Abstractions Shawl by Liz Sheffield

Abstractions Shawl

Knitting
August 2021
DK (11 wpi) ?
18 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches
in Stockinette Stitch
US 7 - 4.5 mm
720 - 960 yards (658 - 878 m)
Size 1 (2)
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It’s confession time for me, friends…I have yet to fall in love with the traditional shawl.
Let’s break it down, shall we…shawl we? #knittingpun
I love scarves! I continue to make and buy them. I have waaaaayyyyyy to many. Can’t stop, won’t stop! Even with my plethora of scarves, I’ve been looking for a piece I could wear as a shawl…draped over my shoulders. Triangle shawls have a long, straight top edge that tapers to a point. That straight edge just doesn’t lie nicely when draped over a 3D body.
So I started researching other shawl styles. I was drawn to Faroese shawls with their center pattern and shoulder shaping.
That got me thinking, why not just shape a shawl like you shape a sweater? Raglan shaping helps contour a sweater around your shoulders so why not use that for a shawl? I worked it up in some beautiful yarn
When I finished knitting it up, I thought it would look really cute as a shrug, so I added instructions for making it convertible at the last minute! If you want to make your shawl convertible you will need buttons or magnetic closures (an indicated in the pattern).
The name for this shawl was drawn from the yarn I selected. The MC is a yarn dyed by Odd Knot and Threads inspired by Van Gogh’s Starry Night. Starry Night was painted from his memory/imagination as opposed to how he normally painted from what he saw. Abstraction vs Realism.

Finished Measurements
Depth at center back: 15.25 (18) in. / 38.75 (45.75) cm
Bottom Width (measured from the raglan inc at “shoulder” side to inc on opposite “shoulder” side): 72 (84) in. / 183 (213.5) cm
see pattern for more detailed measurements

Yarn Requirements
MC: 395 (530) yds / 360 (485) m
CC: 320 (430) yds / 295 (395) m

Yarn Shown in Sample
Odd Knots and Threads and Montana Crochet DK weight superwash merino

Needles
4.5mm / Size 7 circular needles, 32”/ 80 cm cord
4.5mm crochet hook for crochet cast on
Some testers went up a needle size to work the I-cord edging

Gauge
Always use a needle and yarn combo that allows you to meet gauge, even if that is different from what is listed in the pattern.
18 sts and 26 rows in stockinette st, worked flat and blocked

Techniques and Skills needed
Basic knit stitches
Increases and Decreases