Combine Lines and Texture in This Shawl Knitting Pattern

It feels like shawl season is just around the corner, so that must mean that shawl knitting season is already here! I love shawls that are relatively easy to knit but still include some fun techniques and details that make them fun to make and to wear. Something that will ensure that people know that you made it yourself instead of buying it from a shop.

The Synclines Shawl from Kavitha Raman is definitely one of those distinctive shawls that isn’t too difficult to knit. It’s worked with two colors and includes stripes made with slipped stitches and a striped mesh lace pattern.

The shawl starts with a short cast on and is increased to make an asymmetrical triangle shape. The main body of the shawl is worked in two color slip stitch on the bias, while the border adds mesh stitch stripes.

As the name suggests this gives the scarf the look of synclines, which is a fold in rock where the axis shifts. Who knew you could learn about geology while you are knitting?

While the pattern calls for DK weight yarn in two colors, you can use other weights or color combinations as you like. With a wingspan of 67.5 inches, this shawl is perfect for wrapping around your neck a couple of times and wearing more like a scarf.

This pattern is available for purchase on its own from Ravelry, or you can buy the ebook it is part of, The Sun and Fog winter 2022 collection (see all the patterns on Ravelry here). It’s a collection of nine knit and crochet patterns from Northern California designers that evoke the feeling of winter on the coast with muted hues and geologic forms. Most of the patterns are for knitters and they include wraps, a cowl, a cardigan, mitts and a hat.

[Photo: Ksenia Naidyon]

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I can’t resist a pattern that’s both useful and a little silly, and that’s exactly how I feel about the Rybka pouch pattern from the delightfully named Rat and Sea Witch.

I know you’re going to ask, because I did, too. Rybka means little fish in Polish. (And because you’re also probably going to ask, Rat and Sea Witch comes from people’s attempts to say the designer’s name, Ratasiewicz, which if you say it fast kind of sounds like rat and sea witch.)

It’s easy to make a little fish bag in different sizes to suit your needs. The pattern has specific instructions for an Airpods Pro case and a pencil case, but you could change the length easily to hold more stuff, and change the size in general by working with a different weight of yarn.

The pattern calls for sock yarn and mohair held together to make a fingering weight gauge, but you could try it with heavier yarn and see what size bag you end up with.

Whatever size you make it, this looks like a fun project for holding trinkets or everyday items. The mouth of the fish is the mouth of the bag, and it closes with a drawstring that is also the strap. I wonder, too, if you could make one of these with a small clasp frame that could be the fish’s mouth and then you could just work I cord straps that would attach to the sides of the fish.

I could also see stripes, or fish of different colors to use up your yarn leftovers. How about a sunglasses case with a little loop to attach to your bag? Once you start thinking about all the ways you could use a fish-shaped bag in your life, I think you’ll see that you probably need more than one.

If you make one of these I would love to know how it went!

You can grab a copy of the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Rat and Sea Witch]

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