style | Woolen Diversions

I had been waiting until I found my wedding dress to plan out my wedding shawl. I’ve had the yarn in stash pretty much since I got engaged and I knew, just knew, that I wanted to knit either a shawl or a veil for my “Big Day”. It makes sense, I’m a knitter, I love shawls, why wouldn’t I want to knit myself a luxurious, complicated, laceweight silk shawl to shoe off my mad knitting skillz and commemorate such an important occasion?

The yarn in question: BMFA Silk Thread, colorway Spinel

Well, here are a few reasons: 1) the wedding is a mere 4 months away, 2) I have kind of a lot to do between now and then (understatement), 3) I bought a veil when I went dress shopping that I actually really like and plan to wear most of the night, so the need for handknit decoration is essentially gone, 4) the wedding is in July, so the need for a shawl for warmth is moot, and 5) laceweight. silk. complex.

And yet, despite all these reasons, I still find myself dreaming of knitting a pretty shawl. I likely won’t make one, but I’m just going to wind the yarn and maybe swatch a little, no commitment, no hard deadline… we’ll see how it goes. Here are some top contendors.

I think Ann Hanson’s Twig & Leaf shawl would be the most achievable, if I were to knit myself a shawl by July (which I won’t, because we decided it was crazy, but if I did…). It begins along the bottom edge, getting the lace bit that requires concentration done first, then transitions to a short row garter stitch section for the rest of the shawl. It’s simple but elegant and has a flattering, semi-circular crescent shape.

This Tendrils pattern by Susanna IC has a very similar look to the previous shawl, it’s just glammed up a bit with a larger gauge, a wide swath of smooth stockinette stitch, and added beads. I love the floaty, ethereal quality of the fabric. Honestly, almost any of Susanna’s shawls would make a suitable wedding shawl, she has such a graceful design sense.

The Trousseau shawl by Carol Feller is lovely, as well. It’s also very aptly named as ‘trousseau’ is defined as “the clothes, household linen, and other belongings collected by a bride for her marriage”. I love the way the different sections of lace swirl in opposing directions, the effect lends so much movement and life to the fabric. The pattern is written for thicker yarn than I have, so I might want to double it up… or just save the pattern for another day, another yarn.

While this pattern, Morticia by Boo Knits, is decidedly not aptly named for the theme of the day, I really love the unabashedly gothic, romantic drama of the design. The lace, the gratuitous beading, that irresistable ‘drippy’ edging! So interesting, so unlike any shawl I already own, so fancy. (I’m not sure why a gothic beaded shawl is equated with ‘fancy’ in my mind, but let’s roll with it.) There are actually a ton of Boo Knits designs that I’ve been wanting to knit for a while, Sweet Dreams and Premonition are near the top of the list.

I was hoping that writing my wedding shawl thoughts down would get the idea out of my system, but I’m afraid I’ve only convinced myself that I actually need to knit not one but several wedding shawls by July, because I love them all. Apparently, I am a highly covetous knitter and I want all the shawls, all at once.

What’s been inspiring you this week? Share a link in the comments below and/or let us know!