Someone is knitting the Princess Shawl

or rather they are about to embark on the adventure.
No, it isn't me. I don't use other people's patterns.
About 18 months ago I ran a class which was supposed to be an introduction to Shetland lace knitting. I must have taught them something because  word got around and then someone who knew someone who knew someone else got in touch with me and said,
"Can you help? I want to knit the Princess Shawl".
Oh. Right.
Now I need to explain here that the Princess  Shawl is a pattern by Sharon Miller. Miller is an expert at Shetland Lace. She has written a very valuable (and expensive) book about the topic. My copy is looking distinctly "used". It's a rather technical book - not for raw beginners. There is a lot of valuable information in there.
But all that is of little help to a woman who lives in a remote area of this state who tells me she loves to knit lace. She has done a lot of it. She sent me some photographs of her work. 
Yes, she has knitted many Danish, Estonian and German patterns.  From the photographs they are lovely. I would say she was a skilled knitter.
But, the Princess Shawl? Even she has some qualms about it. The pattern runs to pages and pages. It costs £15. Yes, a lot of money for a single pattern. Someone in the United States sent me a copy. There is a young adult I know working towards going to Europe to study such things and we have both looked at the pattern in detail. She won't knit it yet - may never knit it - but we know about it now. What is good about it is that both A.... and I have managed to learn a great deal from looking at it so closely.
It is finely constructed. There are finished examples on Ravelry. 
The pattern is not one I would want to knit even if I did knit other people's patterns. I wouldn't want to knit it because it simply would not be practical. It is very big. It needs to be but, while it would make a magnificent wedding veil, it isn't an every day or even an occasional sort of item.
I like things to be a little more practical than that. I have made shawls, many shawls. They are designed to be used. Not so long ago I saw one I had made being worn. I didn't know the person wearing it because it had been raffled off for charity. I assume she won it - or someone else won it and gave it to her. I didn't speak to her about it either but I had a momentary thrill as she pulled it a little tighter around her in the cold.  It was a relatively simple knit.
The Princess Shawl is complex. It has more than one part, edging, border and more.  It requires the ability to use extremely fine  yarn - yarn which is called "cobweb" in the craft...and yes, it is that fine. I don't think I could manage that - and I have other things I would prefer to do.
But I will knit this shawl virtually. I will work with this woman who has the courage to try something new to her. A.... might learn something too. It's going to be interesting and challenging.
I am looking forward to it.