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Wrap Yourself in Colorful Shawls

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wrapped in color

Mary D is getting this one.

Koigu is known for making fantastic, colorful yarns. These colorful skeins are fun to collect, but if you aren’t sure how to use them in projects, check out Wrapped in Color: 30 Shawls to Knit from the yarn company’s founders, Maie and Taiu Landra.

The book includes triangular, rectangular, crescent-shaped, square and sleeved shawls, capes, wraps and shrugs. There is lace, a lot of drop-stitch projects and a few pretty simple Garter and Stockinette based projects as well.

These patterns are colorful, mostly easy to intermediate in skill level, lots of fun to knit and wear. Check out the projects on Ravelry and look inside the book at the publisher’s website.

If you’d like a chance to win this book, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, May 28. I’d love to know if you knit a lot of shawls and if you have a favorite pattern you’ve knit so far. I found Hitchhiker a lot of fun, and the one I designed, if you can even call it that, that I like the most is my Bulky Triangle Wrap.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

 

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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. I am working on my first shawl now and would love to knit some of these patterns in this wonderful book!

  2. I have knit a couple of shawls for others and am now knitting one for myself. I love looking at shawl patterns and will knit many more.

  3. Shawls are my “go to gift”. They are always in style, easy and fast to make and so far everyone seems to LIKE them when I gift them!

  4. When my husband underwent heart surgery, I made up my own Shawls to knit. The various yarns and colors helped me focus and kept me calm.

  5. I have only knit a couple of shawls but want to make more because I have several shawl pins I had made as gifts, so I need shawls to give w/ the pins

  6. Color shawls would be fun and encouraging- I enjoy knitting prayer shawls, and this would be a great resource. Thanks for bringing it to attention!

  7. I’ve knit a number of shawls…but only one for myself. It might be time to knit ME another. Looking for inspiration.

    from overcast VT,
    the Vermonster

  8. I knit and crochet for others and enjoy making shawls. People I give them to use them at work and at home….for warmth and comfort.

  9. Hi! I love shawls, scarves and all that I can wrap around me. I have one handmade shawl, that my late mother in law crocheted for me. I’d love to make one of those in your book…I need something new and inspirational…

  10. I just adore the colors in this shawl! I haven’t ever knitted a shawl as I am relatively new to knitting. I have made a couple of baby blankets so far that came out great. I would love to win this book and give some of these patterns a try!

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

  13. Love knitting all different types of shawls and would love to have this book for ideas.

  14. I’m trying to challenge my self with new knitting techniques. Would love to win this book!

  15. I haven’t made a shawl yet, but it is on my to-do list as I wear them all the time.

  16. I’m working on my 4th shawl. I’ve only knit for myself, but I’m thinking some prayer shawls may be in my future. I love learning new designs and techniques. Thanks for the opportunity to win this book!

  17. Beautiful yarn with awesome colors! This looks like a wonderful book of patterns for making our spring more colorful is on my list!

  19. I’ve knit some shawls but haven’t found a favorite yet. Maybe it’s in this book.

  21. I knit prayer shawls for a local church as well as for friends. I am always looking for new and different patterns to use. I would love to have this book!

  22. I have not made any shawls at this time and look for inspriation for my first.

  23. I have started knitting again after many years and love knitting shawls with handdyed yarn. This book will help me a lot!

  25. I haven’t knit a lot of shawls, mainly because I never really know how to wear them. But I love the colors in Koigu yarns. Thanks for another great giveaway!

  26. I’ve knit a few not very creative shawls, and would like to branch out some. Thanks for the giveaways!

  27. Shawls are one of my favorite things to knit (size doesn’t matter). 🙂

  29. I have made a couple of shawls and love them for extra warmth in winter and they make a lovely accessory for warm summer evenings out. I love the look of the multi coloured shawl on the cover.

  31. Last year I knit over a dozen shawl/ scarves for the nurses where I get cancer treatments…finally made one for myself! I love knitting for others! A lovely gift for anyone!

  34. I’ve knit several shawls for gifts and had good fun knitting the Etole Dublin shawl for a friend. I would love to knit some from this lovely book.

  35. I have knitted several LaLa Simple Triangle Shawls. I donate a lot of my triangle shawls to my church to leave on the pews for members and visitors to use during the services.

  37. I am currently working on my third shawl from beautiful mohair gradient yarn. I would love to have more patterns to choose from.

  39. I try to make bright shawls to give as a gift for someone at a bit of a low point in their life and tell them every stitch is a prayer and a wish for some sunshine in their life. It seems to make a difference to people if they think someone has been thinking of them.

  41. this would make the prefect Birthday gift. My B’day is the 28th. I love shawls, I like to knit them, crochet them wear them and give them as gifts. This book would me new ideas. Thanks for the chance to win.

  42. I’ve knitted one shawl so far. But I have several on my to-make list! I can’t wait to get started on them!

  43. I have made several Martina Behm including hitchhiker, now doing the Yowza weigh it series, shawls are fun!!

  44. I guess I need this book for sure….I have looked and looked today for a pattern I thought I had saved and can’t find it…and I am ready to knit for this fall!!!

  46. This book is awesome. We have a wedding coming up and I wanted to make shawls for my daughter and myself. Thanks so much for the chance to win!

  49. Shawls are a great alternate to scarves. While I love both, shawls can have different shapes which allows for greater flexibility for design and trimmings. I especially like the crescent and shawlette type which are light and can be draped in so many ways. Would love to own this book.

Have you read?

Book Review: Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit & Crochet Blankets

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four. 

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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