The Mistake - AKA The Design Element!

I've been busy making lots of hats for Delaware Head Huggers the past few weeks.  My supply was getting low and some centers requested more hats and I've been focused on hats and not much else.  But, this weekend, in between hats I stumbled upon:

heartbreak, disappointment, frustration!!!!  I finally got around to blocking my shawl...............and found THIS:

Apparently, about 8 inches in from the start, I reversed the entire pattern......I'm guessing by repeating a row or skipping one.  Either way, I'm so aggravated with myself.  This was supposed to be a gift, but now it will be my very own shawl...............since I will be able to hide the mistake when wearing it! Or as Jess at Lion Brand said on Facebook - "not a mistake - a design element!"  Either way, I can't give it as a gift now. 

There is perhaps a way to rip things out and work backwards to fix it, but it's beyond my abilities.  So, thankfully, I started Christmas knitting early and have time to make another one.  Of course, I'm out of that color yarn and I really don't feel like redoing that pattern again right now, so I'll be trying a different pattern and hopefully my results will be better......or at least all facing the same way! 

Oh well, since I was so frustrated I took my Schnapps to the park today for a nice long nature walk and he had a ball!  Maybe we'll go back tomorrow.  For now, I'm searching patterns to decide which shawl to knit next.

Happy Knitting!!!