[Viwstitcher]

RoxyCatlady, I agree with you totally. I've learned to look at dimensions and to see if a pattern can be altered. One of the things I liked about sock yarn shawls II is that there is usually a box saying make it bigger or smaller with instructions on how to do it. I don't remember if book I had that. I'm like you I like my shawls big and wrap around. Maybe that's why I like semicircles so much.

 

[Debiknit]

I enjoy doing circular shawls. Elizabeth Zimmermann 100th anniversary shawls. Love Dee O'Keefe's shawls, her patterns are very well written.
Also enjoy beaded shawls (Dracula by Susanna IC) is one I just finished this spring. Haven't posted pictures yet. I am wondering which stay on
your shoulders best when moving around doing stuff. So far I've done the triangle, circular, and rectangle shawls. Usually full sized warm shawls
as it does get cold here and we keep the heat low. Oil heat isn't cheap.

 

[Viwstitcher]

Actually Faroese should be the best. A big triangle, so you can tie the ends up or a semicircle. I love rectangles but you usually need a shawl pin for them.

 

[Debiknit]

Thanks. Will have to try a Faroese.

 

[just4brown]

I prefer the triangular shape or oblong. So far my favorite designer has been Dee O'Keefe. I love color and prefer the tonals or variegated but depending on the pattern, most scream solids so you can see the lace pattern. My first was a Dee pattern in black. Instant addiction to shawls.

 

[tmvasquez]

I like the triangular and semicircle shawls, however I really want to do a circular one. I like all colors but I prefer the lace and fingering weights of yarn. Patterns don't matter. I just do whatever catches my eye at the moment. I really like Dee Okeefe's patterns as they are so well written and her designs are beautiful.

 

[dragonflylace]

Hi, I love Estonian lace the best...nupps are a favorite stitch (but they take up lots of yarn and some hate them).
I don't like triangular, but do like semicircular shawls. My favorites are rectangles. I also prefer lace knitted on the right side with a resting row or purl row on the wrongs side.

 

[Snooper's Ma]

Crescent shaped shawls are better for people in a wheelchair. The point is in the way when you are sitting all day.

 

[Loulame5]

I prefer rectalungar shawl to the pointed ones. I'm currently knitting an Estonian lace shawl from the book Knitted Lace of Estonia. It is a challenge but very beautiful. I do not know when I'll finish it but I keep on.

 

[BailaC]

I also don't like the yarn over, single stitch, yarn over spine. Some other solutions besides M1 if you otherwise love the pattern: Knit the yo through the back loop on the ws row. This makes the hole much smaller. You can also kf/b and the dashes form a pattern. That works best for a plainer shawl, though. I've also made the center spine stitch more than a single stitch surrounded by the YOs. You can do 2, 3 or more stitches. That makes less of a point on the bottom. I also saw a pattern with a cable for the spine. If I remember correctly, it was surrounded by kf/b and the dashes blended into the reverse st st surrounding the spine. Now where did I find that pattern? I want to start another shawl.

 

[AlderRose]

I start thinking, "THIS is my favorite shawl shape!" then see one shaped differently, and have to amend my thinking! I've made triangular, a modified triangular, rectangular, half circle, elongated octagon, crescent, and square. I've yet to try a circular pattern but am keeping my eye out for the perfect design.

I knit with all colors, tonals and even variegated yarns because I give most of my shawls away. That way I always can rationalize casting on another one. I love making them, but there's no way I could wear that many shawls.

My favorite designer is Dee O'Keefe. I have books by Sharon Miller, Elizabeth Lovick, Elizabeth Zimmerman, Nancy Bush, Susanna E. Lewis, Sirri Reimann & Aime Edasi, and Galina Khmeleva & Carol R. Noble. I like playing with the designs... making them mine.

My favorite commercial yarns are those with a wool/silk blend. I love the way my hand spun, sheep to shawl, yarns knit up and block. I like alpaca and llama fleece but prefer that it be blended with wool or maybe silk.

 

[Lurker 2]

Of course!! Those are two more that I'd forgotten about when I posted yesterday morning - And Anna Dalvi - I adore her patterns.

I've already answered about favourite shapes -- but I'd like to mention a pet peeve of mine when it comes to shawls: It seems that some people are designing "shawls" that are really no more than a fashion scarf! To me, a shawl should be something that at least covers your back, shoulders, top of the arm, and back of the neck -- something to wear over a sleeveless or spaghetti strap top or dress. There is nothing more frustrating than thinking you are creating a shawl (because the picture doesn't show it on a person, and not everyone can easily visualize size when just given numbers) and it turns out to be too short to wrap around your shoulders, and not wide enough to keep your back or arms from being chilled!!

I so agree with your pet peeve- I have had problems knitting up Pfeilraupe (which has no lace!) but a lovely drape, I just did not have DK or worsted weight available in sufficient quantities, to get the size I was hoping. My current part lace project Waiting for Rain I did knit in DK, rather than the recommended Fingering weight, but I got the size I wanted. (without blocking- I do not have a blocking frame and no mats either to achieve this- just a function of being on a retirement income- things come only when there is a little spare cash, or in the unlikely event of being able to save and not having to pay an unexpected bill.

 

[joycevv]

Has anyone mentioned Jen Lucas and her sock yarn shawl books? I have the first one and have made at least five of the patterns, some more than once. I haven't seen the second one yet.
I have a lot of lace weight yarn I want to make into an evening shawl. Has anyone made the beaded shawls in Vogue Knitting's last holiday issue? That would be a new experience for me, using beads. Now to find the beads!

 

[MrsMurdog]

My preference is to knit few of them and enjoy all of the work the shawl producers here on KP post. I am constantly oooohing and aaaahing over them all.

 

[kathycam]

Love them all, but always redo the center spine to make it as unobstrusive as possible.

 

[EqLady]

Hello to all you lace crazed ladies (me included). When it comes to shawls, what type is your favorite to Knit and your color preferences?

Are you a design repeater-short or long repeats, no repeats in your designs or patterning on every row? Do you like circle, semicircle, triangle or rectangle? Do you like to use plain colors or tonal or do you like veriagated or the newer gradients?

There are so many options I would kind of like to see where our lacy ladies come in. One last thing, because this can give us some new things to check out, who are your favorite designers?

I prefer triangular, half circle or rectangular, not necessarily in that order, fingering or smaller yarn, solid or tonal colors only. Love Dee O'Keefe's patterns as well as AlderRose/Rosalie's.

 

[Shylinn]

Since I cannot deny any longer that I am actually a plus sized lady, I find that the rectangular or asymetrical (sp) shawls are the only ones that I don't have to keep adjusting over and over again. The short row ones are just great. I love the long colorways like unforgettable.

 

[dragonflylace]

I prefer rectalungar shawl to the pointed ones. I'm currently knitting an Estonian lace shawl from the book Knitted Lace of Estonia. It is a challenge but very beautiful. I do not know when I'll finish it but I keep on.

I have knitted the Crown Prince and the Triini (spelling??) and several others from this book...Nancy Bush explains the construction of Estonian shawls better than any other I have come across.

 

[Rita Rug]

Borders. I like knitted borders where you pick up on one side for the body and have searched in vain for a book of lace borders! Anyone know of any? I love LilyAnna by Dee O'Keefe.

 

[AlderRose]

Borders. I like knitted borders where you pick up on one side for the body and have searched in vain for a book of lace borders! Anyone know of any? I love LilyAnna by Dee O'Keefe.

I like the knitted on borders, too. Sharon Miller and Elizabeth Lovick both have lace knitting books with those kinds of borders in them. Once you grasp the idea, you can mix and match and come up with borders of your own. Then you have to do the math and figure out how your design will fit onto the garment. That's where I get lost!!! The MATH!

Lilyanna's border was extraordinary, but I like the other knitted on borders that Dee O'Keefe has used, too.

Dragonflylace,
I could sit and look at Nancy Bush's book on Estonian lace for hours. One of these days I'm going to get brave and knit a shawl with nupps in it.