Saturday 23 August 2014

My Summer Shawl is finished and all about the South Bay Shawlette

Yesterday I finished my pretty Summer Shawl (from the book PUUR Haken)!

Well, the main part was finished thursday evening, including sewing in all the little ends. Friday I played about with adding a border in Purple. The pattern showed a border which went all the way around the 3 sides of the shawl, but I didn't like the idea.

This is what my finished Shawl looks like now:

Do the Butterfly!

Here you can see the pattern really well

Laid out flat (168 x 58 cm)

My own custom border in Purple


In fact, you could say for me this summer was the summer of shawls! 
Up to then, I had never tried to crochet a shawl before. (I made my own crochet Poncho in Primary school, but this is something else!)

Then I came across this pattern and I thought I would give it a go:
The South Bay Shawlette. (In fact, since then I started to collect their many free patterns!)

The South Bay Shawlette - this was my first attempt:
Made with Apilou Acrylic in Coral (164 x 80 cm)

Then came this:

The smallest - crocheted with a 1.5mm hook and turned into a necklace! (16 x 8 cm)

 And a Chunky version or two!

In Charcoal Chunky Merino Wool (92 x 40 cm)

In Deep Purple Chunky Merino Wool with added Border at the point and 2 little yoyos as ties (115 x 54cm)

Ok, I think I got it now, let's get serious! (The largest!)

With the most luxurious yarn: Silky Merino by Malabrigo in colour Indiecita (210 x 92 cm)

Each of the 8 balls of yarn was individually hand dyed and unique
 And one more with a different yarn - thick Cotton!

Yes, you saw this before! Here! (132 x 61 cm)

All together now!

Layering the shawls
All 7 close up
The blue one is my favourite, it feels so soft and I often shrug it on and off whenever I feel a bit cold. It lives on the back of my chair!

The two shorter chunky ones I will wear facing frontwards around my neck for the cold weather.

I also love the idea that you can use a pattern like this to make a necklace, because I love making necklaces from yarn. My upcycling idea is to use this as a piece of lace and sew it to a plain top or jumper, instantly adding new interest!

It has been fun making all of these! At the beginning of the year I decided that I wanted to learn and try out new things with my crafting, trying to push back some boundaries, and I believe that I am doing that. I also come to realize that a lot of being good at something is just practice, practice and more practice. Using one pattern and then trying it with different yarns, colours and ideas is so much fun! I know that I am not finished with this pattern, it has an easy going rhythm. If you have not tried it yet, download the free instructions and save it until you are in the mood for something new.

Do you have a favourite shawl pattern (preferably a free one), that you would like to share here?
(Please remember to link to the original site where it came from)

I hope I have given you all a bit of new inspiration here! It does not take long to make a shawl and soon you could be wearing it as the weather is getting cooler!

And hello to everyone who has recently started reading my blog, thanks for all your lovely comments, I enjoy reading them and hearing from you!

Wishing you all a relaxing weekend, and for my readers in the UK, enjoy your special Bank Holiday!

18 comments:

  1. Amazing summer of shawls for you. I LOVE the Elise Shawl, you can find it on Ravelry and it is a free pattern. I made at least five of them last year for gifts, I think you would like the pattern too. Thank you for the very loving comment you left on my blog. I feel if we were neighbors we would get along so fabulously.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  2. Thanks, Meredith! I have just saved it to my Ravelry (I'm starting to realize how useful that is!) - in fact it says that it is an adaptation of the South Bay Shawlette, so they are related!! :) Wow, you made five, that's fantastic!

    It's lovely that you feel that way, I think you are right, shame that we are far apart in distance, but luckily we can communicate here with each other. I find it amazing how many nice people you meet on these blogs, all sharing their enthusiasm and bits of their life! It is very enriching!
    Take care! Ingrid xx

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  3. hi Ingrid!

    How's the Dutch going?

    I like all of your shawls ! (so many of them). Those last days you could use them very well in Belgium (so cold for August! does not happen a lot, don't think bad things about our country!)
    Where in Germany do you originally come from? and where have you lived in the UK?

    You ask for suggestions for other shawls. How about the red one in this post? http://dawndavis.blogspot.be/2012/08/a-week-of-crochet.html
    I like the crochet of Dawn Davis very much. there sometimes are free patterns.

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    1. Hello Brigitte! First, thanks for your link to yet another interesting blogsite - and she has got a dachshund!! (Add to bloglist!) The shawl in the photo is beautiful, but guess what? It is the same pattern (South Bay Shawlette), which just goes to show that it is so versatile, and looks great in all sorts of yarn and/or colours!

      I was born in Amberg, a little town in southern Germany - see more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amberg

      I moved to the UK when I was 21 and initially I lived in the Surrey area in various places, which is all suburbia to London. Later I lived less than 2 years in West Wales, then moved to the Midlands where I lived a long time in Stoke-on-Trent or the Potteries, as it is also known. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoke-on-Trent).

      Yes, I know what you mean, this is not normal weather here for August (it's my 3rd summer here). Whatever happened to the weather nowadays?

      The Dutch is going ok (after all I keep reading tons of Dutch language blogs on a daily basis), though for me it's back to evening school from 1st September!!! I'm starting on level 3.1. Yay!!!

      Enjoy your weekend! xx

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    2. Prachtig!!!!!! echt super! groetjes Lisanne

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    3. Bedankt, Lisanne!
      Groetjes,
      Ingrid xx

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    4. Hi Ingrid,


      Thanks for telling me about Dawn's dachshund. I missed it completely. Just saw it. Must say I like the "ruigharige" better (don't know the English word).

      Just did some counting: we must be about the same age.
      I was born in 1959. And you?

      Don't know the South of Germany. Do know a bit about the North. My daughter has been dating a German boy friend for over a year now. He is from Bremen.

      Surrey is very beautiful. Don't you miss it? And why on earth did you come to Belgium? The UK is so much better. I really like the English!

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    5. Hello Brigitte! Yes, you are right, we are about the same age, I was born in early 1961. Funnily, I can say the same about Northern Germany, I don't know it! Of course I do miss England, but luckily we go and visit my 3 oldest children every so often (the youngest lives here with me and my boyfriend). And, it was love that made me move here, after 5 years of visiting each other!

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  4. By the way: could you please turn off the button that says "prove that you are nog a robot"?

    I need reading glasses and at night it is very difficult for me to see the number which is necessary to prove I am not a robot. (perhaps I am one)

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    1. Sorry Brigitte, I cannot change it, it comes automatically with the site. (I have the same problems on other people's pages). If you cannot read it, just click on the 'refresh' button until it's easier to read and it will give a new number.

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  5. Hi there, I'm visiting you after being at Meredith's blog at mereknits. Your shawl collection is impressive! I am currently making the Olive Twist shawl ( inspired by'Meredith) and was kind if wondering when I'd wear it. Now I know ! Just shrug it on and off whenever I want! Thanks!
    Would be lovely to see you over at emeraldcottage.blogspot.co.uk
    Jillxo

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    1. Hi Jill! Thanks for your lovely comments! Good luck with making your new shawl (that pattern does look interesting).
      I've added your blog to my list, thank you!
      Enjoy your weekend!
      Ingrid xx

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  6. There is so much to be learned from getting to know a pattern intimately as you have done with the South Bay Shawlette. While you may feel like it the same thing again and again, the minute you change size, hooks, yarns, fibres, it becomes an entirely different experience each time.
    You have inspired me to go back to one of my 'old favourite' shawl patterns - Sweet Pea Shawl by Amy Hirtes (I am displaying a pink fluffy version in my blogger profile picture).
    I have enjoyed reading this post very much. Thanks for sharing your work and ideas.

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    1. Dear Jodie, Lovely to hear from you! (I couldn't believe I had so many comments when I looked this morning!)
      I feel you understand what I've been trying to do with the pattern, thanks for saying that. Glad I could further inspire you! In turn, I feel greatly inspired by so many people who share their makes and ideas! Admittedly, sometimes it even can have the effect of making one feel lacking the expertise! However, I remind myself that I need to follow my own path, learn at my own pace and recognize my own limits. I never want to stop learning!
      Going to visit your blog!! (Your shawl looks amazing on that tiny profile photo!)
      Ingrid xx

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  7. All your shawls are so lovely. I have made lots but only a few for myself. I was wearing one of my favourites yesterday which I crocheted using Drops Safran in green. This is a 4-ply cotton yarn that works up really well.

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  8. Dear Gillian, Thanks so much! I enjoyed making them. I've not used DROPS yarn so far, primarily because it is not sold in the shops here where I live, but it looks a very good quality yarn! Here the weather is horrible, lots of rain and cooler. So I'm starting to return to some warmer yarn, just started on a scarf this afternoon! :) xx

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  9. Hoi Ingrid, wauw wat gaaf zeg! Leuk dat je even een berichtje achterliet op mijn blog, nu kon ik even kijken hoe jij de sjaal gemaakt hebt. Heel erg mooi! Groetjes, Annemarie

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