Stretch Your Skills with This Brioche Shawl Knitting Pattern

I usually post knitting patterns that are relatively easy, not necessarily because I expect my audience is mostly beginners, but because knitters of all skill levels can potentially enjoy projects on the easier end of the skill level scale, especially when they have interesting design elements or details.

But every now and then I come across a pattern that’s decidedly not easy but is just so pretty I can’t resist sharing it for people who have those skills or want to learn those skills. (Remember: skill levels in knitting patterns do have specific meanings, but any pattern is doable as long as you can learn the skills involved.)

This is one of those “not easy but totally worth it” kinds of knitting patterns.

The String of Pearls shawl from Padma R. is a top down triangular shawl worked in brioche stitches in three colors. It also features cables and lace, but the designer has worked hard to make it approachable.

She notes in the pattern description on Ravelry that there are no complex cast ons or bind offs (though the bind off does include bobbles, there’s an option that doesn’t use them if you prefer). She also notes that shaping and patterning only occur on light color, right side rows, which leaves a lot of resting rows where nothing complicated is going on.

In addition, the pattern includes a 19-page photo tutorial to help you through the tricky bits, so it’s actually a good introduction to doing lace and cables in brioche (it’s a good idea to be familiar with brioche knitting and two-color brioche before you take this one on, though).

And while the name sounds like it was inspired by, well, pearls, the design was actually inspired by a plant called the string of pearls, which is a succulent that grows like a vine with round leaves that look like pearls. So fun!

You can grab a copy of this pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Padma R.]

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You probably know by now if you’re a regular reader (and if you’re not, welcome!) that I love a knitting pattern that’s a little silly or a little different from the usual. Classic patterns are great, too, but sometimes you just want to make something with a bit of whimsy. And when it’s super functional, too, that’s even better.

That’s the case with the Bananen-Socken pattern from Susanne Shahin. These banana socks are one of those patterns no one seems to be totally sure where it came from, and this free pattern on Ravelry explains how she makes them based on how she learned it.

It’s a sock that’s curved and when not on a foot it looks rather like a banana. There’s no heel, and you can use whatever number of stitches you need to make it fit your foot. If you’ve knit enough socks to know how many stitches you like you can just use that number, or the pattern notes include sizing charts to help. (It needs to be multiples of 2 for the ribbing.)

After working a traditional cuff, the body is made with ribbing on the back and welts (or what the pattern calls horizontal ribbing) on the front, which is what gives it the curved shape. There’s no heel, but there is toe shaping, but for the leg and the foot you just keep working the same pattern as long as you like.

I’m a little skeptical about how these socks will feel with ribbing on the bottom of the foot, but I’m definitely intrigued and will probably give them a try.

The pattern notes are available on Ravelry in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. If you head to the pattern page you can see a photo of what it looks like on a foot, and it just looks like a normal sock.

Have you ever knit banana socks or do you want to now? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

[Photo: Susanne Shahin]

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