Inspiration
A Shawl Kind of Gal
When I first started knitting back in the ‘80s, I focused primarily on sweaters. I didn’t really know anything about shawls, and socks just weren’t on my radar.
In my defense, shawls and socks weren’t as big then as they are now, and so I was a sweater knitter.
I think it was while reading a blog (remember those?) that I first discovered that women my age were knitting shawls. I wasn’t necessarily convinced by that first sighting.
Maybe it was because she had her husband model the shawl; maybe it was because I had a stereotype of who wore shawls.
This was the Twentieth century, after all. We were modern women, and shawls smacked of an older era and old-fashioned ideas of dressing. I really thought shawls were not something I’d ever incorporate into my wardrobe.
The first shawl I knit was a simple garter stitch triangle shawl. I knit it because I liked the yarn; it was a bouclé and dyed by the indie dyer Fleece Artist, and it was rainbow colored. I wasn’t exactly sure I’d wear it, but I wanted to work with the yarn as well as support a Nova Scotia dyer.
It was straightforward and easier than I’d anticipated. I’m not sure why I thought a garter-stitch triangle shawl would be challenging; I think I just thought shawls were challenging, and this might have been another reason why I wasn’t rushing to knit one.
I think it was the second shawl where I jumped levels and went straight to lace. I bought some yarn at A Verb for Keeping Warm and tried the Elizabeth shawl.
In my messages to the designer, I can see how I’d bit off more than I could chew because I really didn’t know how to read a lace chart.
Somehow, I finished the shawl, but because I was really stuck in my thinking, I believed I couldn’t really block it until I had a yardstick.
Here’s my confession – I still haven’t blocked that shawl. Partly because I still don’t have a yardstick and partly because I dropped a stitch and haven’t had the headspace to fix it. I finished that shawl around 2016. Feel free to laugh.
Shortly thereafter, I began to notice that shawls were popping up in my feeds and on Ravelry. Andrea Mowry didn’t look like a throwback to the old days when she wore a shawl, and I began to wonder whether I’d been wrong.
Friends of mine were knitting them as well. Maybe I could find a use for shawls.
I succumbed to the hype around Find Your Fade and bought the pattern. Then, in 2019, my partner and I took a long cross-country road trip, and I made Find Your Fade my travel pattern. I tried to find a yarn shop in whatever town we stopped in, and my shawl became a travelogue of our road trip.
Since then, I’ve knit many more shawls. What I’ve learned about shawls is that, in addition to functionality, they offer all kinds of opportunities.
One of my favorite things about shawls is that they remind me of a place or time. I knit the shawl in the picture at the top of this post (Good Vibes) with yarn I picked up last April in Edinburgh at Ginger Twist Studio. Whenever I look at it, I remember the trip I took to Scotland with my father and my son.
I was recently at a knitting retreat and surveyed my companions about shawls. Almost everyone at the retreat (total of 16 participants) had knit shawls—and many of them had brought both a shawl to wear and one to work on.
When I asked them what it was about shawls that they liked, I heard about the chance to work on new techniques, to try unusual shapes, and to make use of smaller bits of stash yarn. The ability to add instant warmth to an outfit was also noted as well as the power to elevate an otherwise plain outfit.
Knitting shawls also enables me to justify buying that skein of beautifully dyed yarn because I know I can find a shawl pattern that will use just one skein, like this Choose Your Own Adventure MKAL. I get to experience the unique yarn without having to try to incorporate it into a larger project.
Not surprisingly, the more shawls I knit, the more ways I find to add them to what I’m wearing.
I’m currently faced with a quandary. I bought a fade kit to knit Joji Locatelli’s Fading Point. I’ve started it, but I’m unsure of how easy it will be to wear.
I should know that my previous ideas about have shawls been proven wrong, but this is a big commitment, and so, I’d love to know if readers have knit these larger shawls and what their thoughts on them are.
I guess I am a shawl kind of gal now.
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I LOVE giant shawls! I’ve knit a bunch of them – Elizabeth Elliott’s Fissure (twice), a giant rectangular Pressed Flowers, ditto Honeycomb Scarf (try it with Freia for maximum cushiness). I wear them either wrapped around a few times (warmer than a cowl!) or once around the neck and draped over my legs for full body warmth while lounging. They are the best.
I am a shawl knitter. I often make smaller ones that are mostly worn center in front, ends crossed in back & draped in front. While I have made a few large shawls, I don’t find myself reaching for them as often. I’ve made only one rectangular shawl (Joji’s Starting Point). It’s beautiful, but I do find it a little harder to wear. That said, there have been a couple of times, when I knew it was going to be cool later in the day, that that large shawl was the perfect accessory.
Shawl pins have been a game changer for me in wearing larger shawls. I don’t like masses of bunched up fabric wrapped around my neck because it’s hot and much of the lovely pattern is lost. Using the pins has allowed me to fall back in love with wearing big shawls.
I started small with shawls, and just kept knitting bigger ones, by far the most populated item in my Ravelry category list.
Big ones are awesome as a take-a-long blanket when traveling. Or to the movies.
Stephen West’s Slipstravangza, Lisa Mutch’s Maple Point (my most recent shawl), and Andrea Mowry’s What the Fade?! are all beloved travel companions.
I wear smaller shawls more like a scarf around my neck than over my shoulders, and have some leather cuffs to keep the ends together.
I also wear shawls around my waist and always get a lot of compliments on the shawl and my creativity in wearing it. They are a fun travel knit, or TV knit, or anytime knit and so many different patterns to try.
I love giant shawls too. I wear my Starting Point by joji a lot and also knit Fading Point which I gifted and I know it gets loved and used.
“Loved and used a lot” is right! Also tried on by non knitters when they see me and ask “did you knit this, it’s gorgeous!”
I live in New Orleans, where it is hot 80% of the time, and my biggest shawl is the one I use the most often. The 4 skeins of sock yarn made such a luscious, cushy item that I grab it not only during our brief cold spells, but all summer when I’m heading out to eat, to church, to a movie, or everywhere the blessing of air conditioning may be a bit much. It’s so much better than a sweater, because I can wrap it to keep me warm right where needed…neck, arms, back, legs.
I think I just convinced myself to make another giant shawl!
Pattern please
Loved your story about shawls. I have always had a shawl growing, up near Pittsburgh, PA. Winters were cold . It was also a tradition to get a whit shawl for ‘First Communion’, knitted or crouched by a family member. As a child I made many black shawls for the Nuns, using many different stitches . Today I love the variety, style and fashion designs of the shawls available.
Thank you for bringing back sweet memories.
I have one giant shawl. It is wonderfully versatile. I can wear it as a shawl or scarf (including head covering) or even use as a blanket on an airplane.
I absolutely love knitting shawls–it’s an opportunity to experiment with new lace patterns, new and different yarns . . . and one size fits all. Thanks for the Ravelry links–I added several to my Favorites 🙂
My favorite way to wear shawls is the traditional way — over the arms so you can hug it around yourself for comfort or for warmth. They are great for transitional seasons, as well as indoors during cold weather. They also make very caring gifts for friends in chemo or who have suffered a loss and need to be able to pull your knitted “hug” around them.
I love shawls and wear them often—to the office, working at the computer at home, to church. With larger shawls I usually just drape them nicely and use a shawl pin to keep it secure so I don’t have to adjust it all the time. And then I have an excuse to buy beautiful shawl pins—my favorite is a large dragon pin!
Agree that shawls are a ‘go to’ pattern to knit while traveling and are a wonderful reminder of each location. I wear them in all sizes and have knit multiples of many! One of my favorites (among many) is Fluxus by Natatia Hornby! I knit on that throughout a trip in Ireland!
I don’t call them shawls, I call them wraps and then I don’t feel so old! LOL Anyway, I have made a few large wraps and love them. I wrap them around a few times, wear them on the outside of a coat or jacket and use them for warmth at cold theaters or cool summer nights. Sweaters are great but you can wear a shawl with a sweater!
I love knitting shawls, lace especially. I love Dee O’Keefe’s patterns which are exceedingly clear. The shawl WIPs travel nicely and I agree with several folks who said they feel free to purchase one or two lovely balls of yarn while traveling to remind them of their destinations later!
Hi, Claudia! I did not make Fading Point yet, but made the Moving Forward Wrap, (large, over 84” long, basically a rectangle). I wear it often here in South Carolina. I think the shape is as important as the yarn. I never did many shawls when I lived in Pa, but find them quite useful down here with air conditioning, so have two on my needles right now. I am also now officially a shawl girl! My preference is rectangle or crescent, as they are the easiest for me to wear!
A shawl = old lady? Never had that association… What is a shawl for me?
A shawl is an elegant as well as practical accessory and a protection from either cold or sun. It can be a flashy statement like a painting worn on your shoulders or a humble extra layer.
I first started to buy these in a thin Indian cotton/muslin version as a beach wrap, gradually they became a colourful addition to a simple outfit: as a large scarf or wrap and by now they are also a creative outlet in my lace knitting (I make my own pattern as I go along).
I’m in high-gear granny mode: just finished a baby blanket, got a Le Square shawl on the dpns and a scrappy Atlas doily on a hook. Wheeeeee!
The Le Square wrap is gorgeous! I am ordering yarn to make it, do you have any recommendations?
Thank you for sharing!
I love this conversation about shawls. Knitting any size makes me very happy.
Great essay! I am definitely a shawl kind of gal, especially after moving to Florida from NorCal. Like you, I buy yarn when traveling. I now have a stack of shawls, all patterns and fiber, and it is handy when I need to send something to a friend in need. Now I am back in the PNW, I will knit a sweater. Maybe….
I’m a big girl who loves and needs big shawls, the bigger the better. They warm me when I need warm and look amazing when I want to look amazing. Oneway Roadtrip is my favorite garter stitch knit anywhere shawl and beaded Shetland lace is my favorite hunker down for a complex session type of shawl. Enjoy!
Shawls are not only fun to knit. They keep you warm without bulk, though I do have a soft bulkier one to cozy up on cold winter days. You can play with yarn and color. And they make great gifts because you don’t have to worry about perfect fit. Thank you.
I love big shawls and I love lace. This post has put me in the mood to knit another epic shawl project. Thank you!
I also love the idea of souvenir yarn and a knitted shawl or scarf is a perfect use for those beautiful skeins. My first souvenir pattern was Nathalie Sevant’s Eiffel Tower shawl using yarn from La Droguerie in Paris in a dark purple. It’s one of my favourites and every time I wear it I remember an amazing trip with my husband and daughter.
Large rectangular shawls (also called stoles) are my favorite!
Hurray for Canadian content!
Lovely read, and lovely shawls. I am a shawl knitter. However, have not become a shawl wearer, yet.
Have made at least 100 shawls,and yes i wear them And the minute i find another pattern i love will make another .Great article.
Shawls are my favorite thing to knit. I made the Elizabeth for my mom since it was her name.
Now, as unilaterally flat after BC, shawls balance me out
Your projects are beautiful. On Ravelry I posted over 450 projects, but lately I don’t post much, even though I am knitting everyday.
What pattern did you use for the first triangle shawl? I love it.
Perfect timing. What a great article!
I picked up my mail today (don’t worry MDK–I was out of town and my mail was being held) and my yarn for the Scout Shawl was there. What a treat! Now, to focus on my knitting.
I don’t wear them much and my lace knitting skills are laughable but I think they are beautiful and I think that is reason enough.
I had an unbelievable experience with moths, which I had never experienced before when I moved into an apartment very close to my mother. And after having a home owner for so many years I wasn’t prepared for the world of renting. Long story short is that moths destroyed all of my wool. Beautiful sweaters in the trash but I can knit different things but they are so disgusting
I love making shawls, and two of my favorites are my just finished Wayworn shawl by Mairlynd (Melanie Berg) in several colors of mohair/silk blends, and Garter Stripe Shawl from field guide Master Class (Kaffe Fasset) in Felted Tweed, both large rectangles. I fold them in half lengthwise to wrap around my shoulders like a stole, or open them up to wrap my whole self when I need more warmth. The Wayworn is so lightweight I can wrap it and tie the ends in front of me while I warm up in dance class when the classroom is cold. Smaller shawls are like jewelry or scarves, depending on the size, weight, and how you wrap them. And I love triangular or asymmetrical shawls with long ends so you can wrap them all the way around the waist and tie in back, like a vest. Lastly, if your body runs hot & cold, a shawl is better than a sweater because you can wear it for more or less cover, as needed. Yes, I’m a shawl kind of gal, too.
PS, I love your suggestion for Fading Point. It just might need to be my next new shawl.
I still haven’t become a shawl knitter. I’ve knitted a couple for myself and some for good friends (always the same model, Joji‘s Odyssey, because it’s fast, relatively cheap in Malabrigo Rios, takes me no more than 5 days and I can showcase there favourite colours and it’s a stunner). Very occasionally a shawl has something very special its pattern or technique to captivate me (Nastasja Hornby‘s Artus right now) and I succumb. But mostly it feels like a waste of time. I think “I could knit a sweater instead”. That simply feels like a better canvas to express my skills and my style. And MKAL’s are the worst. I tried several ones, some Stephen West ones because of his interesting techniques and I frogged all of them. I guess I’ll never be a “shawl girl”…
Large shawls are just gorgeous. I’m in the process of crocheting a big one. And looking forward to using it at work or at home to keep me warm. They’re like an acceptable blanket, even more than cloaks. I just love the shapes and the fact they go over every sleeve.
What do shawl wearers do about hair static? That’s my barrier. I love wraps and shawls but they don’t love me back!
Sounds like lack of moisture. Do you use conditioner in your hair? A humidifier in your space?
I love shawls, but am Most Particular about shape. Triangular are best. Half-moon are acceptable, especially if they are larger. I generally don’t bother with square or rectangular shapes because I probably won’t wear them. For work, I tend to wear a skirt or slacks with a camisole and cardigan. (Someone once described my style as “kindergarten teacher chic.”) A smaller shawl is perfect to tuck around my neck instead of a necklace. And a larger shawl can be wrapped around my upper arms and replace the cardigan.
I’m at the point where my shawl drawer is overflowing, and yet I have two more on the needles. Please send help. (No, scratch that, just send more yarn.)
Shawls are my favorite thing to knit! I think I’ve done at least 50 of them. Sadly, since I moved from Buffalo, NY to southern Florida, I don’t need them, so I gifted most to family and friends and kept only a select few. I much prefer knitting rectangular wraps like the Joji pattern you mention. Much easier to just grab one when it gets a little chilly in the AC. I always say “no more shawls,” and then find myself casting on another one!
I have a large stash of shawls I have knit, and enjoy lace and colour adventures. I am planning a charity auction to pass the shawls along. I wear shawls often, and there are shawls draped around my house for chilly visitors, cozy moments and for grandkids to make forts. Casual or formal, one will always brighten an outfit. Great to meet a fellow Hamiltonian with the same passion. Now in Ottawa, I continue knitting shawls and sharing them.
I love knitting shawls, but have issues in how to wrap them so they maximize elegance and minimize “you have a blanket wrapped around your neck”! Lately, I’ve been making rectangles, folding them in half, and sewing a seam with a neck hole left open. I guess that makes them ponchos, but I get the benefits of a shawl without the awkwardness of not knowing how to wrap them.
If you need ideas on the many ways to wear a large rectangular shawl, query Pinterest. There are a variety of easy and clever ways to add punch to your wardrobe. i.e. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/310678074312498768/
Oh Claudia, do block your Elizabeth shawl! Get some blocking wires if you don’t already have them… they make the process so much easier and faster. I had that project on my radar for ages, and at long last finished it a couple of months ago. It is so beautiful, and I want to make another of Dee O’Keefe’s designs soon!
Joji’s Fading Point looks more like what I would call a pashmina – a huge rectangle of fabric. Great for gathering up and wrapping around your neck like a scarf, or draping around your shoulders (and often tucking the ends under my arms) as a wrap against the cold.
As a scarf, I usually bunch the fabric up, find the middle, and with the pashmina folded in half, wrap it around my neck, shoving the loose ends into the loop. It’s basic, but a good guard against a cold neck.
And when I open up and drape the pashmina across my shoulders and down my arms, I feel like a fancy lady (and my arms are warm!)
I’ve knit many shawls, but I don’t really wear them as much as I used to. I’ve become a sweater knitter again. I will say that I do love my Fading Point (made with Neighborhood Fibers singles) but it is very very long – too long for someone who’s now only 5 feet. You could leave off one of the colors, and it would be just fine.
I love shawls! I can choose something complicated or mindless. Lace or garter stitch. And I don’t have to worry about sleeves, neckbands or whether the thing will actually fit someone. I’m house sitting right now and brought along three shawls (knit) and one sweater (crochet) to work on. However, two of the cats are very into sleeping on my lap, so I’ve accomplished very little. Shawls are my go-to projects. Knitting a sock doesn’t appeal to me at all. But kudos to those who do all that turning and heel stuff. Shawls are great for using beautiful yarn and they make great gifts. I’m making one for daughter-in-law at the moment. Anyone can wear a shawl. Drape it, wrap it, pin it. They’re always fashionable and comfortable.
I love to knit and wear shawls. I started with the Folk Shawls book and The Wool Peddler’s Shawl. I prefer a shawl to a cowl. Asymmetrical triangle shaped shawls work the best for me – probably a mid sized although I have a few large ones I wear around the house in the winter. For me they are comfort knitting and can be as simple or as complex as I need at the moment.
I have knit a couple. I love mine for working in the office. It’s always cold and my sweater gets in the way when I’m typing. I can turn it into a blanket or wear it as a wrap. It’s pretty versatile.
I very much enjoy your “knitting diaries”……I do love shawls, baby blankets and lap blankets, always an opportunity to experiment with yarn, patterns and stitches!!!! I’ve been looking for a “knitting retreat”….can you recommend? I live in New York ….many thanks in advance
Beautiful shawl I would love to knit so as well.
Thanks for this.
Have a wonderfull knitting day
I’d just like an easy crochet pattern to give to the homeless kids shelter. I’ve donated for 12 yrs now. It’s an awesome feeling. Thanks in advance if you share your pattern.
This was very sweet. Thank You
I have been a shawl kind of gal all along. I discovered I was good at lace knitting back in the 80s, but there really weren’t many lace patterns out there. I knit lace doilies, only I made them in heavier gauge yarn and made them bigger. Fashion caught up with me. I now have a whole armoire full of shawls.
You are an inspiration
One of the ladies in my crafts group is teaching me to knit and I feel like a total klutz (I’ve been crocheting for a couple of years).
It’s posts like yours that keep me going!
Beautifully done, I want to knit a sweater, but haven’t found a simple pattern. Would love these shawl patterns also. Great job.
It’s actually Patsy Barnett