As a beginner knitter I was always searching for free patterns to try. I was afraid I wouldn’t understand a pattern if I bought it because those were for people who knew what they were doing!
Fortunately some clever people do write up patterns and share them for free. Some of these people are designers who also sell patterns. Free patterns can also be poorly written, so be careful there. Read through a pattern before beginning and see if it makes sense. Or go to Ravelry and see what other pattern users have to say. If the free pattern gets bad reviews it may be best to move on and find another.
Just a quick post to show my finished photos of the Dewdrops shawl. I began knitting the peach -colored triangle section a few months ago. (See my cast on post here.) I loved the yarn (Emma’s Yarn) so much that I then had to wait for the Four Purls yarn truck to visit my area again in April to pick up a denim blue color for the border.
From the time I cast on I had pictured a dark blue color for the border. I love the outcome and am very happy with the way this shawl turned out. I’m not a super experienced knitter, but I had no trouble with that lace border.
I have more trouble trying to get good photos once my projects are complete! Outdoors is the best choice for bright, true color photos. But I don’t want to get my newly cleaned and blocked shawl dirty! So I simply held it with one hand and pointed my iPhone with the other.
Outside photo shows the true colors
Get the Pattern
Want to knit Dewdrops yourself? Here is the link to the designer’s Dewdrops pattern page at Ravelry. Or visit Woolenberry.com to see more of Janina Kallio’s massive selection of shawls.
More of What I’m Knitting
So what am I knitting now? Well, I always have a few things going at once but I’m focused on the Sun Kissed shawl, which is also being knit using Emma’s Yarn. When I want to relax and knit something simple, I work on my Ruffled Scarf. I’m working on a pair of socks – which are coming out okay. I’m not a sock-knitter, but I’m trying to be. A post on that is in the works.
In my previous post I mentioned that I was searching for the next project to cast-on. I’ve decided on the Dewdrops shawl, which is triangle shaped, but is knit from the bottom up. Here’s a photo of what I’ve knit so far. It’s a simple pattern that looks nice on both sides. I’m about a third of the way through the rows, but they will get longer and become more time consuming. Once this section is done, a lace border is added. That will be interesting.
I am using Emma’s Yarn, merino and silk, which is hand-dyed here in Florida for the Four Purls yarn store. It was so nice to walk among yarn skeins and see them in person, which I did when the Four Purls Yarn Truck (what an ingenious idea!) came to my area. Usually I must buy my yarn online and hope for the best because I have no yarn shops nearby.
Janina Kallio is the designer of Dewdrops and the pattern is easy to understand, with written directions.
This beautiful merino and silk yarn is called “Main Squeeze” which resembles the color of orange and pink grapefruit juices. We are in Florida, after all! It is soft and silky.
Beginning the Dewdrops shawl pattern
The Cold and Wind Are Keeping Me Indoors
Windy days are upon us here in east, central Florida and that makes boating and fishing difficult. My son is a Florida native and can’t stand temperatures below 60. The heat goes on and he refuses to consider going boating. Floridians are wimps.
I know that no one will pity me having to deal with winter temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s… hahaha… !! Wait until summer. That is when I want your pity.
Being indoors more than usual has given me plenty of opportunity to knit. Recently I finished up two projects; the “Let’s Stripe” hat and “Scrappy Bias Shawl“. It seems I always have many projects going at once. I suppose most knitters do.
Update on “Dewdrops” Progress
Been knitting like crazy between a few projects I have going, but I’m almost done with the triangle section of the Dewdrops shawl. It is a very simple pattern, which would be great for a beginner. It’s almost too boring for me at this point. But it is a relaxing break from knitting my first sweater, which has turned out to be a challenge. See the Umpqua Sweater knitting post here.
This is the first time I’ve knit with Emma’s Yarn and it is very lovely. The color is gorgeous as well. My plan for the border is to use a denim blue color, or something dark. I’ll change my mind many times before I get there I’ll bet! I may wait to buy more of Emma’s Yarn when the Yarn Truck visits again in April.
Denim blue Emma’s Yarn is now purchased and wound into a ball ready to use. Dewdrops is off hibernation and ready to finish. I’ve been waiting for Four Purls to visit again so I could grab more of this Super Silky yarn. The yarn truck arrived April 16th and even though I had to pay taxes and not get a refund I managed to spend a bunch during my visit to New Smyrna Beach.
Denim blue color ball of yarn to finish my Dewdrops shawl.
Now I am knitting the lace border of the Dewdrops shawl with the denim yarn. Once I got the first row done I could see how the stitches lined up. Also I did count them and I appreciate designers including row counts in their patterns. The only place I am having trouble is at the “point” but so far it looks fine. I’ve had to fix a few missed stitches, but that is me. I’m still learning. This is one completed set of stitches and I have one more set to go. The border will be double this width.
Lace border
Check Out My New Shawl!
I finished knitting this shawl in May. See my photos of this finished project onthis post.
I have a pattern for a free shawl (Lionberry) which I have tried to knit twice now. I give up after spending another two days of my life getting it started. All my rows end up short, and even when I try to add stitches I get holes in the rows. Obviously, I still need practice.
Now I am searching through more favorite shawls I’ve saved on Ravelry to begin a new pattern.
Types of Shawls
Sketch of shawl shapes
The shawls in my quick drawing show the ones I have made, or will make (this gives away the one I eventually chose to knit!) I’ve decided that I prefer the triangular, half circle (crescent) and rectangle shapes best. I do have a hard time figuring out how to wear an irregular, long, triangle shape like the Scrappy Bias and Vine Pops.
Shawls I’ve Considered Knitting
Here is a list of my saved favorite shawls. I’ve discovered many pretty ones, but the question is, can I follow the pattern? I still need a fairly easy pattern, although I did manage to knit the Vine Pops triangular shawl by Kirsten Kapur in a Mystery Knit Along. I’m still amazed at that.
Danzig, by designer Justyna Lorkowska is a big triangle shape (arrow shape?) which she knitted in a light color (Malabrigo Mechita in “Pearl”) but added a bright variegated yarn (Malabrigo Mechita in “Diana”) which makes bright little dots and rows of color throughout by knitting short rows. I really love this one, but don’t have a lot of practice with short rows. The little ruffled scarf I am working on is the only place I have used them.
Note to self: After viewing the Danzig shawl colors chosen by other knitters, I would probably choose the colors the designer used, or something close.
And… by the same designer, a Free shawl pattern called “Eunni” which is available atKnitty.com, but this one looks involved. It’s free, so I may give it a try. It’s also very colorful, so not sure what I would do with that.
Her designs are quite lovely and I have also favorited Aisling, which is a crescent shaped shawl, and Penicuik. These links go to Ravelry where you can see photos and buy the patterns if you like. I think you will need to sign up, which is free and it’s a great place to find patterns, both free and to purchase.
The Slumber Shawl by Stephen West is so pretty with the wavy edge . I’m not crazy about the color yellow, but the yellow and gray gradient in this one looks awesome. Also, the yarn weight called for is worsted or Aran to make a more dense, warm neck wrap.
Making a Pattern Choice
Yesterday I went yarn shopping and bought a ton of new yarn from the visiting yarn truck so I am itching to use it! (More on that yarn truck on another post.) As I shopped around Ravelry (which can take hours out of my day) I found some nice discounts and deals.
Emma’s Yarn new skeins purchased from Four Purls
Once I happened across some shawls by Janina Kallio of Woolenberry and saw that she was offering a winter discount, I jumped at the chance to have her patterns. It was buy two, get one free, so I ended up with three shawl patterns for the price of two. Great deal!
Choosing three was tough, with all the pretty shawls offered, but I wanted something other than a triangle shape, which narrowed it down. Also, since I tend to buy one skein of yarn in a color that grabs my attention (like in the photo above), I hoped to find shawls that would take one skein.
The first shawl I chose is “Railings” and is a half circle shape. One skein of fingering weight yarn is used, so that is perfect. The beautiful “Floral” shawl is in crescent shape and takes more than one skein but is so pretty! And my last choice is a unique shawl that is knit from the bottom up with a lacy border added afterward. It’s called “Dewdrops“. I am not sure which one I will try first, but I’m casting on tomorrow!
New England's Narrow Road 