September is that time of year when you start itching to pull out your fall wardrobe. The boots, sweaters, and leggings all come out of the closet. So many lovely things to layer with!
Okay, so maybe here in Vietnam it’s not exactly “fall” weather yet with average temperatures still in the 30’s, but I can still dream of the crisp fall air my North American friends are enjoying, can’t I?
These last few years I’ve developed a bit of an obsession with cowls. Their coziness, their stylishness, and their ability to protect your cheeks from the biting cold winds come December, make them an essential part of my winter wardrobe. But shawls? I’ve never seen much of a use for them, with many of the patterns I’ve come across less than appealing. That is, until I started noticing more and more modern and funky shawl designs coming out. Bright colors, innovative shapes, and beautiful stitch patterns started catching my eye on social media. Ravelry, Instagram, Pinterest and some of my favorite knitting blogs all seemed to be conspiring to convince me of the necessity of learning to knit a shawl.
Not only that, but shawls are often (though not always) knit with a finer yarn than the chunky cowls, making them a perfect addition to your fall wardrobe when temperatures are cool, but not that cool.
Eventually, once I am back in Canada, and equipped with the necessary luxurious yarn needed for such an undertaking, I will reattempt to knit a shawl. Which pattern will I choose? That remains to be seen … 😉
Until then, I will continue to dream with my bucket list of modern shawl patterns.
1. Shima Shima by Olga Buraya-Kefelian
Olga’s innovative and unique designs never fail to impress me. The Shima Shima (shima is Japanese for stripes!) shawl would be a perfect beginner shawl, knit in garter stitch using modular construction. It’s always a good idea to have a mindless knit (or two) stashed away in your project bin, ready to take out and be worked on for when the new season of GoT gets out …
2. Baya Shawl by Mindy Wilkes
I first found out about this shawl through the lovely blog of woolventures. The lace edging of the shawl is stunning. It has a slim shape, making it a perfect light cover up for those cool summer nights, to be worn over a cute dress or to dress up a fall jacket. It’s knit with CashSilk Lace of Sweet Georgia Yarns, an oh-so luxurious combination of silk and cashmere.
3. Piccadilly Shawl by Justyna Lorkowska
This crescent shaped shawl would be the perfect challenge to master the art of reading charts and lacework. Okay, so perhaps it’s not the best shawl to start with due to it’s level of complexity, but it’s well worth adding to the bucket list for when my knitting skills do (one day) get to this level. The color choices used in the pattern, especially that deep mustard yellow, are just my style.
4. Om Shawl by Drea Renee Knits
Andrea’s patterns never fail to inspire me. Her Om Shawl is no exception. The shawl is worked flat in a rectangular shape, and it can be worn so many ways! It’s simple construction and clever colorwork make it a perfect starter shawl to add to your wardrobe. The buttons make the pattern even more versatile, wearable and fun by allowing you to pick and choose buttons as crazy (or conservative) as your style.
5. Briochealicious Shawl by Drea Renee Knits
Here’s another gorgeous pattern from Drea Renee Knits. This shawl is worked in a more traditional crescent style shape, with plenty of brioche worked in to keep it modern and fresh!
6. Sizzle Pop by Knit Graffiti
Sizzle Pop is a beautiful triangular shawl knit up by Lesley Anne Robinson of Knit Graffiti. This is the perfect shawl for anyone wanting to take their brioche knitting to the next level (i.e. me ;)). As always, brioche knitting allows you to experiment with color combinations in so many ways. The options are endless!
7. Amberle by Very Shannon
Amberle is a beautiful triangular shawl from Very Shannon with classic colors and a modern twist. It has an easy to remember stitch pattern, making it another great mindless knit to add to your projects. Shannon also runs a beautifully crafted blog full of inspiring tips and tricks for makers.
8. Void by Melanie Berg
The Void shawl is the type of shawl that can go with anything and everything. Perfect for layering over a chic blouse at the office, or over a casual plaid flannel shirt when lounging around at home in front of the fireplace. This crescent shaped shawl with neutral colors make it an easy addition to any wardrobe. As always, Melanie Berg’s timeless patterns do not disappoint!
9. Askews Me Shawl by Stephen West
The first time I decided to give shawls a go was last February. Rather ambitiously, I decided to start with Stephen West’s Askews Me shawl pattern.
I gave up. And decided to knit myself a simple two-colour brioche scarf instead. But because I still have the Askews Me pattern, and also because I think the shawl looks incredible, this pattern is still a definite ‘must knit’ in my (rather large) list of ‘must knits’.
It’s innovative construction and original color combinations make it an eye catching accessory that will be sure to garner admirers!
Which patterns are on your bucket list this fall?
