Shake Up Your Shawls

There’s a lot to love about a hand knit shawl. 

Besides the fact that shawls are generally pretty quick to knit (and easy to wear throughout the year), one of their super powers is that you can *almost* completely ignore gauge. 

Technically – even if it’s only deep down – I know you already know this.

But how often do you really shake up your shawls by taking a complete gauge detour? 

  • Knit a worsted weight shawl in sport or fingering weight yarn
  • Knit a fingering weight shawl in worsted weight
  • Mix and match stash yarn in a variety of different weights to add creative texture and color to a simple pattern
  • Knit a 3-color shawl in three completely different kinds of yarn (even different weights)
  • Throw a strand of mohair or skinny boucle in with another yarn for part of the shawl – but don’t feel you have to use it throughout. Sometimes a strategic pop of texture can be the perfect twist for a hand knit shawl 
  • Use leftover yarn to add a pop of color to the cast-on or bind-off edge
  • Turn a one-color shawl into a multi-color shawl by knitting it only with minis

What if your gauge change makes a difference in the finished size? It will. And sometimes it’ll be a big difference. The great thing about shawls is that you can often repeat a simple section to add more fabric if it seems a bit small. On the flip side, you can stop sooner if your shawl is growing beyond a size you’ll feel comfortable wearing. 

If you have the urge to test your creative chops, test them out in a shawl. It’s an easy way to experiment with color, texture and yarn weight. In the end, even if it’s a bit crazy, you can still wear it.

In fact, the more creative you get with your experimentation, the more interesting your shawl will be. 

Your challenge: Take a shawl pattern you already have – maybe even one you’ve already made, and turn the rules upside down. 

Need some pattern ideas?

More Posts

Stay Up to Date

Subscribe to the Newsletter!

Join the best knitting
community on the web!

Knit Camp is a supportive, cheerful community led by Marie Greene of Olive Knits. It’s filled with monthly perks and resources to inspire your knitting journey.