Making the Briar Shawl
/Hello.. and I am so happy to be able to post something today. Moving house has been a long process and endless boxes and unpacking has been exhausting. Despite leaving our home in Yorkshire in February, living out of suitcases and moving around between airbnb’s while deciding on our new place and then waiting for it all to go through, I have found it important to do some handwork in the intervening months and knitting has been the perfect escape route to sanity sometimes. When I saw the knitting pattern for this shawl on instagram, I knew it was just the perfect gift for a dear friend who was about to celebrate her 60th birthday. For some nuts reason, I figured it would be a quick project that I would easily complete in time for the party. It was not, but that is entirely my fault and as usual, my over reaching ambition to challenge myself. I am still finding my way with knitting and I am incredibly slow, but nevertheless I was determined to make this project.
In part, my mind was set on it because our friends had recently introduced us to Romney Marsh and I was entranced with this mystical place. The day we drove across it was a particularly lovely one and the marshy plain was covered in a sort of golden haze with all sorts of grasses and hedgerows and winding roads and old churches and pubs. The sheep which graze on these reclaimed lands have been part of the economy for centuries and when I discovered that I could buy the wool I was very taken with the idea of using some of it for a gift for my friend. Lorna, at Thread&Yarn not only had the perfect pattern, but the yarn too and I purchased some skeins in the shade ‘Rosehip’.
It was a sketchy beginning. The whole idea of the shawl is that each layer of textured stitches represents an element of the hedgerows from the roots up to the blossoms. I got in a terrible mess with the crossover cable part and had to unravel and redo, but I stuck with it and second time I was more understanding of what I was doing and it was fine. As the rows built up, I found myself learning a whole plethora of new stitches and effects and it was just so pretty.
It wasn’t perfect but then nature isn’t and it was so easy on the eye, I felt that it was a really cosy knit. Once the pattern was done, it was plain sailing, but it still took some time. After a point, I changed from a circular needle to straight pins and found the knitting went more quickly then. For me it was essential to mark off every row so I never miscounted the decreases on the long edge. Stitch markers helped at both ends to mark the border stitches and I am a particular fan of these by Aude at Bobbles and Berries as they come in such beautiful hand stitched designs and they are light and easy to use.
Stitch markers by Bobbles & Berries
The biggest surprise of all for me was the blocking process. Lorna has a video which accompanies the pattern and it was extremely helpful at every stage. She stresses the essential final step of washing and blocking the shawl and this is actually where the magic really happens. Suddenly my higgledy shawl became smooth and even and soft and drapey. I was astonished at the result.
The natural variation of the botanically dyed yarn seemed to show itself and all the rows looked neat and even. It is certainly a lesson well learned for me.
For an experienced knitter, I feel this is a quick project but it did take me longer than I expected and I was a little late delivering it. However, I took the time make a fabric bag for my friend to keep it in and found the most gorgeous shawl pin on etsy.
On the evening before it was to be gifted, it was simply a glorious autumnal evening where the low light was perfect for illuminating the shawl outdoors. Totally thrilled with this…I shall be making another one for myself for sure.
