Pattern available on Ravelry.
I'm back with more marling! That's right, I loved it so much in the Marl the Spectrum Cowl, that I had to do another project with it! PLUS color fades. PLUS speckles. PLUS the Fibonacci Sequence. Can you see the stars shining in my eyes yet?
So here it is, the Sweet Carolina Shawl!
This shawl was originally designed as a submission for an event held in North Carolina and so "Sweet Carolina Shawl" was my working title. When it wasn't accepted, I started thinking about a new name, but then Hurricane Florence came along, threatening us here in Virginia and wreaking absolute havoc on our neighbors in the Carolinas - and I still hadn't renamed the shawl. So I decided that perhaps it was meant to be after all. Especially now in the aftermath of a second hurricane affecting so many nearby.
And so I'll be donating 50% of pattern sales for this design during its launch to the American Red Cross in support of hurricane relief efforts. If you'd like to make an additional donation, you can do so here.
The design itself is worked from vertex to base with the linen stitch, which is a simple design that can accommodate a wide variety of yarn types, from lace or fingering weight held double (marling optional!) to DK or Worsted weight yarns or even handspun and art yarns! Color fades as written are based on the Fibonacci Sequence (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55 …) for a very aesthetically appealing shift from one color to the next with the width of each color narrowing as the triangle gets wider.
I have actually already made this shawl twice! One is for me and the second one is for Shellee, the indie dyer behind HauteKnitYarn! Together we decided to work the two shawls in opposite sequences, just for fun so we could see how different they would look! Then, of course, I couldn't resist adding some fringe to one and I figured I'd try adding tassels to the other one, because who doesn't love options? And so version 1 is worked from C1 - C5 with three tassels and version 2 is worked from C5 - C1 with a full fringe.
Guidance is included in the pattern for adding the optional fringe or tassels, but I'll also include a couple photo galleries below for anyone who is interested in more information on how I did these!
So let's take a closer look and what you'll need to make your very own Sweet Carolina Shawl!
Suggested Materials:
Jimmy Sock by HauteKnitYarn or similar Fingering (1) Weight yarn, 3 skeins (100g, 463 yds) Weekend Getaway (v1) or Every Day Gray (v2), 1 Left of Center Fade Set (100g, 463 yds ea skein)
MC: Weekend Getaway (1350 yds)
C1: Wooly Bully (175 yds)
C2: Let Me Go (350 yds)
C3: Jezebel (375 yds)
C4: Don’t Abuse Me (325 yds)
C5: You Don’t Own Me (250 yds)
Stitch Marker(s) (optional)
Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue or similar (optional) for added security on tassels
Tassels require an additional 60 yds and a full fringe will need an extra 150 yds or so.
Skills you’ll need to know or learn:
Color Changes (stripes)
Marling (holding two strands of yarn together and working with them as one)
Gauge:
Within the body, before blocking, 4” = 24 sts and 25 rows. Gauge is pretty flexible in this project because the triangular shape is worked from the point outwards, which means if you’re not adhering to the Fibonacci Sequence strictly, you can simply keep working until you’ve reached whatever size you like!
Finished measurements of original design after blocking = 64” wingspan and 31” center depth, not including fringe or tassels.
Optional Tassels:
Here's a quick look at how I made my tassels - it was my very first time making them! So there are probably better tutorials out there, ha ha, but this is how I made mine.
Optional Fringe:
I've only every used a half hitch with one or two strands of yarn for fringes, but I'm sure there are lots of different ways you could make a fringe. I've even seen some really cute super short fringes on shawls recently! So experiment with different lengths and placement frequencies until you find what suits you!
And yes, as rumor may have it, I DO block my fringe. ;) Sometimes the half hitch will loosen during blocking anyway, so I use this time to make sure the ends are relatively even (I don't obsess over it, but there are always a few wonky ones that are uneven by as much as an inch) and to seat the knot tightly exactly where I want it. Doing this while it's damp can really help the fringe hang straighter and, of course, it looks nicer for its first photo shoot! It also makes initial placement less tedious since I know I can make any needed adjusments later.
Shellee has made some additional fade sets that you can choose in different colors on Jimmy Sock, but you could also put together your own set. Here's a link to her Fade Sets shop section! My second choice for this design was her Tequila Combo set but I really wanted to use five colors - it IS a Fibonacci Sequence number after all! I kind of want to do this again in teal... Or red for the holidays! Look out now, there go the stars again!!
Be sure to use coupon code CAROLINA to save 10% for the Sweet Carolina Shawl pattern launch now through October 31st in my Ravelry Shop and tag me @crochetcetera or with #sweetcarolinashawl when you share pictures on social!
Happy crocheting, y'all!!
