“There is nothing else knitted that I like to dream up, plan, knit, finish, wear, use or give as a gift so much as a shawl. To me there is an endless fascination in the various shapes, stitch patterns, colors, and fabrics that make shawls my favorite knitting. As much as I love a good sweater, the fun of them is sometimes clouded by anxiety about fit, and besides that, they’re finished much too soon. Sometimes the heavier weights of yarn make my hands ache, too.
But shawls are of lovely, light-weight yarn, their patterns are fun to knit (especially with a lot of yarn-overs), and they can be any size; they don’t have to fit.
Shawls have enjoyed a central place in women’s wardrobes many times in fashion history–in the Napoleanic era, in Victorian times, and then again briefly in the late ’60s/early ’70s during the craze for “granny” and “peasant” looks. Recently, paisley print shawls have made a comeback as a bright accessory over conservative winter coats and blazers.
Even when out of fashion, shawls have remained a staple clothing item amongst women who cared little for fashion’s dictates: country-women and elderly women. Attracted by their warmth, usefulness, and practicality, these wise women kept a shawl on a nail by the back door, or over the back of their favorite chair. I know my Irish/Welsh great-grandmother did this; we have her shawl to this day (althought it is a woven one). My mother recalls that Great-Grandma snatched up her shawl on the way to the henhouse, throwing most of it over herself and using a spare corner in which to collect the eggs.
The beauty of shawl wearing is in its flexibility. A shawl can cover any chilly part of your body–head, feet, knees, shoulders. Wool in particular holds in body heat. We know that simply covering the head and shoulders makes one feel instantly warmer. A shawl can do this quickly and easily, while a sweater leaves your head bare. When you’re warm enough, it takes only a second to throw off a shawl. In a suitcase, a shawl takes up no more room than a sweater, but on a plane, or in the car, which would you rather take a nap under?
A shawl can also serve as a pillow, picnic cloth, umbrella (of sorts), carrying bag, or seat cushion. In a pinch, a shawl can be mosquito netting, an evening wrap, and a dressing gown (even a dressing room!) all on the same trip!
If knitted shawls are a pleasure to wear and use, they are equally rewarding as a showcase for your knitting skills. Stitch patterns, yarns, and colors can range from the simple and charming to the very elaborate and elegant. Few who value quality handcrafts can can resist the beauties of a well-knitted shawl. If praise and admiration please you, you can expect your fair share as a shawl knitter.
A handknit shawl also makes a splendid gift. A new baby and its mother, a child in the hospital, a friend moving away, even a bachelor brother-in-law can find wamth and comfort in such a gift, especially if made to suit the tastes of each recipient. Such shawls may be treasured as heirlooms providing a sense of continuity and security that no machine-made object can match.
All this in a simple knitted shawl? Try one now, and see for yourself.”
cookworm's Shawlitis Journey 