Actually, it’s something of a toddler now, as it was ‘born’ in 2012, but I’ve only just got round to putting the pattern on Ravelry. I know, I know, I’ve been saying for ages ‘I must put this on Ravelry’, and doling out photocopies and printouts all over the place, but I have finally done it.
It’s up (or will be very shortly, as soon as approved – yup, it’s here). And it’s a free download if you’re on Rav. All you need are one skein of sock wool, or something similar, and 3.75 needles. Or needle, rather: it needs a circular after the start.
And it’s called the Woolwinding Eyelet Shawl.
Sorry it’s not called something more exciting, imaginative or creative, but it’s what it is. It’s an eyelet shawl and it comes from Woolwinding. I did think about finding another name for it, but my mind went completely blank and – apart from silly suggestions, including almost anything you could think of in Welsh including ‘ffwlbart’ (polecat – gee, thanks) – I couldn’t come up with anything reasonable.
That’s not to say that it hasn’t been called names, mind. This year in Shetland two of us were knitting it and, boy, did it get called names. Basically you need to concentrate at the very start for the pattern set up, not chat / order tea and cakes in the Peerie Cafe / get distracted by what your neighbour is knitting / watch an exciting DVD.
But once you’re off, you’re off. You knit on until you either run out of yarn or lose the will to live (something common to almost all shawls, I have found). Then you block it – and there are instructions on the pattern, which is written so that novices to lace / shawl knitting can follow it, as well as more experienced knitters. I tend to block it so that the two end points of the triangle curve upwards, as I find that makes it more wearable – and the lace pattern is designed to allow for this.
And then you wear it. Or rather Doris wears it:
and, more sensibly from the back,
These two are in Noro Kureyon Sock, and the top one is a skein of hand-dyed loveliness from Mam a Mi; I’ve often knitted it in Araucania’s Ranco Sock (the last image is another hand-dyed yarn).
I’m getting quite used to seeing it around now, as it’s been available through Knit One in Dolgellau for some time. A couple of weeks ago I sat behind one at the garden club, and another won the knitting section in the village show last year. Copies have been used by members of the the Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers I go to, and this next one is by one of them. It uses all the bits and pieces from the Guild’s dyeing picnic:
The cast off has been a little unfamiliar to some people, but It’s worth persisting as it’s very elastic and also gives a lovely finish, especially with a variegated yarn:
It’s really simple, honest: right side facing and with a slightly larger size needle, knit two together. Slip the resulting stitch from the right needle back onto the left needle and repeat.
Anyway, there you go: tah dah, the Woolwinding Eyelet Shawl. And if you’re not on Ravelry, then do join – it’s fantastic. What a resource. Even if you don’t use the forums, and many people don’t, it’s so useful for pattern ideas, yarn information, storing a record of your stash or your patterns – and of course finding lots and lots and lots of patterns. Like this one…
Woolwinding 
What a lovely shawl!! Thanks so much for sharing. Using variegated yarn makes it really stunning.
Thank you, and you got it in one – I came up with it because I hadn’t found one that really showed off variegated yarn (which I am completely addicted to)…!
Gorgeous pattern, and thank you for making it available on Rav, and for free, to boot!
Thank you – I just get a huge buzz from seeing what other people do with it – like the one from my dyeing colleague. She’d woven in so many ends, and immaculately, too….
You are clever! It’s beautiful. How long did it take you?
It’s just logic, really. Though I have to admit there was a fair amount of swearing at the start (and still is, ahem, cough cough, when I get distracted). Not that long once I got it sussed!
I find it easier to chart lace when I’m fiddling with a pattern, because you can see the way it develops and work it out. But when I’m knitting lace I find written instructions easier (and it was written down with people in mind who don’t like using charts – I know from working in the wool shop for four hours each week that there are more of them than you might think, given how universal charts are now).
Awesome!
Thank you!
Yay! I just finished my first real shawl and I’m feeling the urge to queue up some more, so this is perfect timing!
Great – it’s a really good almost intro to shawls, and congratulations on your first! (This looks really impressive when done – great for gifts…)
Oh that looks like a lovely pattern for just about any weight yarn. It might even look good in my wacko hand spun.
It’s very adaptable – several people in our Guild have knitted it in handspun and it works. Must admit that using handspun for it is on my to do list, too…
I have finished more than 18 eyelets and the shawl is no where big enough. Should that have been a different number or is there another way to count the eyelets? I counted down the center section.
My shawls often look smaller until I block them – like all lace, blocking opens it up. But you can carry on until it is as large as you want. How are you counting your 18? Rows?
Eighteen rows should do it – just checked. It does open out a lot when you extend the lace by blocking. But just carry on if you feel it’s too small for you- do be aware that blocking will make it larger. The pattern includes instructions for that.
Mea culpa! I only had 7 eyelets when I counted them correctly! I originally counted the center area. So I am continuing with the pattern.
Thank you. I really do like the way it is turning out.
Love your pictures of Shetland! Visiting your island is on my bucket list. One of these days…. I think I could live there.
Thanks again. Felicia Smith
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That’s a relief! Enjoy your knitting!