Sontag

My mother-in-law works at a working historical farm. She works in authentic historical garb, and cooks, spins, and cleans in an authentic historical manner, giving tours to visitors and explaining her processes.

She mentioned to me last year that at the later-season (fall and winter) gigs, her co-worker had a bosom-buddy, or sontag - a historical woolen shawl that wrapped around to allow a woman to work while she wore it. She mentioned that she would like that for Christmas this year, and then she (hopefully) forgot about it.

So, I made one! It's humungous, and I followed a basic pattern from 1860 that I adapted, due to my gauge. I also created a button using Kate Davies Button Tutorial. The garter edge was knit with the body, and when I broke for the "wings," I cast on the 6 stitches needed for the "inside" garter ridges. Later, I went back and knit from the cast-ons, and applied a garter ridge by picking up a stitch from the neck edge, and knitting two together near that edge to maintain the six stitches.

I knit a 6-stitch garter ridge strip, and knit about 300 rows, and then continued that same applying technique to attach it to the bottom back of the sontag, and then knit another 300 rows. I then knit an applied i-cord all the way around that garter strip, which stabilized and strengthened it.

I sent it off to her for a late birthday/early Christmas gift, so she could use it this fall season, and thankfully, she loves it!

Ravelry Project Page

Gallifrey Sunset Shawl

There was a Doctor Who themed Knit-a-Long a few months back, and I almost didn't know it was happening until it was over. But as soon as I knew it was happening, I immediately tried desperately to think of something I could do.

That's when I remembered my orange and burnt brown yarns. These are both subtly variegated, and they're beautiful together.

And they remind me of a Gallifrey Sunset.

It's so comfortable. I wear it all the time.

Ravelry Project Page

Inara Wrap

My Inara Wrap. Oh, my Inara Wrap.

This was my longest-running shawl. It was huge. I mean, huge. Look at it!

It's silk. It's beautiful. I can't even handle it. So comfy. 

I almost don't even know how to wear it.

But it was totally worth it. I'm in love.

Ravelry Project Page

Emiliana

After completing the Slip Stripe Spiral Socks for Sock Madness, I had just enough time to finish up a shawl I had started - Emiliana! The moment I saw this pattern, I knew I had to have it, and I bought yarn for it at Stitches West 2016.

This is a mosaic knitting pattern, and I used Miss Babs Yummy 2-ply yarn in Naked and Russett, along with size 7 needles, to get such an oversized shawl.

I wear it all the time and I am absolutely in love!

Ravelry Project

Reyna

Shortly after Christmas, one of the knitting forums I'm a part of on Ravelry was doing a shawl knit-a-long, and one of the patterns that was suggested was "Reyna" by Noora Laivola. Now, they didn't actually end up using that pattern as a main pattern, but I still participated (just not for prizes), because it was a pattern made for self-striping yarn, and boy did I have a lot of that.

I used a Socks that Rock Lightweight skein that I had inherited from a lovely friend that was moving and didn't want to move all her yarn, and I love they way it turned out. However, as you may know, Socks that Rock Lightweight is still an extremely heavy fingering blend, and despite the fact that it's a 115g skein, it doesn't have nearly the yardage usual sock yarn skeins do. I had to leave off the last 4 rows of eyelets on the bottom of the pattern, and the shawl ended up being more of a neckerchief. However, with a shawl pin, I can still make it work.

This project also marks my first ever serious knitting injury. I spent over 12 hours knitting this straight one Saturday, a feat which is not unknown to me, but I've never done it before with bigger needles and heavier project, and I strained my left wrist to the point of needing to stop knitting for over a week, and then monitor the progress due to pain.

I sure learned my lesson.

Ravelry Project

Chad Lake Scarf

Starting as soon as my Christmas Skirt was done, I dove in to the other yarns that I purchased at the Article Pract closing sale, including some great lace-weight yarn that I used to whip up the Rock Island Shawl.

And I ran out.

This, as you can surmise, was the reason for the first rule of going Cold Sheep - purchasing yarn to finish a project is acceptable.  So I did, and it took a while to come in, but luckily it came in just in time for Stitches (more on that later).

I absolutely love it!  Love love love!  The pattern was confusing at first, but really quickly became something I could conceptually follow without really even having to look at it.  It's great as a scarf hanging off the neck, and as a shawl, it will be amazing in the summer on the beach, with my family.

Ravelry Project

Becca Shawl

I got engaged.  I made the wedding party gifts. I got married.

My husband and I both realized that we had good friends we wanted to thank for basically being our "unofficial attendants."

The groomsmen were easy.  I made two extra BEERds for the gentlemen in question.

The bridesmaids, not as much.  I had made them shawls, and I knew that realistically, the first lovely lady would never wear a shawl.  So instead, I made her a series of earrings (totally up her alley).

This second lady, though.  She would wear a shawl.  But I didn't want to make her another one just like the bridesmaids.  I have a strict list of projects that I'm working on, and I'm only allowed to buy more one I finish a few, so by the time that I got around to purchasing the yarn for this shawl, it was too late to really make her an identical shawl, and I wanted to give her something personal, anyway.

I also had recently gotten all four Jane Austen Knits magazines from my husband.  Ergo, I found the perfect shawl, for a lovely lady who appreciates that style as much as I do, and found just the perfect yarn on knitpicks.  And here is the finished project, my friends.  What do you think?

I sent it out last week, so lets hope she gets it before she reads this!

Summer Airplane Scarf/Shawl

I was walking down College Ave in Oakland, heading to my regular Knitting Group meetup, when I head the women behind me talking.

"I just love your scarf!"  One of them said.

"Thanks!  Hey, watch this!"

We had stopped at a crosswalk waiting for the flashing man to shine, and they walked in line with me.  The woman wearing the scarf pulled it off her neck and spread it out, and before me, I saw a beautiful, delicate shawl.

"Wow!" Cooed the admirer, "That's beautiful."

"Yeah," she responded, scrunching the scarf/shawl up and placing it around her neck again, "I love it.  I take it with me all the time when I'll be out for a while and weather might change.  It's thin, so it scrunches nicely into a bag, too, and I just love taking it on airplanes.  It can be a blanket or a pillow in flight."

And then I was hooked.  As a recent migrant to this country's Western shores, I knew that in the next few years, I would be flying back East many times to see my loved ones, and, hopefully, to move back.  And I'm a temperature sensitive woman.  A match made in heaven.  It was the fates.

Immediately, I knew the yarn I would use.  At a recent going-out-of-business sale, I had secured a cone of beautiful forest green yarn by ArtFibers called "Moss Beach."  It contained a variety of colors that I wore with just about everything, was thin enough to create the perfect weave, and was moderately adhesive, but only with itself, so it was perfect for shawl-wearing made easy.

It didn't take long to find the perfect pattern, either.  My wonderful husband got me all four Jane Austen Knits magazines for Christmas, and I quickly came across Georgiana Darcy's Fancy Shawl.

The result?  I love it, but I'd love to see what you think.  I can't wait to wear it on my upcoming trip to my family reunion!
 Ravelry Pattern | Ravelry Project

Bridesmaids Shawls

Common tradition states that, as a bride, you are supposed to give gifts to your bridesmaids.  I had heard tales of amethyst pendants, shoes, and heartfelt cards.  I didn't have the money for something like a pendant, and I knew, more importantly, that most of my bridesmaids would never wear it.  They all had completely different shoe styles and things that they would like, so I briefly thought about getting them each something personal, but realized quickly that might cause drama if one was "better" than another.

Then it dawned on me.  The wedding was to be in December, and they were all graciously wearing sleeveless, knee-length dresses.  I would make them all shawls!  Though I knew at least two of them would probably never wear the shawls again, they would all use them at least once, and they would be knit with love.

I found a pattern on Ravelry called "Old Shale Shawl" that was perfect!  The yarn was think enough that it would provide some actual warmth, the pattern simple enough that I could be assured that it wouldn't clash with any shoe or jewelry flowering, and elegant enough that even the most tomboyish of my bridesmaids would enjoy wearing it.

I shot up to JoAnn's fabrics to get five skeins of Caron One-Pound Yarn in Cream.  The color scheme of the wedding was browns and creams, with the theme of wood and candles, and so the flickering light shone brilliantly on the satin brown dresses under the cream knit-work.

Over all, I really liked this pattern.  It was repetitive enough that I could work on other things, like reading, while I was knitting, but sophisticated enough to avoid boredom.  It did seem to stretch out toward the end, though, because the pattern starts with the shortest rows on the bottom.  Each shawl took about two and a half weeks, knitting a few hours a day.  I highly recommend this pattern!

Later, I realized that because of the "wood" theme, our bouquets were made of beautiful Cedar Rose pinecones (from Seasonal Bounty on Etsy), and so my lovely maids got to keep those as well! (PS: Sarah from Seasonal Bounty is a pleasure to work with and did an amazing job dealing with my incredibly complicated and specific 24 piece order!)

Amy's Ravelry Project | Hannah's Ravelry Project | Rachel's Ravelry Project
Katie's Ravelry Project | Kat's Ravelry Project
Ravelry Pattern

If you liked this idea, here are some more posts you might like:

• Flower Girl Cootie Catchers
• Musicians' Baskets
• Groomsmen