Summer seems to me like the perfect time for knitting neckwear — scarves and shawls that fall just in the sweet spot on the continuum between interesting and mindless, that are portable, that don’t require you to worry about fit or to have a growing sweater in your lap, and yet last long enough to carry you through road trips or baseball practices or whatever the case may be. Plus they’re the first thing you get to use when the weather begins to cool off (or when the sun sets at the beach). So why don’t I tend to knit such things? These three recent patterns have me wondering hard:
TOP: Madison Scarf by Norah Gaughan, who must have been smirking if she happened to see that whole conversation we had about adding a back flap to the Grete dickey when this one would have been deep in the pipeline and is that very thing! A scarf with a headhole and lovely overall knit-purl texture, which can be worn a variety of ways.
MIDDLE: Adrian by Dianna Walla is a traditional scarf (designed for cotton) that takes typical colorwork motifs and renders them in purl stitches instead.
BOTTOM: Orthogonal by Emily Greene is a stunner of a shawl with a mesmerizing geometric-lace maze of a stitch pattern. I saw this on her at Squam, artfully bunched around her neck, and it made me want to be a fingering-weight shawl knitter.
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PREVIOUSLY in New Favorites: Clever garter colorwork
And what is the amazing dress that the model is wearing with Norah’s scarf??
My thoughts exactly! The “wings” with pockets remind me of the Rachel Comey design that Vogue patterns has out – V1585 – just longer and without the central gathered panel. Hopefully someone is an internet sleuth and can find its origin.
Shawls are lovely, but there are drawbacks. When you live in an un-air-conditioned old house, there is no allure to knitting anything that sits in your lap. Mitts, gloves, maybe a cowl, yes. I know this sounds odd coming from someone who lives where winters can go to minus 30C. But our summers are hot and air conditioning generally only present in newer construction. I’ve done precious little knitting at all during the last week, and all of it was on our front porch with a glass of iced tea at the ready.
I love shawls!! They are so versatile, and as you say, take us through 3 seasons here in the South, and often through summer where we work and/or dine in very air conditioned spaces. The three you focus on here are particularly delicious. I love all of that texture!! Andrea Mowry just released her Golden Hour shawl, and it is a beauty:https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-golden-hour. I’m so tempted by all of these, but have other projects on my needles and in my stash that are calling my name!
I saw that too-and worsted weight. I have never used fingering yarn even though I’d love the finished weight and product. I made two pairs of socks on size 2 needles and thought I’d never finish them.
Exactly what I’m doing this summer – knitting shawls. I’m finding myself wearing my shawlettes when its cool because they feel so good. Bigger shawl for my daughter’n’law. Here in the Northwest “cool” happens all the time. Great excuse to knit stuff!
Many thanks for the Grete reminder, it’ll be a perfect stash buster for a single skein of bulky, and an elegant and practical piece.
I was privileged to test knit Adrian for Quince and Dianna! It is a lovely pattern, so easy to knit (I did have to keep my charts handy), with gorgeous texture. It was my first time knitting with the Quince Willet and I loved it.
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