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How About a Shawl for Summer?

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Dowson triangular shawl berrocoI’ve taken a bit of a break from knitting to crochet a little scarf/shawl that might be just the thing for cool summer evenings or places with too much air conditioning (read: just about everywhere in the American south).

A simple shawl is a great summer project because you’re always shifting back and forth between hot places and cold places. Plus they’re great for travel knitting.

May I suggest Dowson by Berroco? This triangular shawl is really simple to knit, but the little lace panel at the back keeps in interesting (and provides a little ventilation). The wings keep it secure on your shoulders, and make it a little more fun than a straight triangle.

It’s worked in Folio, a blend of rayon and alpaca that has warmth and shine and comes in lots of great colors. Or use about 440 yards of any DK weight yarn in your stash.

I don’t really need another shawl, but this would be a great choice if you’re in the market for one.

[Photo: Berroco Yarns.]

 

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Looking for more amazing shawl patterns? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

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Comments

  1. this is a very confusing post. You state you are taking a break from knitting, then show a knitted shawl. Also, where is the pattern?

Have you read?

Knitting Stylish Stuff from Your Stash Book Review

Every knitter has a stash. Some of us have a neat little basket. Some of us have a “please don’t open that cupboard too quickly” situation. So a book called Knitting Stylish Stuff from Your Stash already feels like it understands the assignment.

Written by Erica Berntsen, this book is all about turning leftover yarn, odd skeins, and those slightly mysterious yarn purchases we were definitely going to use “one day” into stylish, wearable projects. The book includes 20 scrappy knitting designs and focuses on making the most of what you already have, with a practical zero-waste approach. It’s published by Landauer Publishing and runs to 168 pages.

What I like about this book is that it doesn’t treat leftover yarn as second-best. Instead, it leans into the charm of mixed colours, textures, scraps, and creative combinations. That’s where stash knitting becomes fun rather than just economical. You’re not simply “using things up”; you’re making something with personality.

The projects are aimed at knitters who want fashionable, useful pieces rather than another pile of tiny odds-and-ends projects that never leave the craft room. It’s a good fit if you enjoy relaxed, creative knitting and don’t mind experimenting a little with colour and yarn pairing.

This would suit knitters who:

  • have too much leftover yarn and want realistic project ideas
  • enjoy scrappy, colourful knitting
  • like sustainable craft projects
  • want stylish stash-busting patterns
  • prefer practical makes over fussy novelty projects

I’d say this is especially appealing for knitters who already have a little confidence and enjoy making creative decisions as they go. If you are the sort of person who likes everything to match perfectly, scrappy knitting might make you twitch slightly. But if you love a good “let’s see what happens” project, this book will probably be right up your alley.

For anyone working through this book, it’s worth sorting your yarn stash first by weight, fibre, and colour family. A digital kitchen scale is surprisingly handy for checking how much yarn you actually have left, and a few clear storage tubs or yarn bags make the whole process much less chaotic. The book itself is a natural Amazon book recommendation, and Mary Maxim is a useful place to look if you need extra yarn to pull a stash project together.

Knitting Stylish Stuff from Your Stash is a clever, practical, and refreshingly useful book for knitters who want to stop saving yarn scraps for “someday” and actually turn them into something wearable. It’s creative without being wasteful, stylish without being intimidating, and a lovely reminder that your stash probably already has more potential than you think.