Friday 20 October 2017

Stylecraft Blog Tour 2017 - The Learn To Knit Shawl

Hooray! Hooray! 

It's another day of the awesome STYLECRAFT blogstars blog tour and it's my turn.


If you've been keeping track of the tour, then you'll already know that yesterday it was the talented Sandra from Cherry Heart and tomorrow it's the fabulous Lucia from  Lucia’s Fig Tree (I cannot wait to see what she's been up to).


This year's brief was to work with a 10-ball yarn pack, which contains 4 balls of the-new-kid-on-the-block, Batik Elements (a gorgeous variegated yarn) along with 6 coordinating colours from its sister range, Batik.

Lagoon: 4 x Krypton, 1 each of Lupin, Sage, Teal, Storm, Silver and Indigo

There are four colour packs available and I chose Lagoon: I'm always drawn to these kinds of colours.
But what to make?

Now those of you who regularly read my posts will know that something is very wrong here...

... These photos clearly show a knitted thing and I am not really a knitter. 

And you're right, but that's where the Batik came in - because I'd seen an idea for a shawl using a simple combination of garter stitch and stockinette stitch and thought the yarn would be absolutely perfect. 

I had decided THIS would be the shawl that would teach me to knit.



I changed the pattern - the original created an isosceles triangle, with increases on both sides, but I wanted a right-angle, with the increases on just one side and with larger bands of increasing colours, too. 


And do you know what, I love it; Sure enough, my stitches were decidedly dodgy to start off with and my needle hold was awkward, but as I progressed through the shawl, so my tension improved and the yarn fed through my fingers more smoothly and everything neatened out.

 


And the yarn?
It's lovely to work with. I've crocheted a shawl for Inside Crochet Magazine (Issues 92, 93, 94) with it and it's bouncy and soft and warm - (that's the 20% Wool content). And the same can be said for knitting with it; Simply gorgeous.

 

But before we get to the pattern, how would you like to win a Lagoon yarn pack??


Simply enter the competition HERE for your chance to win.
(Giveaway open from 10am GMT 20th October 2017 and closes 10am GMT 21st October 2017. Winner drawn at random and notified by email.)



So let's get to it. The original pattern is called 'Sonnensegel' by Ulrikestrickt and can be found for free HERE.

A note about my pattern:
It is not perfect; It is not meant to be. I forgot to use one of the colours in Part One and I reckon on some of the rows, I forgot to increase, too.
This pattern is easy and forgiving:  Perfect for learning to knit.

The Learn-To-Knit Shawl

 

If you're a beginner knitter, then here's what you'll need to know:
How to cast on
How to knit
How to purl
How to cast off

Size: 88cms x 145cms (longest edge)

You will need:
The Lagoon yarn pack
Size 4.5mm / 100cm circular needles

Increasing stitches. 
Increasing is carried out (as a Knit Front and Back) on the right-facing side of every knit row in both Garter and Stockinette sections, starting at the first section A*, EXCEPT on every first row where you have changed colour.
To increase: simply K1, increase 1 (kfb), then knit across the rest of the row.

Pattern


Part One:

All sections are 6 rows
The Garter stitch rows (B) will always be in Krypton. 
The Stockinette stitch sections (A) will repeat the same colour twice.

Cast on 3 stitches with Krypton

Knit 6 rows

A*: Change to Teal and knit 1 row, purl 1 row for 6 rows (Stockinette Stitch) *Start the increases

B: Change to Krypton and knit 6 rows (Garter Stitch)

A: Continue in Teal and Stockinette stitch for 6 rows

Work in pattern (Section B, Section A), changing to Indigo, Storm, Lupin, and Silver for 2 sections each, ending with a section of Garter stitch in Krypton

Part 2:

All sections are 8 rows
The Garter stitch rows (B) will always be in Krypton. 
The Stockinette stitch sections (A) will repeat the same colour three times.

Work in pattern (Section A, Section B), changing to Teal, Indigo, Sage, Storm, Lupin, and Silver for 3 sections each, ending with a section of Garter stitch in Krypton.

Cast off loosely and block lightly.

Oh goodness, I hope that makes some degree of sense. If it's your first knitted shawl, then good luck and I hope you enjoy making it. If you're a pro, then please excuse my novice knitter's mistakes and enjoy the pattern, too.

If you'd like to see what my Stylecraft blog pals are up to, then you can find them here:

Crafternoon Treats, The Twisted Yarn, Patchwork Heart, Hand knitted Things, Keep Calm and Crochet on; Catherine’s Crochet Corner,  Zooty Owl, Attic 24, Janie Crow, Crochet Between Worlds, Get Knotted Yarn Craft, and Crochet Between Worlds.

Have a fab weekend,
Sarah xx

21 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for this pattern, I'm relatively new to knitting so your pattern is something that is achievable for me and that's fantastic, I quite often look at wool that I love, like this selection, but the pattern frightens me away from knitting it. I will definitely be giving this a go, it looks fabulous

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sue - that’s great news! This pattern is so easy and forgiving, which is the most important thing for a beginner.
      I hope you enjoy making it.
      Kindest regards,
      Sarah

      Delete
  2. Well done on learning to knit and redesigning the pattern at the same time. I’ve not hand knitted for many years, preferring crochet, but I like the shawl and the yarn c

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much - I think crochet will always be my first love, but I’ve really enjoyed knitting this shawl.
      Have a great weekend,
      Sarah x

      Delete
  3. I love the way it turn out knitting! It is fab, even the colours.
    Thank you so much for this pattern, i will use this soon as possible.

    Lovely greets from Arja (Netherlands)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Arja- I’m so glad you like the pattern!!!
      Happy knitting,
      Sarah xx

      Delete
  4. Well done on learning to knit and knitting such a lovely shawl. It looks sooo cosy! :) I've never got the hang of knitting, I tend to find myself screwing up into a tight little ball while I knit which is no good for my tension :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Bekki, yes it’s taken me quite a while to adjust to knitting - and I also find myself tensing up ... I’m hoping this will lessen with more practice 👌👌

      Delete
  5. Well done Sarah what a great pattern you've produced, glad you have begun knitting so now we can expect both crochet and knitting pattern from you. Perhaps even with mahoosive wool? Selma x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, thanks, Selma- that’s so kind!! I have to say, I’ve really enjoyed knitting this and have just bought some smaller needles to make some socks!! But yes, you are so right - I need to invest in some reeeeeeally big needles next!!!

      Delete
  6. Replies
    1. Thank you so much! I’ve enjoyed knitting this xx

      Delete
  7. Well done on learning to knit. :) Lovely shawl and I'm going to cast on this weekend. I'm "bistitchual" and mainly knit nowadays after three years of only crocheting. I've been knitting and crocheting since I was about 9 years old... that's almost 50 years. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Klara - I’d love to be bistitchual!!! I think it’s the way forward!!
      I hope you enjoy making the shawl - do let me know if you come across any problems in the pattern.
      Wishing you a lovely weekend,
      Sarah x

      Delete
  8. I'm an avid crocheter but have recently been thinking about giving knitting a go!!! You've given me the inspiration!!! Thanks so much X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Rachel! That’s great to know that you’re considering knitting - I’ve loved having a try!
      Best,
      Sarah

      Delete
  9. Hi Heather!
    That’s great to know that you’re going to give this a go!!!
    Happy knitting,
    Sarah xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Sarah, I'm about to order the yarn for knitting your beautiful shawl. Did I need all the balls of the desert pack to knit it?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for this pattern, I am a knitter now too ��

    ReplyDelete
  12. Excellent design. I like these so much

    ReplyDelete
  13. Very useful post. Thanks for sharing this.

    ReplyDelete

I'd love to hear from you, so leave a comment or ask a question and l'll reply to you right here.
Have a fab day.
Sarah Xx