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Project Notebook: Maedwe Shawl

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my maedwe shawlRight before Christmas I participated in a really fun, spontaneous act of giving. Using the hashtag #getyouryarnwishesgranted, knitters requested yarns they’d like to play with and went about fulfilling other people’s wishes, too.

One of the yarns I wished for was something from Lorna’s Laces, because I feel like it’s shameful that I’ve never really knit with their yarn before.

I was gifted two skeins of Shepherd Sport Multi, and they arrived just before the holiday. On Christmas I set out to find something to knit with them. I knew I wanted to knit a shawl, but beyond that I wasn’t sure.

I finally settled on making a version of Maedwe, a short-row garter stitch shawl by AnneLena Mattison found in the book Free-Spirit Shawls. It’s actually a pretty easy pattern once you get the rhythm of it, and I finished up mine in five days.

I really like the look of it, even though the original was knit in a much more subdued yarn. I’ve already worn it quite a lot and intend to throughout the season. maedwe and instahat

This is me wearing it on New Year’s Eve along with a quick as lightning hat I’ll tell you about next week.

What’s on (or recently off) your needles? I’d love to hear about it!

 

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Comments

  1. Beautiful shawl. I’m so sorry that I missed #getyouryarnwishgranted. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it next year as I’d love to participate.
    I’m currently working on an infinity scarf for my daughters best friends 30th birthday gift.
    I’m using the bulky Brown sheep co. Lambs pride.
    I purchased this yarn at the New York sheep an wool festival this past October.
    Knitting with this yarn reminds me of the great day that I had with my daughter.
    The Eucalyptus leaf color will look lovely on her.

Have you read?

Stitch a Simple Sack Hat that Looks Like a Turkey

If your family is the sort to do a turkey trot for Thanksgiving, or even just to take family pictures, you’ll want to get started knitting up some Turkey Sack Hats with this pattern from Underground Crafter. 

The pattern uses super bulky yarn and is rated easy. It’s knit flat but there are a few skills in here around the shaping of the eyes, which includes changing colors, working bobbles and doing a wicked purl 3 together decrease. Twice. 

But that’s all in one row, and the rest of it is pretty simple. The beak is worked separately and sewn on, and the side of the hat is stitched up to make it into a hat. 

What’s great about this one is that it comes in 10 sizes, ranging from newborn to adult large, so you really can make one for everyone in the family. And because it uses super bulky yarn you can knit a bunch pretty quickly if that’s a thing you’d like to do. 

It’s also fun because you could use this base pattern to make different animals or for different holidays. Make it all in orange and stitch on a jack o’lantern face for Halloween, or make a white one that’s a snowman, for example. 

In any style this would also be a fun gag gift for that person in your life who has everything or doesn’t want gifts, or if you do a secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange at work or elsewhere. 

And make sure whether you’re making it a turkey or some other character that you include the pom poms at the top! They’re just so cure and a great way to add a bit more color to the project, and they’re easy to make. (See also: ways to make a pompom with yarn.)

You can grab the free pattern at the Underground Crafter website. 

[Photo: Underground Crafter]