think you'll see good results this way. It will also allow you to block a lot easier.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

DD here as well. I had kinda hoped that when I did a shawl I would look all slender and breezy like the woman in the picture. 

I wanna know who stole my magic yarn and replaced it with the non-slenderizing kind!!!


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