Posted on 3 Comments

The September Shawl

My September Sweater this year wasn’t a sweater at all. It was a shawl.

When it came time to pick a sweater to knit for Rhinebeck this year, I though about it and realized that I wasn’t particularly in the mood for a new sweater. (I know, right?!)

The thing is, I had just finished knitting one in May, and I’d barely gotten to wear it before the summer arrived, which meant that I still had a sweater with that fresh-and-new glow. So, no, I didn’t need a September Sweater.

But I still wanted to be knitting something, and I knew I wanted it to be colorful. So I thought, why not make a shawl this year? I bought the yarn before I even had a pattern picked out – I just knew what colors I wanted it to be – and then I stalked Instagram hashtags looking for just the right pattern candidate. I found it: #bradwayshawl

I had to make a modification in order to be able to use all of my colors, but I’m so pleased with the way it came out!

Now, here’s my dilemma: how am I going to wear this to Rhinebeck?

I envisioned wrapping it around myself and tossing one side over my shoulder, like in photo #2 up there, but I tried that on my “trial run” to the NJ Sheep and Fiber Festival last month, and it drove me nuts. It constantly fell off, and it made wearing a bag on my shoulder rather complicated. I solved the first problem with the purchase of a small wire shawl pin, but I’m not sure how to handle the comfort/practicality angle.

When I am at Rhinebeck, I am going to want to be able to easily get my bag of goodies (and my money, let’s be honest!) on and off of my shoulder. And I am not going to want to be fiddling with my clothes the whole time.

Also, it may just be too cold for this, even with long sleeves underneath.

So… any advice? If the weather is amenable to shawl-wearing, how should I go about it for minimum fussiness? Please educate me, because I’m fairly new to this shawl-wearing thing 😉

The Details

Pattern: Bradway Shawl by Shannon Cook

Yarn: Malabrigo Rios (OMG yummy!) in 4 colors: Diana, Water Green, Teal Feather and Glazed Carrot

Needles: US7

Modifications: Anywhere that a Teal Feather stripe was going to happen, I replaced the first two rows of garter stitch with 2 rows of Teal Feather, 4 rows of Water Green, and 2 rows of Teal Feather. (That’s how I turned a 3-color pattern into a 4-color pattern.)

 

LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH!

Sign up for occasional Polka Dot Cottage news and get a coupon for 10% off your next order!

Don't worry, we won't bother you more than once or twice a month!

Posted on 3 Comments

3 thoughts on “The September Shawl

  1. Under the shawl? I don’t know. I carry a backpack.
    I need one of these shawls for my office, though. I just wouldn’t tell folks it’s a blankie (but it would totally be an office blankie).

    1. It seems like a backpack would be awkward with a shawl, too… I think I’m just going to have my pack mule, er, my son, carry my bag 😄.
      (“Office blankie” – I love it!)

  2. […] things up and knitting a shawl. I’ll tell you more about that when it’s done. (Edit: Already finished. Because, like I said, it’s […]

Leave a comment!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.