I Think I Want To Knit A Shawl

#1

…I just can’t decide what shape! :eyes:

Short background: I have a wedding reception to go to next month and I will be wearing a sleeveless sundress. I don’t like my arms, though, so I want to cover them up with something. For the reception I went to last month, I wore a black blazer, but I’d like to wear something lighter for the next one.

I looked around when I bought the dress but I could not find a wrap or cardigan that I wanted to buy.

I want to start a new travel project and I thought a shawl might be just the thing! I only need to decide if I want it to be [B]a circle or a rectangle[/B]. :smiley:

It seems to me a triangle shape might be quicker but also might not cover as much of my arms as I want, especially when I have to secure it so that I can chase after my toddler.

What do you think? I’m leaning toward a rectangle, but the pattern I picked is charted and I’ve never knitted to a chart before. I’m also interested in trying a circular project and EZ says the pi shawl is a perfect for traveling but I am not sure if it will cover as much of me as a rectangle might.

For yarn, I am not sure if I am going to use worsted or sport/DK weight, but it will not be any lighter than that, and I will probably even look at using a wool or superwash wool instead of my usual acrylic. :wink: I want to do it in a nice darker shade of red, so it mostly depends on what I can find when I go to the LYS.

#2

Personally, I like the rectangles better especially for that purpose. I just finished this one. I did it in Ella Rae Lace Merino. It’s more of a fingering weight not lace and I use a size 8 needle and cast on 54 stitches. It blocked nicely. Still no pictures. :doh:

If you go to the projects page and put DK or whatever in the search box you can see what it looks like in heavier weight.

#3

That is a nice pattern! I really like how it looks in the heavier yarn weight.

The pattern I had originally chosen was the Kimono Shawlfrom the book Folk Shawls, but Wisp looks like it would be quick and easy – right up my alley! :slight_smile: Thanks!

#4

You’re welcome!

I liked this one for the same reason. I do recommend a lifeline that you move up every once in a while. I moved it up every 2nd set of garter rows so if I had to frog back it wouldn’t be so far. It’s really hard to find your mistake in lace. :zombie: I still need to get some cute buttons for mine. :think:

I also like it in worsted or DK. It will be slightly warmer with more coverage. :thumbsup:

#5

Your post got me surfing :wink: I found this wrap - it looks very pretty, and easy. I may just have to cast on for it myself!
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/amelia-lace-wrap

#6

This was my first shawl:
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Bambi-M/easy-triangle-shawl-60301

I would never use homespun for it again but is was easy and sizeable and quite impressive once I FO’ed.

People have done it in all types of yarn. For summer a nice 4 or 5 wt cotton yarn would be lovely and not too warm.

#7

That is a very pretty shawl! Thanks for sharing. When I went to the LSS to look for yarn, the girl helping me told me that she is working on that exact shawl – how funny is that?

#8

I considered this one, but I have already made one of these for my mom with some extra LB Homespun yarn and I had so much left over that I am finishing up a second one so that I can take a picture of it. (She took it from me right after I wove in the ends and I haven’t seen it since.)

Your shawl is much prettier than mine (no picture to post yet, sorry) – I love the color you used!

#9

I have started on Wisp, using Malabrigo Merino Worsted in Ravelry Red. I knitted a sort of a swatch to pick my needle size but I should have knitted a larger one to practice the pattern first. (I am still in swatch resistance but with each project I’m warming up to them a little more. :slight_smile: Soon I’ll be swatching everything!)

If I had swatched in pattern, I might have cast on fewer stitches and not missed the eyelet rows. (I am still putting in eyelet rows, but they are spaced much farther apart.)

In its current state, it is 16 inches wide, which seems to be a comfortable size until I consider blocking. I’m not sure how much wider it will be when blocked. I’m almost finished with the first skein, and I’ll make my decision then whether to frog it back or to keep going and maybe go back for that fourth skein – the LSS only had four to begin with and I bought three of them. I worry that it will be gone if I need it and wait too long to get it.

I’m not afraid of bunching it or folding it in half and I am afraid of it being too narrow, so I’m erring on the side of caution. Also, it is an 11 or 12 hour drive to where we are going, and I may end up finishing it up on the way and thus using it unblocked. :shrug:

#10

That is so very pretty, Katie! I love the pattern and the color. I look forward to seeing it finished, preferably with you modelling it?

#11

It’s coming along very nicely! Should be scrumptious in Malabrigo!